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Old 08-18-2019, 01:04 AM   #1
Dukie98
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48-team Random Debut League

Way back in OOTP 19, I started a 48-team Random Debut League, using fictional franchises, and after thirty seasons of play, I finally made the jump to OOTP 20. This seemed like a good time to bring the entire league history into the OOTP 20 boards. Here's the complete backstory, if you have an hour or eight to spare: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289652

The creatively-named Historic Random Debut League started in 2010 (but originally using 1975 parameters), so we are now in the equivalent of 2005 in real-world MLB. (The different starting year was a necessary workaround to get enough players to stock the initial rosters). The player pool consists of players from 1902 to the present. After initially starting with a 9-round draft to help restock the player pool, drafts now vary between 5-6 rounds per year. There are no minors, but each team has a reserve roster - I've tinkered with it from time to time, but typically about 16 reserve players. There have been no franchise relocations or expansion/ contraction. The Frontier League and Continental League each have 24 teams, comprised of 6 teams apiece. The eight division winners make the playoffs, as do four wild-card teams in each league, and each round of playoffs is a best-of-seven affair.

Here's a list of the HRDL's 48 teams, ordered by most successful to least successful. Fortunately, every team has made the playoffs at least once... although the Memphis River Pirates have only made two postseason appearances. On the flip side, the Buffalo Fighting Elk have made 23 postseason appearances in 30 seasons, and the Los Angeles Kangaroos have made 22 appearances. Los Angeles and the Seattle Whales have tied for the lead with 4 World Series championships apiece:
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Old 08-18-2019, 02:00 AM   #2
Dukie98
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As far as all-time leaders, through 30 seasons of play, Wade Boggs is the all-time hit king with 4088 hits. Frank Thomas, with 702 round-trippers, is the all-time home run king - and still going strong. Sherry Magee recently passed Bryce Harper to take the all-time lead with 2243 RBI's. Andy Van Slyke is the King of WAR with 142.9.

Gary Nolan (!) and Bob Shirley (!!!) are the only pitchers to top 300 wins, with 323 and 321 respectively, although Ed Walsh and Smoky Joe Wood are still active with over 290 wins apiece. Don Drysdale is the strikeout king with 4157 strikeouts, and he also leads all pitchers in WAR with 159.3. Chris Short leads all relievers with 519 saves.

From an awards standpoint, Mickey Mantle won an incredible 7 MVP awards in 10 years, before declining sharply after jumping from Denver to Houston in free agency. Home Run Baker won five MVP's in a six-year stretch for Albuquerque. Tris Speaker and Larry Walker have won 3 MVP's apiece, and both remain active and in their primes. Don Wilson has won five Cy Young Awards for Kansas City and Buffalo, while Smoky Joe Wood earned four Cy Youngs and 2 MVPs for Pittsburgh. Brett Anderson also won four Cy Young Awards for Los Angeles, all between 2016 and 2020, while Bob Moose won three Cy Young Awards while pitching for Chicago and one more in Atlanta.

Fifty-four players have been selected to the Hall of Fame to date, with full profiles and career summaries at the link in the original post (primarily in the last few pages, as they are profiled at the time of election). Here is the list of Hall of Famers:

Catchers
Bill Freehan, Charlotte Aviators
Gabby Hartnett, St. Louis Pilots
Joe Mauer, New Orleans Crawfish
Dave Nilsson, Buffalo Fighting Elk

First basemen
Lou Gehrig, Cincinnati Spiders
Todd Helton, Toronto Predators
Keith Hernandez, Jacksonville Gulls
Ed Morgan, San Diego Zookeepers

Second basemen
George Grantham, Kansas City Mad Hatters
DJ LeMahieu, St. Louis Pilots

Third baseman
Wade Boggs, Phoenix Lizards
Bill Melton, Virginia Beach Admirals
Andy Van Slyke, Minneapolis Penguins

Shortstops
Nomar Garciaparra, Ottawa Parliamentarians
Jose Reyes, Cleveland Rocks
Jean Segura, New Orleans Crawfish
Troy Tulowitzki, San Francisco Longshoremen

Left fielders
Heinie Manush, Virginia Beach Admirals
Gary Matthews, Sr., Los Angeles Kangaroos

Center fielders
Tommie Agee, Charlotte Aviators
George Altman, Washington Ambassadors
JD Drew, San Antonio Marksmen
Rick Monday, Baltimore Robins

Right fielders
Bryce Harper, Jacksonville Gulls
Aaron Judge, Cleveland Rocks
Mickey Mantle, Denver Spikes
Dave Parker, Dallas Wildcatters
Gary Sheffield, Los Angeles Kangaroos
Reggie Smith, Detroit Purple Gang

Starting pitchers
Brett Anderson, Los Angeles Kangaroos
Bruce Berenyi, Denver Spikes
Heinie Berger, New Orleans Crawfish
Cy Blanton, London Werewolves
Clay Buchholz, Baltimore Robins
Madison Bumgarner, Minneapolis Penguins
Jack Chesbro, Cleveland Rocks
Roger Clemens, Chicago Mules
Ray Collins, Washington Ambassadors
Joe Gibbon, Virginia Beach Admirals
Larry Jaster, Minneapolis Penguins
Sandy Koufax, Hartford Huskies
Jakie May, Vancouver Viceroys
John Montefusco, St. Louis Pilots
Gary Nolan, New Orleans Crawfish
Billy Pierce, Kansas City Mad Hatters
Dave Righetti, San Diego Zookeepers
Joe Ross, Baltimore Robins
Reb Russell, London Werewolves
Bob Shirley, Nashville Blues
Dizzy Trout, Jacksonville Gulls
Justin Verlander, Detroit Purple Gang

Relief pitchers
Tom Henke, Buffalo Fighting Elk
Brad Lidge, San Francisco Longshoremen
Dick Radatz, Los Angeles Kangaroos
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Old 08-20-2019, 03:12 AM   #3
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2041 Mid-Year Review

Here are some of the major storylines from across the league at the 2041 All-Star Break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Toronto Predators rebounded from an 80-82 season by going 45-30 in the first half, in second place in the Great Lakes Division. The Predators ended the half ranked second in the league in runs scored, as third baseman Garrett Atkins hit .348 and slugged .659 with 25 doubles, 21 homers and 78 RBI's. First baseman Donn Clendenon hit .346 with 28 doubles, 11 homers, and 58 RBI's. Righthander Javier Vazquez went 9-3 with a 3.57 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts, while Dave Morehead posted an 8-3 mark with a 3.84 ERA. In the Northwest Division, the San Francisco Longshoremen looked to snap an eleven-year streak without finishing above .500, entering the break with a 43-31 record, just two games out of first place. The Longshoremen ranked 20th in the league in runs scored and dead last in baseball in homers, but right fielder Vladimir Guerrero blossomed into a star, hitting .306 with 18 homers and 53 RBIs, while none of his teammates smacked more than six round-trippers. But the Longshoremen boasted the best pitching staff in baseball, yielding just 242 runs, and four starters posted ERA's below 3.00. Southpaw Scott Kazmir went 6-3 with a sparkling 2.35 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts, while Oliver Perez went 7-4 with a 2.56 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 100 strikeouts. Hard-luck George Mulling went just 5-7 despite a stellar 1.96 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals rebounded from a dreadful 95-loss season, going 43-31 in the first half, and threatening to make their first postseason in thirteen seasons. Second-year first baseman Carmelo Martinez had a breakout season, hitting .295 with 18 longballs and 55 RBI's. Right fielder Reggie Jackson missed half the season, but he hit .348 and slugged .703 with 13 homers and 42 RBI's in just 37 games. Southpaw James Paxton went 7-5 with a 2.75 ERA, while Joe Magrane went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA. In the Texas Division, the Houston Pythons rebounded from back-to-back 88-loss seasons to go 40-35, ending the half just one game out of first place, as they looked to snap a seven-year postseason drought. Houston finished the half ranked second in the league in runs scored, led by center fielder Garry Maddox, who hit .343 with 12 homers, and 56 RBI's. Shortstop Buck Weaver hit .355 and slugged .527, scoring 59 runs in 72 games, with 20 doubles, 10 homers, 42 RBI's, and 21 steals. Left fielder Jim Greengrass hit .338 with 14 homers and 44 RBI's. Journeyman Matt Chico led an otherwise middling staff, going 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA.

Disappointments: The Kansas City Mad Hatters won 100 games last year, thanks to a powerful offense but a mediocre pitching staff. They ended the first half in last place in the Great Plains division with a 37-37 record, with the Mad Hatters' offense ranking just 15th in the league. Right fielder Bernie Carbo, an MVP candidate a year ago who led the league with 50 homers, saw his slugging percentage decline by 200 points as he slumped to hit just .259 with 12 homers and 37 RBI's. Veteran third baseman Manny Machado's batting average declined by 50 points to .247, and his slugging percentage tailed off by 60 points. On the mound, Mike Foltynewicz went just 5-8 and saw his ERA rise by over two runs per game. Although the Portland Skunks won 92 and 89 games in the past two seasons, making the playoffs each year, they stumbled to a 31-43 start. Right fielder Drew Stubbs, who unexpectedly hit 43 homers last year, hit just .188 and slugged .286, with just 3 homers and 19 RBI's. First baseman Mike Epstein hit just .235 in the first half and saw his slugging percentage decline by over 100 points. Roger Wolff, who won 34 games over the prior two years, went just 2-6 with a 4.27 ERA, and Portland sported the worst bullpen ERA in the league.

In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls, who won 105 games last year solely due to a record-setting offense, dropped off to a 33-41 mark after their offense tailed off, while their pitching staff yielded the most runs in baseball. Star shortstop Robin Yount missed most of the first half with a labrum injury, and played only 17 games. Defending MVP Beals Becker declined from hitting .369 and slugging .662 to hitting .298 with a solid, if unspectacular, .525 slugging percentage. Catcher Victor Martinez, who hit .364 and slugged .589 with 28 homers and 125 RBI's last year, dropped off to hit .307 and slug .427, with just 6 homers and 40 RBI's. Only one starter posted an ERA below 6.00, and closer Keith Foulke posted a ghastly 8.49 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP in 35 thoroughly ineffective innings. The Atlanta Ducks, winners of 94 games last year, tailed off to a 35-39 mark. Catcher Keith Moreland, who hit .313 with 19 homers last year, tailed off to a .274 mark with a lone homer and just 19 RBIs's. On the mound, southpaw Mel Parnell saw his ERA spike from 2.76 last year to 4.87 at the break, despite a superficially solid 8-5 record. Kent Mercker, who posted a 3.00 ERA last year with 39 saves, struggled with his move into the rotation, going 3-7 with a 4.52 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP.

North-Least: The Northeast Division threatened to be the worst division, from top to bottom, in league history - despite the presence of the traditional power Buffalo Fighting Elk, who had topped 100 wins in each of the prior four seasons. At the end of April, Buffalo led the division with a dreadful 9-16 mark. After a strong May, Buffalo entered the break with a disappointing 36-38 mark, holding off the second-place Montreal Knights by half a game. The Boston Minutemen and Baltimore Robins remained within 5 games of first place, sporting records of 31-42 and 31-43, respectively. The Philadelphia Hawks were on target for a franchise-worst record, going just 25-50, while the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas were an embarrassing 20-55, far and away the worst record in baseball, as they ranked dead last in the Frontier League in runs scored, and third-from-last in runs allowed.

El Paso Splurges: After winning 103 games last year, the El Paso Armadillos went on an aggressive spending spree in free agency. After signing Joe DiMaggio to a seven-year contract in the first week of free agency, the Armadillos imported elite reliever Chris Short, righthander Jordan Zimmermann, right fielder Cleon Jones, and power-hitting third baseman Leo Gomez. But El Paso struggled early, jumping out to a 2-9 start before ending the half in first place with a 41-34 record.

Major injuries: Once again, several star players suffered major injuries in spring training, knocking them out of commission for much of the first half. El Paso righthander Jordan Zimmermann suffered an elbow injury and was not expected to return until August. Buffalo righthander Jose Lima went down for the season with an elbow injury. Montreal rookie center fielder Josh Hamilton, the #5 overall pick in last winter's draft, tore his labrum and would miss the season. Nashville southpaw Herb Score tore an elbow tendon, knocking him out for the year. After the season started, Jacksonville shortstop Robin Yount injured his labrum, knocking him out for two months. Calgary ace Walter Johnson pulled his hamstring in later May and was expected to miss eight weeks. Kansas City saw star outfielders Bernie Carbo and Kirk Gibson land on the injured list with elbow and hand injuries, missing about 20 games apiece.

Major milestones: Charlotte DH Sherry Magee continued to rake, drilling his 3,500th career hit. Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado and Anaheim second sacker Rougned Odor each joined the 2500-hit club. Los Angeles DH Frank Thomas bopped his 700th career homer, while New Orleans first baseman Eddie Murray drilled his 500th career round-tripper. Los Angeles first baseman Johnny Mize, Montreal right fielder Raul Mondesi, and Portland shortstop each joined the 400-homer club. Veteran Chicago southpaw Brett Oberholtzer notched his 200th career win. Looking ahead, New Orleans second baseman Jose Altuve was weeks away from knocking his 3500th career hit. Seattle third baseman Frank Baker was likely to rip hit 3000th career hit by July 4, while Birmingham DH Lee May was about six weeks away from his 3000th hit. Magee was two homers away from his 650th career longball. Albuquerque first baseman George Brett was likely to hit his 500th career homer by August. Ageless New Orleans righthander Ed Walsh was six wins away from joining the elusive 300-win club, and he was expected to notch his 4000th strikeout by the end of July.
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Old 08-24-2019, 04:02 AM   #4
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2041 Year in Review

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk won their fifth straight division title, but that was more a reflection on their mediocre competition, as they won just 84 games, spending much of the season below .500. Shortstop Rico Petrocelli starred, hitting .323 and slugging .596 with 42 homers and 131 RBI's. Third baseman Eric Chavez popped 35 round-trippers and drove in 101 runs. Center fielder Tris Speaker missed 46 games, but hit .341 with 47 doubles and stole 31 bases. Southpaw Chuck Finley led the pitching staff, posting an 11-9 mark with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Although Hal Carlson went 9-8 with a 3.90 ERA, five-time Cy Young Award winner Don Wilson struggled mightily, going 8-15 with a career-worst 4.41 ERA.

The Detroit Purple Gang dominated the Great Lakes Division, winning a franchise-record 107 games to take the division by a mere 23 games over Toronto. Third baseman Nolan Arenado bid for his third MVP award, hitting .354 and slugging .680, with 90 extra-base hits, including 44 homers, 162 RBI's, and 140 runs scored. Ageless first baseman Julio Franco hit .332 with 24 homers and 126 RBI's. Right fielder Tony Gwynn hit .330 with 42 doubles, 16 homers, 121 RBI's, and 133 runs scored. Fireballer Nolan Ryan went 20-6 with a 2.69 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP,. and a league-best 288 strikeouts. Crafty southpaw Scott Olsen posted a 13-5 mark with a 3.18 ERA, while closer Greg Holland notched 30 saves and a 1.96 ERA, fanning 81 batters in 60 innings.

The Great Plains Division proved to be the deepest in baseball, with four clubs making the playoffs and a fifth challenging for a spot. The Minneapolis Penguins rode a red-hot September, going 19-7, including a season-ending 15-3 run, to win 99 games to take the division crown. Center fielder Mike Trout hit .311 with 36 doubles, 35 homers, 102 RBI's, 119 runs scored, and 26 steals. Star catcher Javy Lopez hit .317 and slugged .581, blasting 39 taters and driving in 86 runs while scoring 103. Shortstop Luis Salazar popped 28 homers, drove in 80 runs, scored 108 runs, and swiped 29 bags. The Penguins featured the league's second-stingiest pitching staff, as veteran Paul Derringer went 17-6 with a 3.02 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. Jose Rijo posted a 15-12 mark despite a 2.86 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts. The Chicago Mules posted a 95-67 record, making the playoffs for the second straight season Second-year second sacker Carlos Baerga starred, hitting .358 with a league-leading 234 hits, including 43 doubles, 35 homers, and 130 RBI's. First baseman Jimmie Foxx hit .291 with a league-high 123 walks, along with 41 homers, 116 runs scored, and 125 RBI's. Left fielder Eddie Lukon popped 32 homers and drove in 95 runs. Southpaw Odalis Perez posted a 20-8 mark, a 3.00 ERA, a league-best 0.95 WHIP, and fanned 197 hitters while walking just 20. Tyler Duffey notched a 14-5 record with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. The St. Louis Pilots returned to the postseason for the first time in eleven seasons, winning 92 games, largely thanks to the Frontier League's second-ranked offense. Third baseman Chipper Jones starred, hitting a franchise-record .351 with a .585 slugging percentage, ripping 42 doubles, 32 homers, 96 RBI's, swiping 32 bags, and scoring 131 runs. Veteran first baseman Joe Adcock hit .287 with 46 round-trippers, 141 RBI's, and 110 runs scored. Utilityman Marwin Gonzalez had a breakout season, hitting .326 with 42 doubles, 36 homers, 116 RBI's, 26 steals, and 125 runs scored. Catcher Jim Leyritz hit .295, popping 29 longballs and driving in 99 runs. Righthander Bob Welch posted a 16-7 record with a 3.28 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, while fanning 199 hitters. Savvy veteran Tony McKnight went 17-8 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons returned to the playoffs for the first time in six years, winning 89 games. First baseman Joe Pepitone starred, hitting .322 and slugging .576, pounding 40 homers and driving in a franchise-record 138 runs. Right fielder Jim Wynn, in his first full season, starred, posting a .337/ .436/ .594 slash line, with 57 doubles, 27 homers, 116 RBI's, 31 steals, and 133 runs scored. Left fielder Trey Mancini hit .284, slugging 30 round-trippers and driving in 98 runs. Journeyman righthander Weldon Henley posted a 16-10 record with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Southpaw Harvey Haddix went 16-9, yielding a 4.00 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. The Kansas City Mad Hatters narrowly missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, notching 86 wins. Third baseman Manny Machado drilled 40 homers and plated 100 runs. Catcher Ramon Hernandez hit .323 and slugged .545, blasting 25 jacks and driving in 106 runs.

The Vancouver Viceroys won the Northwest Division with a franchise-record 107 wins. Left fielder Bernard Gilkey hit .318 and slugged .548, smacking 44 doubles and 29 homers with 28 steals, 114 RBI's, and 118 runs scored. Second sacker Juan Uribe hit .302 with 34 doubles, a league-high 12 triples, 21 homers, and 100 RBI's. Veteran catcher Joe Torre had a career season, hitting .322 with 26 longballs and 93 RBI's. Shortstop Chris Speier hit .291 with 20 homers, 88 RBI's, and 106 runs scored. Southpaw CJ Wilson led the league's third-ranked pitching staff, going 15-3 with a league-best 2.10 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Veteran Jim Shaw went 17-6 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Closer Guy Cantrell notched 33 saves with a 1.44 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP, fanning 86 hitters in just 56 innings. The San Francisco Longshoremen posted their first winning record since their last playoff appearance eleven years ago, winning 93 games. First baseman Ron Blomberg led them offensively, hitting .323 with 39 doubles, 34 longballs, and 113 RBI's. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero hit .318 with 30 homers, 96 RBI's, and scored 121 runs. Despite losing Allan Sothoron, a 19-game winner last year as a rookie, early in the year to a torn labrum, San Francisco sported the best pitching staff in baseball, yielding just 564 runs. Southpaw Scott Kazmir notched a 17-8 mark, with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 237 strikeouts. Righthander Fred Beebe went 15-7 with a 3.04 ERA , a 1.20 WHIP, and 216 strikeouts. Hard-luck George Mullin went just 13-15 despite a sterling 2.89 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.

Continental League: The New York Emperors made their third straight postseason appearance, winning the Atlantic Division with 103 victories. Steady third baseman David Wright hit .307 and slugged .522, ripping 32 homers with 21 steals, 108 RBI's, and 111 runs scored. Right fielder Cliff Floyd matched Wright, hitting .306 with 35 homers, 23 steals, 103 RBI's, and 117 runs scored. First baseman Don Mattingly hit .334 with 43 doubles, 13 homers, and 108 RBI's. The Emperors ranked second in the Continental League in runs allowed, led by southpaw Rich Nye, who went 18-7 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Corey Kluber sported a 17-7 mark with a 3.42 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 226 strikeouts. Closer Taijuan Walker notched 8 wins and 34 steals, while lodging a 2.61 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators won 100 games, led by 39-year old DH Sherry Magee, who hit .323 and slugged .651 with 99 extra-base hits, including 49 homers, 125 RBI's, and 133 runs scored. First baseman Mark Teixeira hit .295 and slugged 35 round-trippers while driving in 104 runs and scoring 111. Catcher Tony Pena hit .328 and slugged .511, popping 21 homers and driving in 87 runs. Lefty Bob Ojeda went 15-4 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Ray Caldwell notched a 15-11 mark with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. The Virginia Beach Admirals won 92 games, making the playoffs for the first time in thirteen seasons. Third baseman Mike Schmidt rallied from a slow start to hit .299 with 45 homers, while plating 123 runs and scoring 125. First baseman Carmelo Martinez exploded, hitting .293 with 40 homers and 120 RBI's. Right fielder Reggie Jackson hit .311 with 30 longballs, 96 RBI's, and 94 runs scored despite missing 40 games. Southpaws Joe Magrane and James Paxton sported matching 14-9 marks, with Magrane sporting a 3.71 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP, and Paxton yielding a 3.63 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish coasted to their fourth straight division title and seventh straight playoff appearance, winning 99 games to take the Southeast Division by 15 games. DH Eddie Murray hit .302 and slugged .555, ripping 44 homers and driving in 135 runs. Center fielder Austin Kearns hit .273 with 23 homers, 72 RBI's, and 105 runs scored. Veteran second baseman Jose Altuve hit .350 and slugged .500 with 13 homers, 69 RBI's, and 76 runs scored despite missing sixty games. Lefthander Wilbur Cooper posted an 18-7 mark with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Rookie righthander Rosy Ryan ripped off a 16-6 record, a 3.31 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts. Veteran reliever Roy Parmelee headed one of the league's deepest bullpens, notching 7 wins and 35 saves with a 2.42 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 78 innings.

The El Paso Armadillos turned their season around after a 2-9 start, winning the Texas Division by ten games with a 95-67 mark. DH Rafael Palmeiro hit .293 and slugged .500, drilling 36 jacks with 109 RBI's and 101 runs scored. Center fielder Joe DiMaggio, another free agency acquisition, hit .294 with 23 homers and 89 RBI's. El Paso's pitching ranked third in the league, led by Randy Johnson, who went 13-8 with a 3.74 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and 193 strikeouts, and Jesse Foppert, who posted an 11-6 mark with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Closer Hal Kleine notched 34 saves with a 2.64 ERA. The Oklahoma City Otters returned to the playoffs for the first time in four years, taking the final wild card spot with 85 wins. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez won the Continental League batting title, hitting a franchise-record .371 and slugging .568, with 20 homers, 94 RBI's, 91 runs, and 23 steals despite missing the last six weeks of the season with a broken rib. First baseman George Sisler hit. 362 and slugged .608 with 80 extra-base hits, including 21 homers, to go with 104 RBI's, 114 runs scored, and stealing 56-of-63 bases. Journeyman third baseman Jeff Hamilton hit .288 with 51 doubles, 21 homers, and 120 RBI's. Southpaw Tom Glavine had a breakout season, tying for the league lead in wins as he went 18-5 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Righthander Tommy Hughes went 14-10 with a 4.15 ERA. The 83-win San Antonio Marksmen narrowly missed the postseason, despite the top pitching staff in the Continental League, as Greg Maddux went 18-8 with a 1.80 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP, and 213 strikeouts. Catcher Mike Sweeney led San Antonio's next-to-last ranked offense, hitting .320 with 27 longballs and 78 RBI's.

The Anaheim Antelopes won the Southwest Division with 92 wins, making the playoffs for the sixth straight season, as they led the Continental League with 971 runs scored. Center fielder Dale Murphy had another MVP-caliber season, hitting .323 and slugging .633, leading the league with 51 homers and 168 RBI's (also a franchise record) while scoring 127 runs. DH Rougned Odor blasted 42 homers and drove in 146 runs. Third baseman Logan Forsythe hit .296 with 35 jacks, 108 RBI's and 121 runs scored. Left fielder Bob Bescher set the table, hitting .322 with a franchise-record .456 on-base percentage, leading the league with 139 walks and 60 doubles, while swiping 32 bags and scoring 133 runs. Free agent signee Chappie McFarland earned his keep, tying for the league lead in wins as he went 18-9 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Southpaw Frank Tanana went 11-5 with a 3.75 ERA and 192 strikeouts. The defending champion Phoenix Lizards rallied after a 9-20 start to win 88 games, ranking third in the Continental League in runs scored. Right fielder Billy Conigliaro led four players with at least 33 homers, as he hit .288 with 41 homers and 129 RBI's. Third baseman Butch Hobson hit .287 with 38 longballs and 128 RBI's, while first baseman Richie Sexson and DH Roger Maris combined for 69 homers. Second sacker Jim Viox hit .323, rapping 48 doubles, 12 homers, and driving in 99 runs. Southpaw Cliff Lee went 18-7 with a 3.60 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 222 strikeouts, while Zane Smith went 13-9 with a 4.22 ERA before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery.
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Old 08-26-2019, 02:55 AM   #5
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2041 Playoff Report

Frontier League: In one of the largest upsets in league history, the 89-win Omaha Falcons ousted the 107-win Vancouver Viceroys in five games, as Omaha won four low-scoring one-run games and held Vancouver to just 15 runs in five games. Omaha second baseman Marty Barrett won MVP honors after hitting .333 with a series-high 7 hits, including a homer and four RBI's. Center fielder Jim Wynn hit .300 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Righthander Tom Brewer went 1-0 with a 2.02 ERA in 13.1 innings, allowing just 3 hits in 7 innings in Game 5, and also blasted a homer in Game 1. Catcher Joe Torre led Vancouver, hitting .263 with 2 homer and BI's. The Chicago Mules dispatched the Buffalo Fighting Elk in five games. In a controversial decision, right fielder Eddie Lukon was named MVP after hitting .421 with a homer and 6 RBI's. Crafty righthander Lary Sorensen went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings. Third baseman Pie Traynor hit .348 with a pair of homers and 3 RBI's, while second sacker Carlos Baerga also ripped 2 homers and drove in 6 runs. Shortstop Rico Petrocelli led Buffalo in defeat, hitting .450 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's. The San Francisco Longshoremen, returning to the playoffs after an 11-year absence, ousted the 99-win Minneapolis Penguins in six games. Catcher Fran Healy took home the hardware after hitting .435 with 3 homers and 10 RBI's. Second baseman Chip Hale raked at a .417 clip with a homer, 5 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Righthander Fred Beebe went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 16 whiffs in 12 innings. Right fielder Darryl Strawberry led the Penguins, hitting .360 with 4 homers, 5 RBI's, and 6 runs scored in defeat. The St. Louis Pilots hung close with the 107-win Detroit Purple Gang, but ultimately, Detroit prevailed in seven games, winning Game 7 2-1 -- making Detroit the lone division champion to advance in the Frontier League. Third baseman Nolan Arenado won MVP honors after leading all hitters with 10 hits, as he batted .370 with 2 RBI's and 3 runs scored. Tony Gwynn hit .320 with a homer and 5 RBI's, and Shane Mack popped two pinch-hit homers. Lew Burdette split two decisions, but won Game 7, and he posted a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings, and Nolan Ryan went 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13.2 innings. First baseman Joe Adcock led St. Louis in defeat, hitting .357 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, and utilityman Marwin Gonzalez smacked 3 solo homers.

In the Division Series, the Chicago Mules erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits in eliminating the Omaha Falcons in 7 games. Chicago catcher Ted Simmons was tabbed MVP after hitting .463 with four extra-base hits, a homer, 3 RBI's, and 8 runs scored. Third baseman Pie Traynor hit 2 homers and drove in 6 runs, including a bases-loaded triple to break open Game 7. Chicago's bullpen was stellar, yielding just 6 runs and 16 hits in 25 innings. Right fielder Jim Wynn led Omaha, hitting .400 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's, while Joe Pepitone smacked two round-trippers and drove in a series-high 9 runs. San Francisco nearly blew a 3-1 lead to Detroit, but upended the Purple Gang, as Longshoremen hurler Fred Beebe threw seven shutout innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 Game 7 victory. San Francisco right fielder Vladimir Guerrero hit .464 with a series-high 13 hits, including a homer and 5 RBI's. Catcher Fran Healy hit .321 and drove in a pair of runs. Beebe was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA, with 16 strikeouts in 14 innings. Nolan Ryan led Detroit, going 2-0 with 19 strikeouts in 12 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits, while also ripping a two-run double. In a back-and-forth League Championship Series, the Chicago Mules outlasted the San Francisco Longshoremen in 7 games, with Chicago first baseman Jimmie Foxx hitting .423 and slugging .731, with 2 homers in Game 7 and 8 RBI's. Chicago right fielder Eddie Lukon popped 3 homers and drove in 9 runs. Southpaw Odalis Perez posted a 1-0 record with a 2.70 ERA in 13.1 innings. First baseman Ron Blomberg led San Francisco, hitting .333 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's, while left fielder Franklin Gutierrez hit .323 with a homer, 2 RBI's and 5 runs scored.

Continental League: In the Continental League, the Wild Card Round was shockingly uncompetitive, as for the first time in league history, three of the four series ended in sweeps. The Oklahoma City Otters, despite the absence of injured batting champion Hanley Ramirez, swept the heavily-favored 103-win New York Emperors. First baseman George Sisler led all hitters with 10 hits, batting .588 with a pair of homers, 9 runs scored, 3 doubles, and 6 steals. Shortstop Larvell Blanks, filling in for Ramirez, hit .471 with 8 hits and 2 RBI's. Left fielder Tom Poquette hit .375 with a series-high 6 RBI's. Tom Glavine hurled seven shutout innings, yielding just four hits in a Game 2 victory. Right fielder Darryl Motley led New York, hitting .500 with 3 doubles and 2 RBI's. The Charlotte Aviators ousted the Anaheim Antelopes in six games; Charlotte jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead before dropping the next two games, before winning Game Six 6-3 on a tiebreaking Tony Pena ninth inning homer. Pena was named MVP after hitting .542 with 4 homers and an incredible 13 RBI's. First baseman Mark Teixeira pounded 3 homers and drove in 6 runs. Chad Kuhl hurled 7 shutout innings, allowing just 3 shutout innings in Game 6. Anaheim shortstop Luis Aparicio hit .391 and drove in 3 runs, while star centerfielder Dale Murphy ripped a homer and drove in 7 runs. The El Paso Armadillos overwhelmed the Virginia Beach Admirals, scoring 40 runs in a four-game sweep. Third baseman Leo Gomez was named MVP after hitting .400 and slugging .867, popping 2 longballs and driving in 4 runs. Center fielder Joe DiMaggio hit .389 with a homer and 4 RBI's, while catcher Cam Carreon and DH Rafael Palmeiro each drove in 7 runs. Randy Johnson hurled 5.1 shutout innings in Game 1, the only low-scoring affair in the series. Right fielder Reggie Jackson led the Admirals by hitting 2 homers and driving in 6 runs while hitting .333. The New Orleans Crawfish's explosive offense dominated the Phoenix Lizards, scoring 45 runs in sweeping the defending champions. DH Eddie Murray was an easy MVP choice, hitting .500 with 5 homers and an incredible 15 RBI's in four games -- setting an all-time postseason record with 8 RBI's in Game 3 and driving in 5 more in a 23-8 Game 4 rout, while also blasting an extra-inning walk-off homer in Game 1. Right fielder Chuck Klein hit .625 and scored 9 runs -- including a record seven runs in Game 4. Catcher Charles Johnson hit .444 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Righthander Nick Neugebauer hurled 8.1 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 2 runs. Center fielder Jackie Brandt led Phoenix, hitting .385 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's.

Oklahoma City's good fortune ran out in the Division Series, as Charlotte scored 39 runs in eliminating the Otters in 5 games. Charlotte catcher Tony Pena earned MVP honors once again, hitting .444 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Right fielder Joe Wallis hit .364 with 2 homers, 3 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. DH Sherry Magee had just four hits, but blasted two longballs and drove in 9 runs. Righthander Ray Caldwell yielded just two hits in 7.1 shutout innings, but the bullpen squandered what would have been a victory for him. Oklahoma City center fielder Curt Flood hit .429 with a homer and two doubles. In a back-and-forth series, the New Orleans Crawfish eliminated the El Paso Armadillos in seven games to advance to the League Championship Series. Crawfish catcher Charles Johnson took home the hardware after hitting .481 and slugging .815, with 3 homers and 9 RBI's, including a Game 7 longball. Right fielder Chuck Klein hit .370 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, while first baseman Dave Hollins hit .292 with a jack and 5 RBI's. Ed Hobaugh earned the win in Game 7, posting a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings for the series, while closer Roy Parmelee notched 2 saves, allowing just 1 hit and fanning 10 in 6.1 innings. El Paso was led by Joe DiMaggio, who hit .370 with 3 longballs and 6 RBI's in defeat. New Orleans required seven games once again to outlast Charlotte in the League Championship Series, erasing a 2-0 deficit, as Chad Ogea outdueled Chad Ogea in a 3-1 Game 7 victory. Center fielder Austin Kearns earned MVP honors after hitting .448 with 3 homers (including one in Game 7) and 6 RBI's. Third baseman Omar Infante hit .344 with a homer, 2 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Second sacker Jose Altuve smacked a pair of longballs and drove in 7 runs. Ogea pitched 14 innings, yielding a 1.93 ERA. DH Sherry Magee had a monster series for Charlotte, hitting .467 with 5 homers and 13 RBI's, while Mark Teixeira popped 3 homers and drove in 10 runs.

World Series: The 99-win New Orleans Crawfish were narrow favorites over the Chicago Mules, but the Crawfish had to do without the services of rookie 16-game winner Rosy Ryan, who was injured against Charlotte. The Crawfish ultimately prevailed in six games, winning their second championship in three years -- but no game was decided by more than two runs.

New Orleans took Game 1 by a 3-1 tally, as Wilbur Cooper surrendered just 4 hits and 1 run in 7 innings, outdueling 20-game winner Odalis Perez. Third baseman Omar Infante and center fielder Austin Kearns homered for New Orleans, while Chicago relied on a solo shot by left fielder Greg Goossen. New Orleans opened up a two-game lead by taking Game Two 5-4 in ten innings, as Eddie Murray hit a walk-off single off Julio Machado. Nick Neugebauer fanned 10 in 5.2 innings for New Orleans, while Lary Sorenson gave Chicago seven solid innings, allowing just 4 hits and 3 runs. Catcher Charles Johnson and first baseman Dave Hollins homered for the Crawfish, while right fielder Eddie Lukon blasted a three-run homer for the Mules. Chicago second baseman Carlos Baerga chipped in with four hits, including a double. Chicago fought back in Game 3, scoring six runs in the first two frames off Chad Ogea on their way to a 7-5 victory. Johnny Vander Meer earned the victory, yielding 3 runs in 6 workmanlike innings. Chicago third baseman Pie Traynor homered twice and walked twice, and Lukon homered again. First baseman Jimmie Foxx tripled, singled, and drove in two runs. New Orleans shortstop Glenn Wright popped a solo shot, while Dave Hollins drove in two runs with a single and a double.

Chicago evened the series in Game 4, with Carlos Baerga driving in the winning run off Andrew Miller in a 4-3 walk-off victory in eleven innings. Starters Tyler Duffey for Chicago and Ed Walsh for New Orleans each yielded 3 runs in 6 innings. Chicago right fielder Augie Bergamo had 4 hits and scored two runs, while shortstop Bucky Dent homered and doubled. Kearns and Charles Johnson each homered for the Crawfish, and Jose Altuve rapped 4 hits. New Orleans regained control with a 4-2 victory in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead, as Wilbur Cooper again outdueled Odalis Perez. Cooper yielded 5 hits and 2 runs in 7.1 innings. Eddie Murray broke the game open with a 3-run homer, while Altuve ripped 3 more hits. Bergamo had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run for the Mules. New Orleans clinched its second World Series title with a 5-4 comeback victory in Game 6, with backup outfielder Ken Williams scoring the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch by Lary Sorensen in the seventh inning. Omar Infante pounded four hits, including a homer, and drove in two runs, and Glenn Wright also hit a solo smash. Baerga led Chicago with three hits, including a double, in defeat.

Infante, a 20-year-old third baseman in his first full season in the majors, was a surprise MVP pick. He hit .467 with 7 hits, including 2 homers and 3 RBI's. Hollins hit .348 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's, and Kearns, Wright, and Johnson drilled a pair of homers apiece. Sophomore Wilbur Cooper was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA, surrendering just 9 hits in 14.2 innings. Parmelee notched two saves, hurling 6.1 shutout innings. Baerga and Bergamo led Chicago with 12 hits apiece, each hitting .444 with 2 RBI's. Lukon and Traynor each smacked a pair of homers for the Mules, with Lukon driving in five runs.
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Old 08-28-2019, 03:46 AM   #6
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2041 Awards Winners

Frontier League MVP- Nolan Arenado, 3B, DET (48): .354/ .447/ .680, 202 hits, 38 doubles, 8 triples, 44 HR, 162 RBI, 140 runs, 103 BB, 3 SB, 185 OPS+, 10.9 WAR
Second place- Rico Petrocelli, SS, BUF: .323/ .390/ .596, 196 hits, 33 doubles, 3 triples, 42 HR, 131 RBI, 96 runs, 71 BB, 2 SB, +24.4 Zone Rating, 161 OPS+, 10.8 WAR
Third place- Chipper Jones, 3B, STL: .351/ .433/ .585, 210 hits, 42 doubles, 1 triple, 32 HR, 96 RBI, 131 runs, 88 BB, 32 SB, 165 OPS+, 10.5 WAR
Fourth place- Jim Wynn, RF, OMA: .337/ .436/ .594, 200 hits, 57 doubles, 7 triples, 27 HR, 116 RBI, 133 runs, 102 BB, 31 SB, 170 OPS+, 10.5 WAR
Fifth place- Carlos Baerga, 2B, CHI: .358/ .396/ .585, 234 hits, 43 doubles, 35 HR, 130 RBI, 113 runs, 27 BB, 1 SB, 154 OPS+, 8.6 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Nolan Ryan, DET (43): 20-6, 2.69 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 217 IP, 288 K, 81 BB, 168 ERA+, 6.7 WAR
Second place- CJ Wilson, VAN (5): 15-3, 2.10 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 214 IP, 174 K, 67 BB, 212 ERA+, 5.8 WAR
Third place- Jose Rijo, MIN: 15-12, 2.86 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 204 IP, 219 K, 54 BB, 158 ERA+, 5.8 WAR
Fourth place- Fred Beebe, SF: 15-7, 3.04 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 192 IP, 216 K, 85 BB, 144 ERA+, 6.2 WAR
Fifth place- Odalis Perez, CHI: 20-8, 3.00 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 219 IP, 197 K, 20 BB, 148 ERA+, 8.0 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year: Todd Walker, 2B, SEA (30): .322/ .368/ .519, 192 hits, 56 doubles, 4 triples, 18 HR, 103 RBI, 91 runs, 46 BB, 16 SB, 133 OPS+, 4.6 WAR
Second place- Manny Ramirez, RF, BOS: .255/ .363/ .533, 134 hits, 30 doubles, 1 triple, 38 HR, 108 RBI, 91 runs, 89 BB, 5 SB, 132 OPS+, 4.4 WAR
Third place- Cesar Cedeno, CF, BAL: .315/ .365/ .518, 145 hits, 42 doubles, 8 triples, 12 HR, 63 RBI, 64 runs, 38 BB, 24 SB, +13.6 Zone Rating, 130 OPS+, 4.0 WAR


Continental League MVP- Dale Murphy, CF, ANA (42): .323/ .401/ .633, 197 hits, 34 doubles, 1 triple, 51 HR, 168 RBI, 127 runs, 80 BB, 18 SB, 167 OPS+, 9.4 WAR
Second place- Ralph Kiner, LF, MEM (4): .363/ .484/ .743, 153 hits, 17 doubles, 1 triple, 47 HR, 102 RBI, 100 runs, 93 BB, 2 SB, 217 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Third place- Sherry Magee, DH, CHA: .323/ .407/ .651, 199 hits, 45 doubles, 5 triples, 49 HR, 125 RBI, 133 runs, 87 BB, 12 SB, 165 OPS+, 7.2 WAR
Fourth place- Mike Schmidt, 3B, VB: .299/ .393/ .575, 179 hits, 28 doubles, 1 triple, 45 HR, 123 RBI, 125 runs, 85 BB, 25 SB, 148 OPS+, 8.0 WAR
Fifth place- George Brett, 1B, ALB: .326/ .398/ .607, 202 hits, 48 doubles, 3 triples, 40 HR, 128 RBI, 114 runs, 80 BB, 9 SB, +15.8 Zone Rating, 154 OPS+, 8.1 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award: Greg Maddux, SA (47): 18-8, 1.80 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 251 IP, 213 K, 34 BB, 259 ERA+, 8.4 WAR
Second place- Ron Guidry, NAS (1): 14-6, 1.93 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 200 IP, 221 K, 46 BB, 236 ERA+, 8.0 WAR
Third place- Mark Prior, NAS: 14-8, 2.41 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 216 IP, 235 K, 34 BB, 189 ERA+, 5.7 WAR
Fourth place- Rich Nye, NY: 18-7, 3.12 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 219 IP, 150 K, 52 BB, 156 ERA+, 4.6 WAR
Fifth place- Wilbur Cooper, NOR: 18-7, 3.18 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 212 IP, 181 K, 32 BB, 155 ERA+, 5.8 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year: Lenny Dykstra, CF, OKC (32): .291/ .397/ .469, 141 hits, 45 doubles, 7 triples, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 100 runs, 88 BB, 23 SB, +17.9 Zone Rating, 122 OPS+, 6.3 WAR
Second place- Rick Reichardt, LF, LA: .295/ .359/ .525, 135 hits, 17 doubles, 2 triples, 28 HR, 74 RBI, 81 runs, 30 BB, 16 SB, 135 OPS+, 4.4 WAR
Third place- Rosy Ryan, RHP, NOR: 16-6, 3.31 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 204 IP, 190 K, 51 BB, 150 ERA+, 5.6 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Roy Oswalt, RHP, Washington Ambassadors
2. John Olerud, 1B, Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas
3. Bill Dickey, C, Austin Mustangs
4. Darren Daulton, C, Philadelphia Hawks
5. Jonathan Villar, SS, Memphis River Pirates
6. Monte Irvin, RF, Baltimore Robins
7. Derrek Lee, 1B, Los Angeles Kangaroos
8. Frank LaPorte, 2B, Cleveland Rocks
9. Paul Sorrento, 1B, Birmingham Steelers
10. Bob Horner, 3B, Ottawa Parliamentarians

Last edited by Dukie98; 08-30-2019 at 02:47 AM.
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Old 09-01-2019, 02:36 AM   #7
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2041 Hall of Fame Voting

Once again, the Hall of Fame voting was dominated by newcomers to the ballot, as three players were inducted -- all on their maiden appearance on the ballot. Don Drysdale narrowly missed setting a record, getting 99.0% of the vote. First baseman Jeff Bagwell was tabbed on 96.5% of the ballots, while right fielder Cliff Heathcote drew 88.8% of the vote.

Drysdale was, by many measures, the most dominant pitcher in HDRL history. He was selected second overall by the Cincinnati Spiders in the 2015 draft. He posted a strong rookie season in 2016, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting, going 14-12 with a 2.50 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. After his sophomore season was marred by a hamstring injury, Drysdale rebounded in 2018 to go 21-7 with a 2.37 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP, making the first of his 13 All-Star teams. The following season, he posted an 18-8 mark with a 2.47 ERA and a league-leading 0.91 WHIP, allowing just 24 walks in 218 innings. He posted a hard-luck 12-8 record in 2021 despite a stellar 2.33 ERA and a microscopic 0.85 WHIP, fanning 232 hitters, while finishing third in the Cy Young voting.. After posting a 1.64 ERA in 18 starts the following year -- Drysdale suffered a career-threatening UCL tear, but he returned as strong as ever. In 2024, Drysdale posted a 1.96 ERA, a league-best 0.88 WHIP, fanned 249 hitters, and led the league with 9.4 WAR -- yet somehow went just 9-12 for the offensively-challenged Spiders, as he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting. The following year, he led the Frontier League with a 2.00 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP, posting a 10-5 record, and again finishing fourth in the Cy Young voting. In both 2026 and 2027, Drysdale again led the league in WHIP, despite modest won-lost records, and in 2028, he posted a 1.75 ERA with a 12-6 record, yielding just five homers in 180 innings. Drysdale finally got some offensive support in 2029, as he went 21-5 with a 2.02 ERA and a league-best 0.90 WHIP, fanning 247 hitters, as he finished second in the Cy Young voting and third in the MVP voting. In 2030, he posted an 18-8 record, and led the Spiders to their only world championship, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.55 ERA in their postseason run. Following that season, he decamped to San Antonio, and he won his first Cy Young Award in 2031, going 16-5 with a 2.75 ERA, a league-best 0.92 WHIP, and 230 strikeouts. He won a second Cy Young Award the following season, going 12-10 despite a league-best 2.29 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and 222 strikeouts. He nearly made it a trifecta in 2033, coming in third in the voting after going 19-5 with a league-best 1.72 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. After two off-seasons, he signed with the Kansas City Mad Hatters in free agency, where he posted a 24-14 mark in two seasons. He signed with the Vancouver Viceroys, as he tried to make a run for 300 victories, but suffered a career-ending elbow injury after seven starts. Overall, Drysdale posted a 283-165 career record, despite several seasons of subpar offensive support. He posted a career ERA of 2.48 (fourth best among starting pitchers), leading the league three times and posting three qualifying seasons with ERA's below 2.00. Remarkably, he led the league in WHIP 9 times, with a career 0.96 mark, ranking third all-time - including thirteen straight seasons with a WHIP at or below 1.00. Drysdale is the all-time HRDL leader with 4157 strikeouts and 159.3 WAR. He won two Cy Young Awards and made 13 All-Star teams. He posted a solid postseason record, going 10-8 with a 2.92 ERA, and a 1.05 WHIP.

Bagwell was drafted third overall by the Portland Skunks following the 2019 season. He was the runner-up for the 2020 Rookie of the Year award, hitting .284 with 22 homers, 76 RBI's, and 89 runs scored. He had a breakout season in 2022, hitting .319 and slugging .531, popping 30 homers and driving in 114 runs. The following year, he hit .348, led the league with a .458 on-base percentage, while popping 38 homers and plating 118 runs, while finishing second in the MVP voting. Bagwell led the league in on-base percentage again in 2026, posting a .429 mark while hitting .299 with 33 homers and driving in 95 runs. After hitting 91 homers over the next three seasons, he took another step forward in 2030, as he hit .311 and slugged .603, blasting 43 longballs and driving in 136 runs while scoring 131, as he finished second in the MVP voting. He turned in another second-place finish in 2031, as he hit .341, with a league-leading .459 on-base percentage and a .705 slugging percentage, as he popped 55 homers and drove in 143 runs, leading Portland to its lone World Series title. Bagwell also led Portland to a World Series title that season, scoring 22 runs in 23 games as he blasted 7 postseason homers. He remained an elite power hitter well into his mid-30's, averaging 40 homers per year over the next four seasons, while driving in 120 runs in 2033 and 129 more the following year. At age 38, he remained productive, posting a .397 on-base percentage and a .488 slugging percentage, but he played only sparingly the next two years. A lifelong Portland Skunk, Bagwell retired with a slash line of .295/ .417/ .542, notching 2834 hits, with 529 doubles, 574 homers, 1749 RBI's, 1836 runs scored, and 119.7 WAR. At the time of his induction, he was tied for 8th all-time in homers, tied for 14th all-time in runs scored, 18th in RBI's, and 9th in WAR. He made eight All-Star teams and won two Silver Slugger awards. Bagwell also blasted 23 round-trippers in 106 postseason games, scoring 77 runs and driving in 61, including a 7-homer, 17 RBI performance as he lead Portland to the 2031 title.

Heathcote, a right fielder, was drafted 53rd overall by the Charlotte Aviators in the supplemental round of the 2016 draft. Heathcote held his own as a 19-year-old rookie, hitting .281 and slugging .440, with 16 homers, 61 RBI's, 87 runs scored, and 44 steals. In his 2018 sophomore campaign, he hit .308 and led the league with a .568 slugging percentage, with 41 doubles, 32 homers, 120 RBI's, and 43 steals. After two more seasons topping .300 with at least 20 homers and 50 steals, Heathcote popped 30 homers and swiped 75 bases in 2021 while scoring 122 runs, and drilled 30 more the following year, to go with 48 doubles, 64 steals and 127 steals. In 2023, Heathcote had a career year, and finished third in the MVP voting after hitting .309 and slugging .618, with 48 doubles, 47 homers, 143 RBI's, 139 runs, and a league-leading 88 steals. Following the season, he signed with the Dallas Wildcatters as a free agent. After two off seasons, he rebounded in 2026 to hit .313, blasting 31 homers with 107 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and swipe 55 bags. He smacked 25 homers and drove in 93 runs in 2027, stealing 70 bases, and followed it up the next year by hitting 29 homers, driving in 105 runs, and stealing 76 bases. He hit .311 and slugged .496 in 2029, ripping 50 doubles, 21 homers, and driving in 97 runs with 68 steals, but missed most of the following season with a broken foot. Heathcote then signed with the Phoenix Lizards in free agency, and returned with a vengeance, hitting a career-high .329 and slugging .588 with 46 doubles, 33 homers, 117 RBI's, 114 runs scored, and 50 steals. He followed it up with a 30-homer, 112-RBI campaign, stealing an additional 30 bases. In 2033, Heathcote hit .325 with 29 homers, 80 RBI's, and 31 steals. After another solid season, he signed with the Omaha Falcons, where he had two straight seasons over .290 with at least 20 homers and 100 RBI's each year, before wrapping up his career with spot duty with the St. Louis Pilots. Over his storied career, Heathcote posted a .291 / .362/ .501 slash line, ripping 3347 hits (11th all-time), including 741 doubles (4th all-time), 521 homers, driving in 1946 runs (8th all-time), scoring 1978 runs (4th all-time), and stealing 1002 bases (4th all-time), while generating 75.9 WAR. In 64 postseason games, he popped 13 doubles and 8 homers, scoring 33 runs while driving in 34 runs, and stealing a tremendous 27-of-31 bases. Heathcote made four all-star teams and won one Silver Slugger award.

Leading vote recipients include:

Don Drysdale, RHP, CIN/ SA/ LA/ KC/ VAN: 99.0%
Jeff Bagwell, 1B, POR: 96.5%
Cliff Heathcote, RF, CHA/ DAL/ PHO/ OMA/ STL: 88.8%
Gorman Thomas, CF, HAR/ ELP/ OMA/ CHI/ CHA : 73.5%
Larry Parrish, 3B, ANA/ CHA: 66.1%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 61.0%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 57.5%
Elston Howard, C, MTL/ LA: 56.5%
Trevor Story, SS, LA/ CHA/ ATL/ MIL: 51.5%
High Pockets Kelly, RF, TOR/ JAX/ AUS/ DAL/ CHI: 49.8%
Aroldis Chapman, LHP, OTT/ WAS/ POR: 45.4%
Bernie Friberg, 2B, OKC/ DEN/ WAS: 44.4%

In one of the smallest Hall of Fame ballots since the early years of the league, only 42 players were eligible. 9 players received at least 50% of the vote, and 6 more topped 30%. 27 players drew at least 10% of the vote. Notable players who dropped off the ballot included rightfielder Pat Duncan, who tallied 2934 career hits, 6-time Gold Glove centerfielder Chet Lemon, 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Orlando Arcia, 5-ti All-Star second baseman Matt Carpenter, and slugging right fielder Tommy Henrich.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 09-06-2019, 03:54 AM   #8
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2042 Mid-Year Review

Exceeding Expectations: The Cincinnati Spiders appeared primed to snap a seven-season postseason drought, led by the stingiest pitching staff in baseball. The Spiders took a 3 1/2 game lead over Detroit into the All-Star break, posting a 45-29 mark. Center fielder Al Oliver led the way, hitting .281 and slugging .470, with 23 doubles, 9 homers, and 33 RBI's. Right fielder Lou Brock hit .290 with 6 homers, 34 RBI's, 49 runs scored, and 22 steals. Shortstop Bruce Christensen came out of nowhere to slug .471, with a team-high 11 homers and 36 RBI's. Ageless ace Bob Moose posted an 11-3 record with a 2.22 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts. Southpaw David Price sported a hard-luck 6-5 record despite a 2.34 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, allowing just 6 homers in 108 innings. Larry Dierker went 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Closer Jack Killilay notched 21 saves along with a 1.30 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. The St. Louis Pilots posted a best-in-baseball 50-23 record, led by a 22-2 start, including a 15-game winning streak. At the break, St. Louis led the Frontier League in runs scored and ranked second in runs allowed. First baseman Joe Adcock had a monster first half, hitting .300 and slugging .655 with 28 homers and 75 RBI's. Second sacker Charlie Gehringer had a breakout season, hitting .364 with a .582 slugging percentage, including 32 doubles, 7 homers, 56 RBI's, 61 runs scored, and 19 steals. Third baseman Chipper Jones hit .342 with 21 doubles, 19 homers, and 69 RBI's. Crafty righthander Ray Crone posted a 9-1 mark with a 2.22 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, yielding just one homer in 85 innings. Journeyman Jaime Navarro went 7-4 with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Nashville Blues looked to snap an eleven-season postseason drought behind a dominant pitching staff. DH Ted Kluszewski provided an impact bat, hitting .316 with 25 homers and 73 RBI's. Catcher Cliff Johnson popped 15 homers and drove in 34 runs. Third baseman Wayne Gross chipped in, hitting .285 with 12 homers and 37 RBI's. On the mound, perennial Cy Young candidate Mark Prior had another stellar start, going 10-2 with a 2.35 ERA, an 0.91 WHIP, and 145 strikeouts. Southpaw Ron Guidry went just 7-6, but sported a 2.61 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and fanned 123 hitters. Hard-luck Herb Score went just 7-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 95 strikeouts, but managed to successfully dodge all incoming line drives. Sophomore closer Bob Smith notched 20 saves and a 0.81 ERA. The Dallas Wildcatters had not made the playoffs since 2035, including five straight sub-.500 seasons, but they posted a 46-29 first-half record. Right fielder Geoff Jenkins starred, hitting .388 with 18 homers, 19 doubles and a league-high 80 RBI's -- in just 56 games! Left fielder Zack Wheat hit .311 and slugged .526, bopping 22 doubles, 12 homers, and driving in 64 runs. Veteran first baseman Chris Shelton hit .319 with 22 doubles, 11 homers, and 48 RBI's. Righthander Milt Wilcox posted a 9-2 record with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Knuckleballer Wilbur Wood notched a 9-4 mark with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.

Disappointments: Last season, the Boston Minutemen unexpectedly led a middling Northeast Division in mid-August, before collapsing in the final weeks of the season. That long hangover continued into 2042, as the Minutemen stumbled to a 27-48 start, ending the half in fifth place, a distant 21 1/2 games out of first place. Right fielder Manny Ramirez, who was runner-up for the Rookie of the Year last year with 38 homers, missed most of the first half with a sprained knee and then a sprained ankle, as he popped just one homer and drove in 8 runs in 22 games. Second-year center fielder Chris Taylor struggled mightily, hitting an anemic .162 and slugging just .201, with only 5 RBI's in 179 at bats. Boston's pitching staff took a step backwards, ending the half ranked 22nd in the Frontier League in runs allowed. Free agent signee Bill James went 1-10 with a ghastly 8.73 ERA. Reliever Chris Reitsma posted a 7.91 ERA and a 2.15 WHIP. While righthander Matt Morris was effective in ten starts, he tore his UCL, ending his season prematurely. The Vancouver Viceroys led the Frontier League last season with 107 victories, but they struggled in the first half, going just 38-33. 37-year-old first baseman Aledmys Diaz finally showed signs of slowing down, hitting just .239 with 4 homers and 20 RBIs and seeing his slugging percentage plummet by nearly 120 points. Left fielder Bernard Gilkey, after hitting 29 homers and driving in 114 runs last year, dropped off to hit 10 round-trippers and drive in just 33 runs. While Vancouver's pitching staff remained solid, free agent acquisition Brett Oberholtzer went just 3-7 with a 5.14 ERA.

In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls saw their offense decline from elite to merely solid, while their league-worst pitching staff took a giant step backward. After going 80-82 last year, the Gulls entered the break in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 28-46 record. First baseman Jim Thome, while still effective, saw his slugging percentage drop by over 100 points, as he hit just 15 homers and drove in 43 runs, after smashing 35 longballs last season. Shortstop Robin Yount, after hitting .345 and slugging .595 last year, dropped off to hit .303 with 8 homers. Jacksonville's pitching, already a liability, declined further, as Dave Rozema went 2-6 with a 8.88 ERA, allowing 19 homers in just 73 innings. Righthander Lou Lucier posted a 2-4 mark with a bloated 8.10 ERA. The San Antonio Marksmen narrowly missed the playoffs in each of the last two years, but they posted a mediocre 34-41 first-half mark. The Marksmen's offense ranked second-to-last in the Continental League. Free agent signee Yoan Moncada struggled, hitting just .243 with 8 homers and 32 RBI's, after hitting .300 with 30 homers the year before. The Marksmen struggled to replace departed free agent catcher Mike Sweeney, as replacement Vance Wilson hit just .244 with 3 homers and 11 RBI's. San Antonio's vaunted pitching staff took a step back, as reigning Cy Young winner Greg Maddux went just 6-5 with a 3.45 ERA - an increase of more than a run and a half per game. Free agent signee Jim Slaton stumbled, going 5-8 with a 5.57 ERA.

The Bold El Paso: The El Paso Armadillos, after another active offseason, assembled perhaps the most balanced team in the Continental League, and they stormed to a 51-24 first-half record. While Joe DiMaggio's maiden season with El Paso was a modest disappointment, as he missed 30 games and hit just 23 homers last season, he had an MVP-caliber first half, hitting .353 and slugging .710 with 28 homers and 74 RBI's. Free agent signee Victor Martinez starred, hitting .353 with 14 homers and 56 RBI's. They also traded for Virginia Beach righhander James Paxton in spring training, and he rewarded the Armadillos by going 8-3 with a 4.27 ERA.

Flirting with .400: Although Larry Walker was the only player to top .400 in the last ten years, several players posed viable challenges at the All-Star break. Most notably, 36-year-old Detroit first baseman Julio Franco took a .398 mark into the break -- while teammate Tony Gwynn batted .390 in the first half. Phoenix second sacker Jim Viox took a .396 mark into the break, along with 32 doubles and a .465 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, Denver slugger Willie Stargell threatened to rewrite the record book, bashing 38 homers and driving in 90 runs in 75 games.

Cellar Dwellers: Each league featured a team that could threaten the single-season record of 120 losses, held by the 2020 Birmingham Steelers and the 2040 Memphis River Pirates. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas -- just 3 seasons removed from an 87-win season -- posted an 18-57 record, punctuated by a 22-game losing streak in April and part of a 4-39 stretch. Pittsburgh ranked dead last in the Frontier League in every major offensive category except steals, where they were tied for last, and they also ranked last in runs allowed and strikeouts. No starter hit higher than .260 or drilled more than 7 homers, and starters LaMarr Hoyt, Harry Krause, and Ubaldo Jimenez combined for a 2-22 record. Remarkably, Pittsburgh had a better record than the hapless Austin Mustangs, who went 16-59, despite winning the Texas Division just four years earlier. Austin's offense was actually middle-of-the-pack, but their pitching staff was on pace to surrender the most runs ever, yielding 587 runs in just 75 games. Jake Peavy posted a 1-11 mark with a 10.80 ERA and a bloated 2.42 WHIP. Veteran Saul Rogovin went 1-9 with a 8.23 ERA. Austin took a 15-game losing streak into the break, as part of a 2-22 stretch.

Major injuries: Several contenders overcame the loss of star players, while lesser squads struggled to replace their injured stars. The Chicago Mules posted a 50-25 record despite losing All-Star second baseman Carlos Baerga to a broken hand a week into the season and losing ace Odalis Perez to a season-ending fractured elbow in late May. The Buffalo Fighting Elk lost third baseman Eric Chavez to a torn thumb ligament in early June, yet still enjoyed a comfortable division lead. Detroit overcame the loss of Red Schoendienst to a torn MCL in spring training. Promising Milwaukee pitcher Howie Pollet went down in spring training with a season-ending UCL tear. Veteran New Orleans second sacker Jose Altuve tore his labrum at the start of May, and was not expected to return until the end of August. Phoenix centerfielder Jackie Brandt went down with a season-ending tear in an elbow tendon shortly before the break.

Major milestones: Minneapolis first baseman Mark Grace joined the 3000-hit club in mid-April, and Kansas City third baseman Manny Machado followed suit two weeks later. Charlotte DH Hal McRae, Houston first baseman Chick Gandil, Dallas first baseman Chris Shelton, and Detroit teammates Tony Gwynn and Nemo Leibold each popped their 2500th career hit. Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado and Austin DH Ernie Banks each smacked their 500th career homer. Austin center fielder and Cincinnati catcher Frank Fernandez each pounded their 400th career round-tripper. Righthanders Jim Shaw of Vancouver and Marty Bystrom of New York each notched their 200th career victory. Cincinnati ace Bob Moose and ageless Philadelphia hurler Ed Walsh each joined the 4000-strikeout club. Meanwhile, New Orleans first baseman George Brett was a month away from popping his 3,500th career hit, while Hartford's Roberto Alomar was expected to join the 3000-hit club before Labor Day. Veteran Charlotte left fielder Sherry Magee, with regular playing time, would likely hit his 700th career homer by September, while Machado was on the precipice of smacking his 600th round-tripper. St Louis first baseman Joe Adcock, if he kept up the pace from his red-hot first half, was expected to blast his 500th homer by season's end. Walsh and Moose were both weeks away from winning their 300th career games.

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Old 09-09-2019, 03:45 AM   #9
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2042 Year in Review

Frontier League: After an uncharacteristic off-year in 2041, the Buffalo Fighting Elk stormed back to win 104 games, topping 100 wins for the fifth time in six seasons, as Buffalo took their sixth straight Northeast Division title in a cakewalk. Buffalo led the Frontier League in both runs scored and runs allowed. Shortstop Rico Petrocelli starred, hitting .335 and slugging .653 with 34 homers and 115 RBI's in just 125 games. First baseman Don Hurst hit .304 and slugged .551, bopping 36 longballs and driving in 139 runs. Center fielder Tris Speaker hit .345 with a league-best .465 on-base percentage, scoring 140 runs as he drilled 65 extra-base hits, including 21 homers. Left fielder Ron Jones ripped 38 homers and plated 119 runs. Eight Buffalo hitters ripped at least 20 homers, and one more hit 19. Ace Don Wilson returned to form after an off-season, going 17-7 with a 3.06 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 229 strikeouts. Righthander Willie Banks won his first 12 decisions on his way to a record-setting 17-1 record, with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Closer Bert Maxwell had a career season, notching 32 saves with a 1.68 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP.

The always-steady Detroit Purple Gang won their third straight Great Lakes Division title, with a 91-71 record. A top-heavy lineup saw several superlative individual performances. Right fielder Tony Gwynn had a career season, hitting .356 and slugging .562, drilling 222 hits, including 75 extra-base hits, with 24 homers, 121 RBI's, and 123 runs scored. Veteran first baseman Julio Franco hit .365 with 21 homers and 63 RBI's in part-time play. Perennial MVP candidate Nolan Arenado hit .338 with 40 homers, 119 RBI's, and 123 runs scored. On the mound, Paul Derringer went 17-8 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Newcomer Bob Welch posted a 16-9 mark with a 2.94 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and fanned 218 batters. Closer Greg Holland starred, notching 31 saves with a 1.57 ERA. The Purple Gang held off the pesky London Werewolves, who made the playoffs for the first time in six years. London finished the regular season in a 3-way tie for the final playoff slot with 88 wins, then ousted the Omaha Falcons 7-6 on a tiebreaking 8th inning homer by Lee Mazzilli off JJ Putz, then outlasted the Minneapolis Falcons 3-2. First baseman Harry Heilmann had a breakout season for London, hitting .344 with 42 doubles, 32 homers, 100 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 27 steals. Right fielder Jay Buhner hit .280, pounding 37 homers and driving in 126 runs. Third baseman Bill Madlock hit .328, ripping 214 hits, including 26 homers, 80 RBI's, and 115 runs scored. Gene Conley stabilized a mediocre pitching staff, going 17-10 with a 3.43 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 231 strikeouts. Red Lucas went 14-10 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Cincinnati Spiders appeared primed to return to the postseason after an eight-year drought, but they closed the season in an 11-18 swoon, and missed the last wild-card slot by one game. Center fielder Al Oliver was the lone bright spot in a subpar offense, hitting .329 with 42 doubles, 27 homers, and 95 RBI's. Bob Moose led the league in victories, going 21-8 with a 2.98 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 202 strikeouts- while notching his 300th victory and 4000th career strikeout. Southpaw David Price went 15-11 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.

The Chicago Mules posted the best record in the Frontier League, despite losing star second baseman Carlos Baerga for half the season. First baseman Jimmie Foxx had a monster campaign, posting a .329/ .450/ .656 slash line, with 52 longballs, 141 RBI's, and a league-high 143 runs, setting franchise records in each of those categories other than batting average. Veteran rightfielder Hal McRae was acquired in June from Charlotte, and he hit .353 and slugged .621, with 34 doubles, 17 homers, and scored 82 runs in just 90 games. Catcher Ted Simmons hit .308 and slugged .515, ripping 41 doubles, 22 jacks, and drove in 96 runs. Righthander Lary Sorenson went 19-4 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. Southpaw Johnny Vander Meer posted a 13-5 mark with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Chicago outlasted the 101-win St. Louis Pilots, who started the season on a 22-2 roll, including a 15-game winning streak. St. Louis fell one run shy of leading the Frontier League, led by slugging first baseman Joe Adcock, who hit .300 with a franchise-record 52 homers and 149 RBI's. Second sacker Charlie Gehringer hit .331 with a .412 on-base percentage, pounding 87 extra-base hits, including a league-high 63 doubles, and scoring 120 runs while driving in 99. Third baseman Chipper Jones hit .332 and slugged .613, with 23 homers and 88 RBI's before rupturing a finger tendon in late July, knocking him out for the rest of the regular season. Righthander Ray Crone led a balanced pitching staff, going 15-3 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Tex Pruitt went 13-9 despite a middling 4.23 ERA. The Milwaukee Raccoons returned to the postseason for the fifth time in six years after a one-year absence, winning 94 games. Once again, right fielder Larry Walker starred, winning his fourth batting title by hitting .380, with a league-high 227 hits, including 55 doubles, 31 homers, 111 RBI's, 115 runs scored, and 22 steals. First baseman Rico Brogna hit .291 with 34 round-trippers, and drove in 119 runs. Left fielder Don Baylor smacked 34 homers, drove in 98 runs, and swiped 24 bags. Righthander Bill Singer went 17-8 with a 3.13 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and fanned 197 hitters. Lefties Danny Duffy and Dave Fleming won 13 games apiece, sporting ERA's of 3.76 and 3.87, respectively. The Omaha Falcons and Minneapolis Penguins won 88 games apiece, but each squad was eliminated in a one-game playoff by the London Werewolves. Omaha first baseman Joe Pepitone hit .316 with 41 homers and 129 RBI's, while right fielder Jim Wynn hit .318 and slugged .580, drilling 43 doubles, 35 homers, and plating 112 runs while scoring 120 times. Free agency ,acquisition Clayton Kershaw went 14-11 with a solid 3.22 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 186 strikeouts. Minneapolis failed to overcome a 9-17 April, missing the postseason for the first time in five seasons. Perennial MVP candidate Mike Trout hit .332 with a .444 on-base percentage, launching 40 homers, scoring 131 runs, and driving in 115. Star catcher Javy Lopez hit .288 with 34 homers and 90 RBI's. Righthander Jose Rijo posted a 13-8 mark with a 2.76 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and whiffed 224 enemy batters.

The Calgary Cattle Rustlers snapped one of the longest postseason droughts in league history, as they had gone sixteen seasons - none of which resulted in a record over .500 - without making the playoffs. Calgary took the Northwest Division by a single game over the San Francisco Longshoremen, prevailing with 90 wins. First baseman Carlos Lee led a slap-hitting offense which finished third-from-last in the league in homers, hitting .299 with 42 doubles, 32 homers, 109 RBI's, and 101 runs scored. Right fielder Manny Mota hit .346 with 37 doubles, 10 homers, 74 RBI's, and 92 runs scored. Veteran shortstop Mickey Stanley popped 21 longballs and drove in 87 runs. Ace Walter Johnson went 17-7, leading the league with a 2.19 ERA, a microscopic 0.87 WHIP, and a franchise-record 287 strikeouts. Burt Hooton posted a 14-11 record with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Closer Chris Sale notched 36 saves with a 1.98 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP, fanning 87 hitters in just 59 innings. San Francisco won 89 games and returned to the playoffs for the second straight season. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero starred, hitting .335 with 44 homers and 122 RBI's, while scoring 108 runs. Left fielder Ken Gerhart popped 29 homers and drove in 108 runs. First baseman Mike Epstein, a trade deadline acquisition, hit .309 and drilled 15 round-trippers while driving in 48 runs in just 60 games. The Longshoremen's pitching staff finished third in the league in runs allowed, as George Mullin went 18-8 with a 3.26 ERA, yielding just 10 homers in 229 innings. Righthander Fred Beebe posted a 14-6 record with a 2.90 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts. Hard-luck Scott Kazmir went just 13-14 despite a 3.02 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts.

Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators dominated, winning 109 games. Right fielder Cliff Floyd hit .309 with 37 homers, 105 RBI's, and 126 runs scored. 39-year-old DH Sherry Magee hit .291 and slugged .583, pounding 31 longballs and driving in 99 runs in just 113 games. First baseman Mark Teixeira drilled 33 homers and plated 101 runs in just 108 games. Righthander Red Ames went 18-6 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Southpaw Bob Ojeda went 15-3, yielding a 3.51 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. The Virginia Beach Admirals won a franchise-record 102 games, easily clinching the top wild card seed. Slugging rightfielder Reggie Jackson hit .328 and slugged .617, drilling 48 homers, driving in 116 runs, and swiping 36 bags. Third baseman Mike Schmidt pounded 50 homers and drove in 124 runs, while stealing 18 of 21 bases. Left fielder Carmelo Martinez hit .314 with a .413 on-base percentage, popping 29 homers and driving in 101 runs. Righthander Chris Carpenter had a terrific comeback season, shaving a run and a half from his ERA, as he went 16-9 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Veteran righthander Joaquin Andujar went 18-6 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. The New York Emperors appeared to be a shoo-in for the postseason after a 24-5 August pushed their record above .500, but they stumbled down the stretch, losing 18 of 25 September games to finish on the outside looking in. Third baseman David Wright hit .321 with 22 homers, 24 steals, 88 RBI's, and 99 runs scored. Right fielder Darryl Motley led the squad with 26 homers and 95 RBI's while hitting .298. Rich Nye went 11-4 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP despite going down with an elbow injury in early July. Closer Taijuan Walker posted 31 saves while yielding a 1.27 ERA before suffering a significant elbow injury in late September.

The defending champion New Orleans Crawfish won their fifth straight division title with 96 wins, making the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 years. Veteran left fielder Tommy Davis hit .356, with a league-high 244 hits, including 43 doubles, 17 homers, 81 RBI's, and 110 runs scored. Center fielder Austin Kearns hit .300 with 30 round-trippers and 112 RBI's. Catcher Charles Johnson hit .285 with 29 homers and 79 RBI's. New Orleans posted the league's stingiest pitching staff, led by Rosy Ryan, who went 18-8 with a 3.02 ERA and 206 strikeouts. Veteran Stan Coveleski went 15-7 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. The Nashville Blues remained in contention until the final days of the season, falling just short of the playoffs despite winning 90 games for the first time since their last playoff appearance twelve years earlier. DH Ted Kluszewski hit .311 with a franchise-record 46 homers and 131 RBI's. Mark Prior won the pitching Triple Crown, going 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 322 strikeouts. Southpaw Ron Guidry posted a 17-12 mark with a 2.73 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and 272 strikeouts.

The Houston Pythons returned to the postseason after an 8-year absence, winning the Texas Division title in a one-game playoff with El Paso to take the division with 96 wins. The Pythons hit a team-record .311, led by right fielder Jason Heyward, who hit .365 with 27 homers and 112 RBI's in just 107 games. Center fielder Garry Maddox hit .336 with 44 doubles, a league-high 12 triples, 21 homers, 28 steals, and 118 RBI's. Third baseman Buck Weaver hit .329 with 47 doubles, 13 homers, 23 steals, and 121 RBI's. DH Jim Greengrass pounded 30 round-trippers and drove in 120 runs. Matt Chico led a middling staff, going 14-13 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Pete Redfern posted a 12-10 record with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. The El Paso Armadillos won 95 games, led by Joe DiMaggio, who hit .338 and slugged .638 with 48 homers, 143 RBI's, and 129 runs scored. Catcher Victor Martinez starred, hitting .321 with a career-high 32 homers and 112 RBI's. First baseman Rafael Palmeiro hit .297 with 33 longballs and 100 RBI's. El Paso finished third in the league in runs allowed, as James Paxton went 17-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Randy Johnson posted an 18-8 mark, despite a middling 4.30 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Jesse Foppert sported a 15-7 record, along with a 3.62 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 214 strikeouts.

In the Southwest Division, the Phoenix Lizards rallied to edge the Anaheim Antelopes by a single game with 97 wins. Phoenix went 17-8 in September, closing the year on a six-game winning streak. Phoenix set an all-time HRDL record by hitting .327 as a team as they scored an incredible 1134 runs. Second baseman Jim Viox hit an incredible .399 with a .494 on-base percentage, ripping 53 doubles and driving in 105 runs in just 118 games. Third baseman Butch Hobson hit .326 with 42 doubles, 41 homers, 147 RBI's, and 122 runs scored. Right fielder Billy Conigliaro hit .357 and slugged .643, with 44 doubles, 27 homers, and 125 RBI's in just 114 games. Right fielder Charlie Blackmon hit .326 and slugged .522, with 69 extra-base hits, including 22 homers, 112 RBI's, and 136 runs scored. Veteran first baseman Richie Sexson smacked 41 longballs and drove in 132 runs. Righthander Jim Lonborg sported a 17-8 mark with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Southpaw Pete Wilson went 16-6 with a 4.32 ERA and fanned 238 hitters. Cliff Lee notched a 14-7 record despite an underwhelming 4.55 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Anaheim won 95 games, thanks in part to another superlative season from defending MVP Dale Murphy, who hit .352 with 43 homers, 140 RBI's, and 154 runs scored. First baseman JT Snow hit .306 with 32 jacks and 133 RBI's. Second sacker Logan Forsythe had a career year, hitting .341 and slugging .608, with 33 homers, 112 RBI's, and 133 runs scored. Right fielder Roger Maris drilled 32 homers and drove in 124 runs. Southpaw Frank Tanana offered one of the few bright spots on a below-average staff, going 17-5 with a 3.44 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and fanning 198 hitters. Jordan Montgomery went 12-5 despite yielding a 4.83 record, while fanning 194 batters.

Best season in team history: Chicago Mules (tied- 109 wins); Virginia Beach Admirals (102 wins)

Worst season in team history: Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas (48 wins); Austin Mustangs (44 wins); Los Angeles Kangaroos (68 wins)
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Old 09-14-2019, 02:57 AM   #10
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2042 Playoff Report

Frontier League: Although the pesky London Werewolves split the first four games with the 109-win Chicago Mules, Chicago's firepower proved to be too much, as the Mules prevailed in six games. Catcher Ted Simmons was named MVP after hitting .591 with 13 hits, including 2 homers, 3 doubles, and 10 RBI's. Third baseman Pie Traynor set the table, hitting .480 with a homer, 8 runs scored, and 3 steals. Veteran southpaw Johnny Vander Meer notched two wins with a 3.14 ERA in 14.1 innings. Third baseman Bill Madlock led London, hitting .462 with 3 homers, 5 RBI's, and 8 runs scored. The St. Louis Pilots dispatched the Calgary Cattle Rustlers in five games, with veteran first baseman Joe Adcock earning MVP honors after hitting .364 and slugging .818, with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Utilityman Marwin Gonzalez hit .455 with 10 hits, a homer, and 5 RBI's, while shortstop Chris Owings hit .391 and drove in 3 runs while swiping 2 bags. Brian Matusz hurled 7.1 shutout innings in a Game 2 win, yielding just 4 hits. First baseman Carlos Lee led Calgary, hitting .476 with a round-tripper and 3 RBI's. Reliever Seung-Hwan Oh was the goat, taking 3 losses while yielding 7 earned runs and 3 homers. The Milwaukee Raccoons erased a 2-1 deficit while ousting the Detroit Purple Gang in 6 games. Star right fielder Larry Walker took home the hardware, hitting .500 with a homer, 4 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Center fielder Abraham Almonte hit .348 with a longball and 5 RBI's. Righthander Bill Singer went 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA, posting a tremendous 20-1 strikeout-walk ratio in 16 innings. Third baseman Nolan Arenado hit .417 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's for Detroit in a losing effort, while first baseman Julio Franco also hit .417, with a homer and 2 RBI's. In a major upset, the 89-win San Francisco Longshoremen ousted the 104-win Buffalo Fighting Elk in seven games, winning the final three games by a combined 4 runs. San Francisco right fielder Vladimir Guerrero earned MVP honors after hitting .357 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's, including a tiebreaking ninth inning homer in Game 6. First baseman Mike Epstein hit .310 with 5 RBI's. Righthander George Mullin went 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in 13.2 innings. First baseman Don Hurst led Buffalo, hitting .304 and slugging .870 with 4 homers and 6 RBI's, while right fielder Cleon Jones hit .360, smacking 3 homers and driving in 7 RBI's. Tris Speaker had a nightmare series for Buffalo, going 3 for 30, without scoring or driving in any runs.

In a Division Series matchup of Great Plains Division rivals, the St. Louis Pilots ousted the Chicago Mules in 6 games, holding the explosive Mules offense to just 18 runs in 6 games. Joe Adcock took home another MVP trophy, hitting .286 with 2 homers and a series-best 9 RBI's. Right fielder Elijah Dukes hit .333, popping a homer and driving in a pair of runs, while Marwin Gonzalez drilled 2 homers and drove in 6 runs. St. Louis's bullpen was brilliant, yielding just 4 runs and 14 hits in 26 innings. First baseman Jimmie Foxx hit .304 with 2 round-trippers and 3 RBI's for Chicago, while reliever Bob Shawkey hurled 5 innings of one-hit shutout relief. The Milwaukee Raccoons dominated the San Francisco Longshoremen, surrendering just 11 runs in a five-game victory, outhomering the Longshoremen 11-2. Larry Walker took home another MVP trophy after hitting .300 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Left fielder Don Baylor smacked 3 solo shots and scored 5 runs. Bill Singer continued his brilliant postseason run, posting two more wins while yielding a 1.17 ERA and a 17-1 strikeout-walk ratio. Righthander Fred Beebe hurled 7 innings of two-hit ball, fanning 10, in a Game 3 no-decision for San Francisco, while first baseman Mike Epstein smacked two solo homers. Despite being outhomered 9-2, the St. Louis Pilots won the League Championship Series, ousting Milwaukee in 5 games to make their first World Series in franchise history. Pilots catcher Patsy Gharrity earned MVP honors after hitting .421 with 5 doubles, 5 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Utilityman Marwin Gonzalez hit .375 and plated 3 runs, while left fielder Dwayne Hosey added a homer and drove in 6 runs. Tex Pruiett hurled 8 shutout innings in a Game 2 win, fanning 10 while yielding just 3 hits. First baseman Rico Brogna hit 3 homers and drove in 4 runs in a losing effort for Milwaukee, while catcher Mike Zunino and center fielder Abraham Almonte each popped a pair of homers.

Continental League: After falling in a 2-1 hole, the Dallas Wildcatters stormed back to take the final three games, ousting the 109-win Charlotte Aviators. Left fielder Zack Wheat took home MVP honors after hitting .292 and slugging .875, with 4 homers and 11 RBI's, including a postseason record 8 RBI's in Game 4. Catcher Joe Azcue hit .333 with a longball and 4 RBI's, while right fielder Geoff Jenkins smacked a homer and drove in 5 runs. Tom Milone led an underwhelming pitching staff, earning a Game 4 win with 6.1 innings while allowing 3 runs. Catcher Tony Pena led Charlotte, hitting .400 with 3 homers and 10 RBI's. The Virginia Beach Admirals dominated the potent Houston Pythons offense, yielding just 11 runs in a five-game victory. Admirals center fielder Jay Johnstone was tabbed MVP after hitting .478 with 2 homers and drove in 3 runs. Third baseman Mike Schmidt hit .455, pounding 2 homers and driving in 7 runs, while first baseman Eric Hinske smacked a pair of homers and drove in 5 runs. Although Chris Carpenter did not register a victory, he posted a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings, and the Admirals' bullpen allowed just 1 run in 10 innings. Right fielder led Houston, hitting .471 with 3 doubles in a losing effort. The top-ranked pitching staff of the New Orleans Crawfish held the explosive Anaheim Antelopes in check, prevailing in six games. Crawfish first baseman George Brett hit .379 with a homer and 8 RBI's, while second sacker Jose Altuve hit .355 with a round-tripper, 5 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Third baseman Dave Hollins blasted 3 jacks and drove in 8 runs. Rosy Ryan notched 2 wins, yielding a 1.59 ERA while whiffing 21 hitters in 17 innings. Anaheim center fielder Dale Murphy earned MVP honors in a losing effort, after hitting .444 with 5 homers and 12 RBI's. In a back-and-forth series, the El Paso Armadillos edged the Phoenix Lizards, winning Game 7 in extra innings on a bases-loaded walk by Jason Tyner after a Butch Hobson homer in the bottom of the ninth sent the game to extra innings. El Paso catcher Victor Martinez earned MVP honors, hitting .440 with 4 homers and 7 RBI's. Center fielder Joe DiMaggio smacked 4 homers and drove in 6 runs, while first baseman Rafael Palmeiro hit .300 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Randy Johnson went 2-0, posting a 2.00 ERA, and earned the win in relief in Game 7. Right fielder Billy Conigliaro led Phoenix, hitting .321 with 4 homers and driving in 9 runs. El Paso hit an incredible 18 homers in the 7-game series.

After dropping the first two games to the Virginia Beach Admirals, the Dallas Widlcatters stormed back to take the series in seven games. Dallas first baseman Chris Shelton was tabbed MVP after blasting 5 homers and driving in 8 runs. Catcher Joe Azcue hit .370, drilling a homer and plating 7 runs. Right fielder Geoff Jenkins hit .345, smacking a homer and driving in 3 runs. Joe Presko notched a 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings, despite 2 no-decisions; Wilbur Wood won both his starts despite a bloated 7.15 ERA. Catcher Tyler Houston led Virginia Beach, hitting .310 and slugging .621, with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. In a back-and-forth League Championship Series featuring division rivals, the Dallas Wildcatters upset the El Paso Armadillos in seven games. Dallas left fielder Zack Wheat was named MVP after hitting .429 and slugging .643, with a homer, 3 doubles, 5 RBI's, and 2 steals. Right fielder Geoff Jenkins hit .367 with a homer and 4 RBI's. DH Jim Russell and first baseman Chris Shelton each drilled a pair of homers and drove in 5 runs. Reliever Mark Clear hurled 4 perfect innings, fanning 5. El Paso was led by right fielder Benny Kauff, first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, and DH Rougned Odor, each of whom smacked three homers in a losing effort, while Jesse Foppert hurled a no-hitter in Game 6.

World Series: The matchup of the Dallas Wildcatters and the St. Louis Pilots was guaranteed to result in a first-time champion. Despite losing All-Star third baseman Chipper Jones for the season with a torn finger tendon in late July, the Pilots stormed through the Frontier League, dropping just four games in three rounds. Ultimately, after the two squads split the first four games, St. Louis prevailed in six games.

St. Louis jumped out to an early series lead, winning Game 1 3-0, as first baseman Joe Adcock hit a two-run homer, and Tex Pruiett hurled 6.1 shutout innings to earn the win over Milt Wilcox. Dallas second sacker Bobby Adams and shortstop Jerry Lumpe smacked three hits apiece. St. Louis took control of the series in Game 2, winning 5-1. Although the Wildcatters took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning, the Pilots stormed back with 5 runs in the sixth through eighth innings. Brian Matusz earned the win, yielding just one run in six innings while fanning six, while Wilbur Wood took a hard-luck loss, surrendering just two unearned runs in six innings. Shortstop Chris Owings homered, doubled, and drove in three runs, while Adcock mashed another solo homer. Right fielder Geoff Jenkins and third baseman Doug DeCinces had two singles apiece for Dallas in a losing effort. Dallas's bats erupted in Game 3, cruising to a 10-3 win, as Jenkins smacked two homers and drove in five runs. Zack Wheat drilled three hits, including a triple and a double, and drove in 2 runs. Wildcatters hurler Joe Presko earned the win over Ray Crone. Pilots right fielder Elijah Dukes smacked a two-run homer in the ninth inning, after the game was out of hand.

Dallas evened the series in Game 4, pulling out a 5-4 victory. Wheat drilled two solo homers, including a tiebreaking blast in the eighth inning, while DeCinces ripped a two-run single. Veteran Tom Milone gave up just two runs in 5.2 innings for Dallas, outdueling Jaime Navarro, who gave up 4 runs in 7 innings. Adcock and Charlie Gehringer each homered for St. Louis, while Owings drilled two hits, including a triple. Dallas appeared poised to seize control of the series in Game 5, taking a 5-1 lead into the seventh inning, but St. Louis came back, scoring 3 in the seventh and 2 more runs in the ninth inning, with Gehringer smacking a game-tying triple. Gehringer had four hits on the day and drove in 2 runs, while center fielder Curtis Goodwin had two hits and scored two runs. Dallas was led by Wheat and shortstop Jerry Lumpe, who drove in two runs apiece. Milt Wilcox yielded just 2 runs in 6.1 innings, but was betrayed by his bullpen. St. Louis clinched the series in Game 6, bookending its Game 1 victory with another 3-0 triumph. Catcher Patsy Gharrity tripled and singled, driving in a run, while Owings ripped a double and scored a run. Brian Matusz was brilliant for the Pilots, yielding just a single hit in seven near-perfect innings while fanning 8, and Samuel Gervacio notched the save with two shutout innings. Wilbur Wood had another hard-luck outing, surrendering just 1 earned run in 7.1 innings. Dallas mustered just three singles all game -- and all three runners were subsequently erased on double plays.

Owings was a surprise MVP selection after leading St. Louis with a .381 average, slugging .810 , with 4 doubles, a triple, a homer and 6 RBI's. Gehringer hit .350 and slugged .800 with a homer, 2 triples, 4 RBI's, and 2 steals. Adcock drilled 3 homers and plated 4 runs. Many observers thought Brian Matusz warranted MVP honors after going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 13 innings, yielding just 6 hits. Tex Pruiett was solid, posting a victory and a 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings. Jenkins led Dallas in defeat, hitting .400 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Lumpe hit .381, while Wheat hit .304 with 2 round-trippers and drove in 6 runs.
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Old 09-15-2019, 02:58 AM   #11
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2042 Awards Winner

Frontier League MVP- Jimmie Foxx, 1B, CHI (36): .329/ .450/ .656, 194 hits, 29 doubles, 4 triples, 52 HR, 141 RBI, 143 runs, 131 BB, 8 SB, 182 OPS+, 9.0 WAR
Second place- Larry Walker, RF, MIL (5): .380/ .459/ .640, 227 hits, 55 doubles, 4 triples, 31 HR, 111 RBI, 115 runs, 69 BB, 22 SB, 180 OPS+, 8.8 WAR
Third place- Nolan Arenado, 3B, DET: .338 /.447/ .615, 195 hits, 32 doubles, 4 triples, 40 HR, 119 RBI, 123 runs, 116 BB, 3 SB, +10.7 Zone Rating, 166 OPS+, 10.1 WAR
Fourth place- Vladimir Guerrero, RF/ CF, SF: .335/ .392/ .627, 195 hits, 30 doubles, 4 triples, 44 HR, 122 RBI, 108 runs, 52 BB, 8 SB, 162 OPS+, 6.3 WAR
Fifth place- Rico Petrocelli, SS, BUF: .336/ .424/ .653, 157 hits, 40 doubles, 3 triples, 34 HR, 115 RBI, 94 runs, 71 BB, 3 SB, +22.9 Zone Rating, 181 OPS+, 9.9 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, CAL (48): 17-7, 2.19 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 235 IP, 287 K, 46 BB, 5 CG, 3 shutouts, 210 ERA+, 10.0 WAR
Second place- Jose DeLeon, CLE: 13-8, 2.46 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 216 IP, 250 K, 77 BB, 2 CG, 2 shutouts, 190 ERA+, 6.5 WAR
Third place- Bob Moose, CIN: 21-8, 2.98 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 229 IP, 202 K, 32 BB, 3 CG, 154 ERA+, 7.7 WAR
Fourth place- Jose Rijo, MIN- 13-8, 2.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 208 IP, 224 K, 40 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 169 ERA+, 8.4 WAR
Fifth place- Scott Kazmir, SF: 13-14, 3.02 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 221 IP, 218 K, 46 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 150 ERA+, 7.2 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- John Olerud, 1B, PIT (19): .276/ .390/ .441, 94 hits, 30 doubles, 1 triple, 8 HR, 39 RBI, 51 runs, 62 BB, +10.2 Zone Rating, 116 OPS+, 2.9 WAR
Second place- Dick Kokos, LF, MON (16): .257/ .341/ .469, 105 hits, 24 doubles, 21 HR, 69 RBI, 53 runs, 45 BB, 107 OPS+, 1.3 WAR
Third place- Walt Moryn, RF, TOR (12): .227/ .319/ .452, 129 hits, 32 doubles, 3 triples, 30 HR, 80 RBI, 83 runs, 66 BB, 2 SB, 95 OPS+, 1.7 WAR

Continental League MVP- Joe DiMaggio, CF, ELP (28): .338/ .425/ .638, 205 hits, 26 doubles, 6 triples, 48 HR, 143 RBI, 129 runs, 76 BB, 2 SB, +10.1 Zone Rating, 183 OPS+, 10.4 WAR
Second place- Dale Murphy, CF, ANA (13): .352/ .453/ .623, 217 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 43 HR, 140 RBI, 154 runs, 109 BB, 21 SB, 175 OPS+, 10.1 WAR
Third place- Willie Mays, CF, BIR (7): .335/ .403/ .655, 210 hits, 20 doubles, 9 triples, 54 HR, 159 RBI, 141 runs, 75 BB, 41 SB, +18.3 Zone Rating, 163 OPS+, 10.0 WAR
Fourth place- Ralph Kiner, LF, MEM: .318/ .429/ .699, 174 hits, 15 doubles, 1 triple, 64 HR, 144 RBI, 132 runs, 108 BB, 3 SB, 186 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Fifth place- Reggie Jackson, RF/ CF, VB: .328/ .421/ .617, 199 hits, 29 doubles, 1 triple, 48 HR, 116 RBI, 119 runs, 83 BB, 36 SB, 162 OPS+, 7.0 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Mark Prior, NAS (48): 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 233 IP, 322 K, 44 BB, 2 CG, 206 ERA+, 8.6 WAR
Second place- Ron Guidry, NAS: 17-12, 2.73 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 234 IP, 272 K, 45 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 172 ERA+, 6.9 WAR
Third place- Rosy Ryan, NOR: 18-8, 3.02 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 211 IP, 206 K, 51 BB, 2 CG, 169 ERA+, 7.1 WAR
Fourth place- Mel Parnell, ATL: 20-8, 2.89 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 240 IP, 192 K, 54 BB, 5 CG, 2 shutouts, 174 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Fifth place- Chris Carpenter, VB: 16-9, 3.31 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 234 IP, 183 K, 54 BB, 3 CG, 154 ERA+, 6.8 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Jonathan Villar, SS/ 3B/ 2B, MEM (37): .272/ .329/ .445, 166 hits, 49 doubles, 9 triples, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 103 runs, 52 BB, 34 SB, 98 OPS+, 3.9 WAR
Second place- Ozzie Guillen, SS, PHO (5): .339/ .364/ .442, 149 hits, 31 doubles, 4 triples, 2 HR, 64 RBI, 68 runs, 11 SB, +10.6 Zone Rating, 98 OPS+, 3.1 WAR
Third place- Bob Skinner, 1B/ LF, BIR (2): .313/ .380/ .484, 172 hits, 36 doubles, 8 triples, 14 HR, 78 RBI, 84 runs, 59 BB, 9 SB, 118 OPS+, 2.5 WAR

Top draft picks- 1. Dave Bancroft, SS, Austin Mustangs
2. Alan Trammell, SS, Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas
3. Matt Holliday, LF, Seattle Whales
4. Juan Marichal, RHP, Hartford Huskies
5. Ryan Klesko, 1B, Boston Minutemen
6. Jason Bay, LF, Washington Ambassadors
7. Tony Oliva, RF, Montreal Knights
8. Del Unser, CF, Ottawa Parliamentarians
9. Delino DeShields, 2B, Portland Skunks
10. Jim Fregosi, SS, Oklahoma City Otters
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Old 09-16-2019, 03:20 AM   #12
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2042 Hall of Fame Voting

Newcomers again dominated the Hall of Fame voting, even though nearly a dozen solid candidates drew at least 50% of the vote last year. Southpaw Jerry Reuss was inducted after drawing 83.7% of the vote, while left fielder Ken Singleton drew 82.9% of the vote on his first time on the ballot. Fellow newcomer Yasiel Puig narrowly missed, drawing 71.7% of the vote.

Reuss was drafted 7th overall by the Omaha Falcons following the 2020 season. He had a brilliant debut season as an 18-year old rookie, going 18-9 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. After a strong sophomore campaign, posting a 2.86 ERA, he made his first All-Star team in 2023, as he went 16-12 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP, notching 8.1 WAR. The following year was even stronger, as he went 16-9 with a 2.52 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, allowing just 4 homers in 239 innings. However, Reuss tore an elbow ligament in late 2024, knocking him out of commission for most of 25, and his 2026 season was compromised by radial nerve compression, and he made only 12 starts. Following his injury-riddled 2026 season, Reuss decamped to Anaheim in free agency, and he finished as the runner-up for the 2027 Cy Young Award in his first season with the Antelopes, going 18-8 with a 2.64 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He won 17 games in 2028, posting an ERA of 2.40 with a 1.05 WHIP, while finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting. Following the season, he signed with the Houston Pythons in free agency. Reuss nearly duplicated his 2028 stats in his first season in Houston, going 17-8 with a 2.46 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. After an off-season, Reuss led the Continental League in victories in both 2031 and 2032, winning 21 games each season. He posted a 19-9 mark in 2033, with a 3.18 ERA. After posting another sub-3.00 ERA in 2034, he went 20-7 in 2035. Reuss remained an elite pitcher through 2037, when he went 18-11 with a 2.98 ERA. After two injury-riddled seasons, including a torn rotator cuff, Reuss retired after the 2039 season. Over his storied career, Reuss went 272-158 with a 3.10 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, with 2248 strikeouts and 98.5 WAR. He made five All-Star teams over his career. Reuss was a postseason fixture between 2027 and 2034, yielding a 3.74 ERA over 15 starts, although his postseason won-lost record was a modest 4-6. At the time of his induction, Reuss ranked 9th all-time in victories and 13th in winning percentage.

An on-base machine, Singleton was drafted 12th overall by the Ottawa Parliamentarians following the 2015 season. As a 21-year-old rookie, Singleton hit .298 with a tremendous .401 on-base percentage, drawing 102 walks with 18 homers and 78 RBI's. He followed it up with a dazzling sophomore campaign, hitting .328 with a .446 on-base percentage, including 17 homers, 74 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. In 2018, Singleton led the league in walks and on-base percentage, hitting .342 with a .458 on-base percentage, drawing 124 walks in addition to blasting 22 homers and driving in 76 runs. Singleton took another leap forward in 2019, winning the batting title while posting a .348/ .447/ .595 slash line, topping 200 hits while ripping 36 homers and plating 104 runs. He led the league with 117 walks in 2020, while hitting .314 and drilling 28 homers, with 101 RBI's. After hitting .333 with a .557 slugging percentage in 2022, including 31 homers and 93 RBI's, Singleton signed with the Buffalo Fighting Elk in free agency. In his first season in black and green, he hit .317 and slugged .577, pounding 36 doubles, 32 homers and driving in 103 runs. He remained a steady offensive force in Buffalo for the next decade. In eleven season with Buffalo, he topped a .400 on-base percentage 6 times, never finishing below .375. He played a key role on Buffalo's 2028 world champion club, hitting .322 and slugging .493, and ripping 23 homers, while winning 3 postseason MVP awards, including the World Series MVP. Singleton had a career renaissance at age 35, posting a .304./ .420/ .554 slash line, with 32 longballs, 112 RBI's, and 103 runs scored. Singleton signed with the Charlotte Aviators after the 2032 season. In four seasons in Charlotte, he posted an on-base percentage of at least .398 every season, topping 20 homers twice. At age 42, he signed with the El Paso Armadillos and got off to an explosive start to the 2037 season, slugging .664 while blasting 14 homers in 42 games before suffering a season-ending broken elbow. He remained effective offensively the following season, drawing 109 walks while popping 17 homers at age 43, and retired following the 2039 season, playing regularly at age 44. For his career, Singleton hit .297 with a .409 on-base percentage and a .482 slugging percentage. He ripped 3328 hits, including 635 doubles and 468 homers, while driving in 1731 runs and scoring 1852 times. He also drew 2148 walks and earned 104.8 WAR. At the time of his induction, Singleton was the all-time leader in games played (3334), and ranked 13th in hits, 14th in runs scored, and second in walks. Singleton made seven All-Star Teams and won two Silver Slugger awards. He was a terrific postseason player, hitting .308 and slugging .513, with 18 homers and 65 RBI's, in 106 games. In 2025, he hit .341 with 8 doubles and 16 RBI's in 22 games as the Fighting Elk won the Frontier League pennant. In 2028, he won the MVP award for the Division Series, League Championship Series, and World Series; over that postseason, he hit .353 and slugged .659 with 7 homers and 17 RBI's in 25 games.

Leading vote recipients include:

Jerry Reuss, LHP, OMA/ ANA/ HOU: 83.7%
Ken Singleton, LF/ DH, OTT/ BUF/ CHA/ ELP: 82.9%
Yasiel Puig, RF, ALB/ MIN/ NOR : 71.7%
Gorman Thomas, CF, HAR/ ELP/ OMA/ CHI/ CHA: 69.1%
Larry Parrish, 3B, ANA/ CHA: 66.6%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 65.1%
Frank Robinson, RF, MIA: 55.7%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 55.4%
High Pockets Kelly, RF/1B, TOR/ JAX/ AUS/ DAL/ CHI, 52.9%
Bernie Friberg, OKC/ DEN/ WAS: 51.7%
Clarence Pickrel, RP, CLE/ BUF/ NOR/ BIR/ PIT: 50.6%
Elston Howard, C, MON/ LA: 50.3%
Trevor Story, SS, LA/ CHA/ ATL/ MIL: 50.3%

Notable players dropping off the ballot include 540-homer hitter Cody Bellinger, 191-game winner Jon Matlack, 3000-hit club member Al Bridwell, and 5-time All-Star closer Steve Bedrosian.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 09-21-2019, 02:25 AM   #13
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2043 Mid-Year Review

Here are some of the major storylines across the league at the 2043 All-Star break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Baltimore Robins had not cleared .500 in 5 years, including three straight seasons below 70 wins, but they entered the All-Star break with a 39-35 record, just 1 1/2 games out of first place and firmly in the wild card race. Center fielder Cesar Cedeno starred, hitting .315 and slugging .568, with 19 homers, 53 RBI's, 56 runs scored, and 35 steals. Right fielder Monte Irvin had a breakout sophomore campaign, hitting .357 and slugging .707, with 13 homers and 36 RBI's in just 41 games. Baltimore's pitching staff ranked fourth in the Frontier League in runs allowed, led by Jim Maloney, who went just 6-6 despite a 2.12 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and an incredible 140 strikeouts in 102 innings. Righthander Ernie McAnally posted a 7-3 mark with a 2.55 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons missed the playoffs last year by losing a one-game playoff, but after a 46-28 first half, they made it highly unlikely that they would suffer a similar fate. Left fielder Trey Mancini starred, hitting .362 and slugging .660, with 25 homers, 71 RBI's, and 70 runs scored. Right fielder Jim Wynn hit .314 and slugged .616, belting 20 homers and driving in 60 runs of his own. Righthander Tom Brewer had a successful comeback after missing all of 2042 with an elbow injury, posting a 9-3 mark with a 2.08 ERA, allowing just 2 homers in 95 innings. Veteran Jeff Tesreau sported a 9-2 mark with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that Omaha excelled despite losing Clayton Kershaw to a torn rotator cuff.

In the Continental League, the Miami Flamingos flipped the switch after a disappointing 69-win season last year, going 38-36. First baseman Frank Catalanotto had a breakout half, hitting .346 with 25 doubles, and drove in 47 runs. Center fielder Edd Roush hit .319 with 21 doubles, 5 homers, and scored 44 runs. On the mound, Carl Druhot went 10-5 with a 3.62 ERA, while Weldon Henley posted an 8-4 mark with a 4.02 ERA. The San Diego Zookeepers looked to snap a six-season postseason drought, going 39-34 after losing 90 games last year. Left fielder Kevin McReynolds starred, hitting .321, while pounding 16 homers and driving in 54 runs. Catcher Rick Ferrell hit .349 with a tremendous .456 on-base percentage. Southpaw Denny LeMaster yielded a 2.96 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, but notched just a 7-5 record. Righthander Tommy Greene notched a 9-4 mark with a 3.69 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts.

Disappointments: The Philadelphia Hawks remained firmly in wild-card contention into late September last year, winning 85 games despite a late-season swoon. The Hawks suffered the hangover effects of last year's collapse, going just 28-46 in the first half. Philadelphia's offense ranked second-to-last in the Frontier League. Free agent signee Kelly Johnson missed the entire first half with a torn finger tendon. Center fielder Johnny Frederick lost 63 points off his batting average and over 150 points in slugging percentage, as he hit just .240 with 6 homers and 24 RBI's after last season's 107-RBI campaign. Third baseman Red Smith suffered a power outage, dropping off from 32 homers and 121 RBI's in 2042 to 8 homers and 34 RBI's at the 2043 break. On the mound, righthander Ralph Birkofer, who went 14-6 with a 3.22 ERA last year, was inexplicably moved into middle relief, where he pitched 14 ineffective innings before going down with a strained elbow. Perhaps no team dropped off as quickly as the Milwaukee Raccoons, who won 94 games last year on their way to the League Championship Series -- but this year, they posted a 28-45 first half record. Milwaukee ranked dead last in nearly every offensive category except homers -- where they ranked third-from last. Perennial MVP candidate Larry Walker was decidedly mortal, hitting just .277 with 12 homers and 46 RBI's -- a decline of over 100 points of batting average and over 140 points of slugging percentage. First baseman Rico Brogna saw a precipitous decline -- after hitting .291 with 34 homers and 119 RBI's last year, he stumbled to a .192 mark with just 4 homers and 23 RBI's and an unfathomably bad .224 on-base percentage. Left fielder Don Baylor dropped off from 34 homers last season to just 9 longballs. Southpaw Dave Fleming saw his ERA rise by nearly a run as he stumbled to a 5-8 record.

In the Continental League, the Anaheim Antelopes streak of seven straight playoff appearances was certain to end, as they stumbled to a 29-45 start. While Anaheim's offense ranked among baseball's elite last year, they declined to a middle-of-the-pack showing. Star center fielder Dale Murphy hit just .268 with 11 homers and 39 RBI's -- his OPS dropped by over 250 points. DH Bob Bescher, who hit .318 with a .452 on-base percentage last year, hit just .233 with a .375 on-base percentage. On the mound, longtime ace Frank Tanana stumbled to a 3-7 start, posting a bloated 4.84 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Anaheim was also plagued by the worst defense in the Continental League. After winning 90 games last season, the Nashville Blues were a popular choice to snap a 13-season postseason drought. But the Blues continued to struggle offensively, ranking just 22nd in runs scored, and their pitching dropped off from elite to merely solid. Catcher Cliff Johnson, who hit 75 homers over the past two seasons while hitting over .270, hit just .182 and slugged .290, with only 5 homers and 19 RBI's. Southpaw Herb Score continued his gradual decline, going just 3-5 with a 4.50 ERA, while fifth starter Whitney Wilshere was awful, sporting a 1-7 mark with an 8.38 ERA and a 1.99 WHIP.

Aces High: Days apart in April, San Antonio's Greg Maddux and Oklahoma City's Tom Glavine each threw no-hitters. Perhaps it would not be the only time that they would be united in history... Eleven days after Maddux's no-no, Albuquerque's Chan Ho Park hurled a no-hitter of his own.

He's the Mann: London Werewolves right fielder Harry Heilmann had a strong 2042, hitting .344 with 32 homers and 100 RBI's, but nothing in his past prepared the Werewolves' fans for his offensive assault. Heilmann flirted with the mythical .400 mark, taking a .396 average into the break, while leading baseball with 26 homers and an .804 slugging percentage.

MASH: Virginia Beach: The Virginia Beach Admirals posted a 47-25 record in the first half, despite losing an incredible seven pitchers to major injuries -- including most of their starting rotation. Chris Carpenter, who finished fifth in the Cy Young voting last year, tore his UCL on Opening Day. Al Blanche went down with a torn UCL in late April, and Joe Magrane strained his forearm in June and was not expected to return until August. Rene Arocha was still recovering from a rotator cuff injury suffered last September. Spring training saw relievers Pete Burnside go down with a torn rotator cuff and Mark Thurmond with a torn labrum, and Joel Finch underwent surgery for bone chips in June. Remarkably, despite these major injuries, the Admirals entered the break ranked second in the Continental League in runs allowed.

Major injuries: In perhaps the most significant mid-season injury in league history, three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Omaha Falcons tore his rotator cuff at the start of June and immediately announced his retirement. London ace Jose Rijo, one of the biggest signings in free agency, suffered a season-ending UCL tear in spring training. Birmingham righthander Jack McDowell - who had already missed the entire 2041 season - tore his UCL in spring training and was sidelined for the year. Cleveland ace Jose DeLeon was sidelined with bone spurs in early June, and would likely miss the balance of the season. Chicago center fielder Cameron Maybin, a three-time Gold Glove winner and two-time stolen base champ, was sidelined with a strained hamstring for two months. Jacksonville left fielder Beals Becker, the 2040 MVP, was having another elite season before fracturing his kneecap in mid-June, ending his season. Oklahoma City center fielder Lenny Dykstra tore a finger tendon and suffered multiple setbacks, effectively ruining his season.

Major milestones: New Orleans left fielder Tommie Davis and Buffalo second sacker John Knight each rapped their 3,000th hit. Charlotte shortstop Dick Groat smacked his 2500th career hit. Los Angeles DH Johnny Mize drilled his 500th career homer. Las Vegas right fielder Willie Horton, El Paso third baseman Leo Gomez, Hartford first baseman Justin Bour each joined the 400 homer club. On the mound, Buffalo righthander Don Wilson notched his 200th career victory and 3000th career strikeout, and Phoenix closer Taijuan Walker earned his 300th save. Nashville righthander Mark Prior also whiffed his 3,000th batter. Looking ahead, San Diego right fielder Goose Goslin was likely to join the 3000-hit club by mid-July, and Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado, if he stayed healthy, would reach that milestone by year's end. El Paso DH Rougned Odor was likely to enter the exclusive 700-homer club by August. Charlotte DH Sherry Magee, the all-time RBI king, was about a month away from becoming the first player in league history to drive in 2,500 runs, while Philadelphia first baseman Frank Thomas was days away from driving in his 2000th run.

Last edited by Dukie98; 09-29-2019 at 10:37 PM.
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Old 09-27-2019, 03:06 AM   #14
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2043 Year in Review

Frontier League: Although the Northeast Division race was neck-and-neck in mid-August, the Buffalo Fighting Elk pulled away to win their seventh straight division title, finishing with 99 wins. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero starred, hitting .332 with 35 homers, 109 runs scored, 132 RBI's, and 21 steals. Center fielder Tris Speaker, although he missed nearly 40 games with injuries, set the table, hitting .336 with a .441 on-base percentage, including 58 doubles, 8 homers, 105 runs scored, and 30 steals. Star shortstop Rico Petrocelli hit .304, blasting 33 homers and driving in 120 runs while posting a .392 on-base percentage. On the mound, rookie Stephen Strasburg posted a solid 13-10 mark with a 3.64 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts. Veteran Don Wilson topped the 200-win and 3,000 strikeout milestones, going 15-9 with a 3.81 ERA and 199 strikeouts, although his postseason was jeopardized by a shoulder injury. Rookie closer Michael Wuertz notched 38 saves with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. The Boston Minutemen returned to the postseason after a 6-year absence, winning 90 games -- a 27-game improvement from last season. Boston finished second in the Frontier League in runs scored. Free agent signee Chipper Jones starred, hitting .310 with a .411 on-base percentage, including 40 doubles, 28 homers, 108 RBI's, and 124 runs scored. Right fielder Manny Ramirez hit .363 and slugged .687 in an injury-riddled campaign, drilling 41 doubles, 28 homers, and plating 99 runs in just 103 games. Catcher David Ross and third baseman Rob Mackowiak smacked 22 homers apiece, with Ross driving in 88 runs and Mackowiak driving in 83. Righthander Red Ruffing had a career season, going 18-7 with a 3.06 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 214 strikeouts. Southpaw Chuck Finley set a career high in victories, going 18-6 with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.

The Detroit Purple Gang coasted to their fourth straight division title, winning a franchise-best 110 games despite losing perennial MVP candidate Nolan Arenado to a torn groin in mid-August. Arenado posted a .347/ .448/ .618 slash line in 113 games, drilling 26 homers and knocking in 90 runs. Free agent signee Ryan Doumit had a brilliant season behind the plate, hitting .342 and slugging .555, pounding 37 doubles, 23 round-trippers, and driving in 103 runs. Center fielder Jose Cardenal had a breakout season, hitting ..326 and slugging .548, with 28 jacks, 96 RBI's, 105 runs scored, and 30 steals. Left fielder Bernard Gilkey didn't skip a beat after coming over from Vancouver in free agency, hitting .293 with 25 longballs, 102 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Detroit had the second stingiest pitching staff in baseball, surrendering just 580 runs. Righthander Paul Derringer had the finest year of his career, going 19-5 with a 2.49 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. Veteran Steve Trachsel went 16-5, setting career bests with a 3.01 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Nolan Ryan posted a 10-5 mark with a 3.24 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and fanned 281 enemy batters. Steady Lew Burdette posted an 18-7 mark with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The 98-win London Werewolves were no pushover, as right fielder Harry Heilmann led the way, hitting .369 with a .670 slugging percentage, drilling 42 doubles, 42 homers, scoring 123 runs, and driving in 116 runs. First baseman Jim Bottomley had a breakout season in his first season as a regular, hitting .291 with 37 doubles, 33 longballs, and 98 RBI's. Right fielder Jay Buhner swatted 34 round-trippers and knocked in 97 runs. Despite losing free agent signee Jose Rijo for the season in spring training with a torn UCL, London had the best pitching staff in baseball, yielding just 569 runs. Elmer Riddle came out of nowhere to post a 17-6 mark with a 2.26 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Righthander Red Lucas notched a 17-7 record with a 2.39 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, yielding just 11 homers and 15 walks in 226 innings. Jack Sanford went 18-7 with a solid 3.25 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and fanned 193 hitters. Closer Dale Willis missed most of the first four months of the season with a finger injury, but yielded just one earned run in 26 glorious innings, posting a microscopic 0.35 ERA and 15 saves.

The Chicago Mules won 102 games, pulling away in September to take a tough Great Plains Division, led by the top offense in the Frontier League. First baseman Jimmie Foxx looked to repeat as MVP, setting several franchise records as he flirted with a Triple Crown, posting an incredible .372/ .493/ .741 slash line, leading the league in batting and homers with 56, while knocking in 139 runs and scoring 161 times. Second baseman Carlos Baerga starred, hitting .342 and slugging .535 while drilling 220 hits, including 45 doubles, 25 homers, and driving in 115 runs. Veteran right fielder Hal McRae hit .327 and slugged .579, smacking 90 extra-base hits, including 55 doubles, 28 homers, and driving in 132 runs. Third baseman Pie Traynor drilled 230 hits, including 43 doubles, while hitting .345 and scoring 118 runs. Southpaw Odalis Perez led a middle-of-the-pack pitching staff, going 16-6 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Julio Machado led one of the league's deepest bullpens, notching 32 saves with a 3.12 ERA and 107 strikeouts in just 61 innings. The Minneapolis Penguins returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence, notching 96 victories. Center fielder Mike Trout had his usual MVP-caliber season, hitting .337 with a .460 on-base percentage, while blasting 44 jacks, knocking in 113 runs, scoring 137, and swiping 24 of 26 bags. Right fielder Darryl Strawberry hit .282 and slugged .526, drilling 34 homers, driving in 95 runs, and scoring 123 times. Catcher Javy Lopez hit .282 and slugged .501, jacking 24 longballs and plating 73 runs. Righthander Wade Miller went 14-6 with a 3.10 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts. Closer Aaron Barrett saved 36 games with a 2.89 ERA. The Omaha Falcons were one of the most pleasant surprises in baseball in the first half before their pitching staff was decimated by injuries to Clayton Kershaw, Urban Shocker, and Jeff Tesreau. Omaha jumped out to a 17-3 start on its way to a 94-win season and a playoff bid, as they led the Frontier League with 211 homers. Left fielder Trey Mancini had a monster year, hitting .349 and slugging .594, as he smacked 217 hits, 43 homers, 137 RBI's and scored 111 runs. Joe Pepitone transitioned from first base to center field but didn't miss a beat offensively, hitting .319 with 40 homers, 130 RBI's, and 120 runs scored. Steady right fielder Jim Wynn hit .290 with a .392 on-base percentage, including 37 doubles, 43 homers, 136 runs scored, and 122 RBI's. After a brilliant first two months, Tom Brewer faded down the stretch, finishing with a 12-11 record and a 3.81 ERA. Southpaw Harvey Haddix went 15-10 despite a middling 4.20 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

The Denver Spikes ran away with the Northwest Division, winning 98 games to take the division title by 14 games, as they topped .500 for the first time in seven seasons. Slugging left fielder Willie Stargell led the Spikes, hitting .361 and slugging .714 as he smacked 83 extra-base hits in 126 games, including 42 homers and knocked in 104 runs. First baseman Ryon Healy hit .345 and slugged .548, drilling 47 doubles, 29 homers, and plated 124 runs. Center fielder Terry Moore hit .302 with 46 doubles, 15 homers, and 85 RBI's. Southpaw Greg Swindell notched a 16-8 mark with a 3.53 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 222 strikeouts. Dick Bosman posted a 14-12 record with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Veteran closer Ken Howell saved 36 games with a 2.26 ERA.

Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators topped 100 wins for the third straight season, winning 108 games to take the Atlantic Division and clinch their sixth straight playoff spot. 40-year-old DH Sherry Magee had a magical season, hitting .312 and slugging .577, ripping 45 doubles and 40 homers as he drove in 141 runs and scored 136 times. First baseman Mark Teixeira hit .312 with a .414 on-base percentage, including 39 doubles, 36 longballs, and drove in 109 runs. Catcher Tony Pena hit .342 , drilling 19 homers and playing 92 runs while scoring 88. Outfielders Matt Stairs and Stan Spence smacked 30 homers apiece, with each topping 100 RBI's. Charlotte also posted a top-three pitching staff, led by southpaw Bob Ojeda, who went 19-5 with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Red Ames posted a 17-4 mark with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Bob Shawkey sported an 11-6 record with a 3.27 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and fanned 219 batters. The Virginia Beach Admirals, despite losing ace Chris Carpenter on Opening Day, won 100 games behind the league's second-ranked pitching staff. Right fielder Reggie Jackson hit .304 with a .565 slugging percentage, including 35 homers, 88 RBI's, 105 runs scored, and 24 steals. First baseman Eric Hinske hit .313 and slugged .578, smacking 40 doubles, 25 homers, and plating 91 runs. Third baseman Mike Schmidt hit .284 with a .408 on-base percentage, drilling 28 homers, scoring 118 runs, and driving in 92. Crafty southpaw Joe Magrane was brilliant, posting a 14-5 record while setting a franchise record with a 2.10 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP. Veteran Joaquin Andujar went 15-9 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The New York Emperors won 93 games, returning to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. Third baseman David Wright starred, hitting .314 and slugging .516, ripping 46 doubles, 19 homers, knocking in 101 runs while scoring 107, and swiping 26 bags. Right fielder Darryl Motley smacked 29 longballs while driving in 110 runs. Steady shortstop Pee Wee Reese hit .290 with a .404 on-base percentage, while scoring 100 runs Southpaw Steve Avery sported a 12-5 record with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, but was knocked out of the playoffs with a late-season back injury. Journeyman Alejandro Sanabia lodged a 16-10 record with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Veteran Corey Kluber posted a 12-11 mark with a 3.86 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and whiffed 201 hitters. The Jacksonville Gulls snapped a two-year string of missing the playoffs by winning 92 games, thanks to the second-most prolific offense in baseball. Despite losing star left fielder Beals Becker to a broken kneecap in June, the Gulls topped 1,000 runs with their powerful offense. DH Robin Yount hit .365 and slugged .589, drilling 90 extra-base hits, including 56 doubles and 26 homers, while driving in 135 runs and scoring 140. First baseman Jim Thome posted a .303/ .428/ .517 slash line, drilling 37 doubles and 29 homers, with 127 RBI's and 130 runs scored. Right fielder Dan Ford hit .304, while blasting 29 homers and plating 110 runs while scoring 118. Third baseman Robin Ventura hit .304 while jacking 27 longballs and driving in 119 runs. As impressive as Jacksonville's offense was, its pitching was equally lousy, finishing 20th in the league in runs allowed. Ubaldo Jimenez was the best of a bad lot, going 11-7 with a 4.99 ERA, while Dave Rozema went 9-8 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish earned their ninth straight playoff spot, dominating the Southeast Division with a league-leading 110 victories. Center fielder Austin Kearns had a brilliant all-around season, hitting .347 witha .433 on-base percentage, while drilling 39 doubles, 29 homers, driving in 113 runs while scoring 110. Catcher Charles Johnson had a career year, hitting .304 and slugging .588, while ripping 36 jacks and driving in 99 runs. Left fielder Tommy Davis and second sacker Omar Infante each hit .323 with 22 steals, with Davis launching 23 homers, driving in 98 runs, and Infante drilling 17 homers and knocking in 91 runs. Righthander Stan Coveleski went 19-6 with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP with 204 strikeouts. Southpaw Wilbur Cooper went 13-10 with a 3.53 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and whiffed 235 hitters. The Atlanta Ducks finished a distant second in the Southeast Division with 96 wins. DH Hank Greenberg hit .296 and slugged .562, including 46 doubles, 39 homers, and drove in a career-high 138 runs while scoring 121 runs. Left fielder Mike Young hit .295 and slugged .539, smacking 36 longballs and driving in 98 runs. Right fielder Rusty Staub, a free agent signee, hit .289 with 27 round-trippers and 129 RBI's. Southpaw Mel Parnell was the lone bright spot on an otherwise middling pitching staff, going 17-4 with a 2.36 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 196 whiffs.

The El Paso Armadillos earned their fifth straight postseason appearance, winning the Texas Division with 94 wins, as they led baseball with 245 homers. Defending MVP Joe DiMaggio set franchise records with 48 homers and 151 RBI's, while hitting .311 and slugging .624. First baseman Rafael Palmeiro hit .292 with 42 homers and 106 RBI's, while DH Rougned Odor blasted 41 jacks and drove in 110 runs. Catcher Victor Martinez continued his late-career renaissance, hitting .310 and slugging .496, with 22 longballs and drove in 72 runs. Righthander James Paxton posted a 15-8 record with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Javier Vazquez sported a 13-9 mark with a 3.59 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 253 strikeouts. Closer Brayan Villareal saved 27 games while yielding a 2.08 ERA.

The Phoenix Lizards made their fifth straight postseason appearance, dominating the Southwest Division with 106 wins and the highest-scoring offense in baseball. Eight regulars topped .300, with third baseman Carlos Guillen hitting .369 and slugging .593, ripping 224 hits, including 48 doubles, 14 triples, 20 homers, and driving in 117 runs. Second baseman Jim Viox hit .351, leading baseball with 59 doubles, while driving in and scoring 100 runs. Catcher Pat Borders hit .311 with 23 round-trippers and 100 RBI's in just 124 games. Left fielder Clyde Milan hit .345 with a .433 on-base percentage, leading baseball with 170 runs scored and 95 steals, leading the league for the third straight season. Southpaw Cliff Lee led a workmanlike pitching staff, going 17-7 with a 3.96 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and fanning 185 hitters. Veterans Henderson Alvarez and Jim Hughes won 16 games apiece, with Alvarez notching a 4.14 ERA and Hughes posting a 4.65 ERA. Closer Taijuan Walker won 8 games and saved 25, yielding a 2.57 ERA with 83 strikeouts in just 63 innings.

Best season in team history: Detroit Purple Gang (110 wins); New Orleans Crawfish (110 wins); Phoenix Lizards (106 wins)

Worst season in team history: Cleveland Rocks (58 wins); Portland Skunks (55 wins); Hartford Huskies (55 wins); Washington Ambassadors (45 wins)
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Old 10-01-2019, 12:54 AM   #15
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2043 Playoff Report

Frontier League: In a major upset, the 90-win Boston Minutemen, returning to the postseason after a six-year absence, ousted the 110-win Detroit Purple Gang in five games. Even more surprising, Boston prevailed despite not having the services of injured third baseman Chipper Jones, who was recovering from a torn finger tendon. The Minutemen held Detroit's third-ranked offense to just 12 runs in 5 games. Boston left fielder Alex Johnson earned MVP honors, hitting .455 with 3 doubles, a homer, 4 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Center fielder Chris Taylor hit .364 with 4 doubles, 4 runs scored, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals. First baseman John Briggs ripped 2 homers and plated a series-high 7 runs. Red Ruffing paced the staff, going 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings, and homering in the Game 5 clincher to boot. Center fielder Jose Cardenal led Detroit, hitting .450 with a homer and 3 RBI's. In a matchup of 98-win squads, the London Werewolves outlasted the Denver Spikes in 6 games, erasing an early 2-1 deficit. London right fielder Harry Heilmann capped a terrific regular season by winning the MVP of the Wild Card round, hitting .360 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. London right fielder Jay Buhner chipped in with two round-trippers and 8 RBI's. Elmer Riddle hurled a complete-game two-hit shutout in Game 2, and Jack Sanford threw 8 shutout innings, yielding just 5 hits, in Game 4. First baseman Ryon Healy bashed 3 homers and drove in 7 runs to lead Denver, while Greg Swindell notched a 2.19 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 12.1 innings, but came away with two no-decisions. In a wild-card matchup with the most star power, the Buffalo Fighting Elk outlasted the Minneapolis Penguins in 6 games. Buffalo shortstop Rico Petrocelli nabbed MVP honors after hitting .400 with 5 doubles and 5 RBI's. Third baseman Eric Chavez hit .381, leading all hitters with 7 RBI's. Righthander Hal Carlson was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. Minneapolis was led by first baseman Joe Judge, who hit .462 with a .632 on-base percentage and center fielder Mike Trout, who hit .333 with a homer and 5 RBI's. The Chicago Mules knocked off the Omaha Falcons in six games, led by second sacker Carlos Baerga, who ripped 13 hits, batting .520, slugging .760, and driving in 10 runs. Center fielder Gil Flores hit .500 and plated 8 runs. Remarkably, Chicago scored 40 runs in six games without hitting a single homer. Hard-luck Odalis Perez yielded only a single unearned run in 13 innings, allowing just 5 hits, but came away with an 0-1 record. Center fielder Joe Pepitone paced Omaha, hitting .316 with 2 longballs and 7 RBI's.

Star third baseman Chipper Jones returned for Boston in the Division Series, and he didn't miss a beat, earning MVP honors as Boston swept London, outscoring the Werewolves 37-13 in four games. Jones hit .471 and slugged .882, ripping 4 doubles, a homer, driving in 3 runs and scoring 4. Second baseman Rob Mackowiak hit .333 with a homer and 7 RBI's, while right fielder Manny Ramirez hit .353 and plated 6 runs. Red Ruffing led the staff, hurling a four-hit shutout in Game 2, fanning 9. Harry Heilmann led London in defeat, hitting .375 with 2 jacks and 4 RBI's. The Chicago Mules outlasted the Buffalo Fighting Elk in 7 games. Once again, Chicago second baseman Carlos Baerga starred, hitting .485 and slugging 1.061, as he ripped an incredible 16 hits, including 5 homers and drove in 10 runs. Pie Traynor matched Baerga with 16 hits, as he hit .516 with 3 round-trippers and drove in 7 runs. First baseman Jimmie Foxx hit "just" .296, but ripped 3 homers and drove in 11 runs. Mule relievers Julio Machado and Bill Lee dominated, yielding just 1 hit in a combined 8.1 shutout innings, fanning 11. First baseman Don Hurst led Buffalo, ripping 4 homers and driving in 10 runs. Boston's storybook season crashed to an unfortunate demise in the League Championship Series, as Chicago won the first three games on their way to a 5-game series win. Chicago right fielder Hal McRae took home the hardware, hitting .529 with 2 homers, 4 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Third baseman Wilmer Flores, who stepped in after Pie Traynor broke his elbow, hit .462 and slugged .846, ripping a homer and driving in 4 runs. Catcher Ted Simmons hit .333 and knocked in 4 runs. Southpaw Odalis Perez led the staff, earning a Game 3 win, surrendering just 1 run in 7 innings. Chipper Jones led Boston, hitting .375 and driving in 4 runs, while Manny Ramirez drilled 3 longballs and knocked in 5 runs.

Continental League: In a major upset, the 92-win Jacksonville Gulls, owners of the second-highest scoring offense in baseball, ousted the 110-win New Orleans Crawfish, who had the stingiest pitching staff in the Continental League in six games. Although Jacksonville was outscored 35-22 in the series, surrendering 30 runs in their two losses, the Gulls yielded just 5 runs in their four victories. Right fielder Dan Ford earned MVP honors after hitting .333 with three solo homers and an .857 slugging percentage. Catcher Keith Moreland hit .348 with a pair of RBI's, and center fielder Rick Miller hit .280 with four extra-base hits, including a homer and 5 RBI's. Jim Lonborg set the tone with eight shutout innings in a 1-0 Game 1 victory, while posting a 1.86 ERA for the series. New Orleans was led by center fielder Austin Kearns, who hit .500 with 12 hits and 5 RBI's, and by first baseman George Brett, who hit .320 with 3 longballs and 4 RBI's. The El Paso Armadillos sunk the Virginia Beach Admirals in 5 games, outscoring the outclassed Admirals 35-14. El Paso first baseman Rafael Palmeiro took home the hardware after hitting .500 with 9 hits, a homer, and 6 RBI's. Center fielder Joe DiMaggio hit .429 with a homer and 5 runs scored. Shortstop Casey Blake and right fielder Benny Kauff each hit .316 with 6 RBI's apiece, with Kauff blasting two jacks and Blake launching one. Righthander Javier Vazquez was brilliant, winning both his starts while yielding just four hits in 14.2 innings, fanning 21 with a 0.61 ERA. Reggie Jackson led a punchless Admirals's attack with a pair of homers and 4 RBI's. The 106-win Phoenix Lizards outclassed the Atlanta Ducks in 5 games, as DH Charlie Blackmon hit .400 with 3 homers, 9 RBI's, 8 runs scored, and 2 steals to earn MVP honors. Right fielder Billy Conigliaro hit .421 and plated 3 runs, while second sacker Jim Viox hit .412 with a round-tripper and 3 RBI's. Southpaw Cliff Lee went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, allowing just 7 hits in 13 innings. Third baseman Ken Reitz paced Atlanta, hitting .526 with 4 RBI's. The Charlotte Aviators erased a 2-1 deficit by winning the final three games of their six-game series against their division rival New York Emperors. Charlotte's Dick Groat took home the hardware after hitting .500 with a series-high 11 hits, including 4 doubles, and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Matt Stairs hit .391 with a homer and 4 RBI's, and center fielder Stan Spence hit .350, smacking a homer and knocking in 5 runs. Southpaw Bob Ojeda was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings, fanning 14 without a walk. Second baseman Aaron Hill led the Emperors, hitting .333 with 5 RBI's in a losing effort.

Jacksonville's magic ran out in the Division Series, as the El Paso Armadillos swept the Gulls, outscoring them 38-11. El Paso left fielder Kal Daniels was tabbed MVP after hitting .533 with 5 extra-base hits, including a homer, scoring 8 runs and driving in 5. Four Armadillos (Joe DiMaggio, Benny Kauff, Rougned Odor, and Rafael Palmeiro) hit two homers apiece, with DiMaggio batting .429 and Palmeiro plating a team-high 7 RBI's. Javier Vazquez continued his hot postseason, earning a Game 2 victory by allowing just 2 runs and 5 hits in 8 innings. Alex Wood hurled 6.1 shutout innings for the Gulls in Game 2, yielding just 2 hits, while Jim Thome hit .357 with a round-tripper and 3 RBI's. What appeared to be an even matchup on paper between the 106-win Phoenix Lizards and the 108-win Charlotte Aviators turned into a laugher, as the Lizards swept the Aviators. Right fielder Billy Conigliaro earned MVP honors after hitting .529 with a homer, 5 runs scored, and 7 RBI's for the Lizards. Third baseman Carlos Guillen hit .529 as well, knocking in 5 runs, while Charlie Blackmon hit .389 with 2 longballs and 6 RBI's. Cliff Lee won Game 2, allowing just one run in 7 innings. First baseman Mark Teixeira led Charlotte, hitting .412 and scoring a pair of runs. El Paso's red-hot postseason continued in the League Championship Series, as the Armadillos swept the equally-hot Phoenix Lizards, bringing El Paso's postseason record to 12-1. El Paso held Phoenix's best-in-baseball offense to just 8 runs in 4 games. DH Rougned Odor, after hitting .313 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's, was tabbed MVP. Joe DiMaggio hit .357 with a solo homer for the Armadillos. Javier Vazquez continued his brilliant postseason run, hurling 8 shutout innings in Game 1, allowing just 4 hits while whiffing 7. James Paxton threw a complete game in Game 3, allowing just one run. Billy Conigliaro provided Phoenix's offense, homering twice and driving in 4 of their 8 runs in the series.

World Series: Although the Chicago Mules won 102 games in the regular season, compared to just 94 for the El Paso Armadillos, the Mules were walking wounded in the postseason, losing starter Tyler Duffey against Omaha, and starting infielders Pie Traynor and Bucky Dent against Boston. El Paso continued its dominant postseason run, winning the World Series in five games, taking the final three games after splitting the first two games to bring their postseason record to an incredible 16-2.

El Paso jumped out to an early series lead, taking Game 1 by a 7-1 tally, as Javier Vazquez outdueled Danny McDevitt. Vazquez surrendered just one run on four hits in 7 innings, fanning nine, while Gil Heredia hurled two hitless innings for the save. Kal Daniels started the scoring with a first-inning solo shot off McDevitt -- one of three hits Daniels had on the day. First baseman Rafael Palmeiro also rapped three hits and drove in a run. Chicago second sacker Carlos Baerga ripped a solo homer to provide the Mules' only run production. The Mules erased a 3-1 deficit in Game 2, prevailing 6-3 as Odalis Perez earned the win over Charley Hall, with Carl Bouldin notching the save. Baerga ripped four singles and drove in 2 runs, while catcher Ted Simmons ripped three hits (including a double) and drove in two runs. Center fielder Cameron Maybin broke the game open with an eighth-inning homer. El Paso was led by catcher Victor Martinez, who drilled a solo homer, and backup second baseman Ray Morgan, who ripped two singles. El Paso seized control of the series in Game 3, winning 2-1. Armadillos righthander James Paxton threw 7 shutout innings, scattering 8 hits, and Charlie Hough earned the save. Lary Sorensen took the loss for Chicago despite yielding just 2 runs in 6.1 innings. Catcher Victor Martinez led El Paso with three singles, while right fielder Benny Kauff rapped two hits and swiped two bags. Ted Simmons paced Chicago with a single, a double, and scored their lone run in the ninth inning.

El Paso took a commanding lead with a 4-3 win in Game 4, extending their series edge to 3-1. Jesse Foppert allowed just 4 hits and 3 runs in 7 innings for the win over Jim Slaton, and Emilio Pagan earned the save. Rafael Palmeiro led El Paso with 2 hits, while Rougned Odor hit a two-run homer. Once again, Simmons led Chicago with two hits and a walk, including a homer, while driving in 2 runs. After a pair of squeakers, El Paso left nothing to chance in Game 5, clinching the series with a 13-3 win, allowing Chicago to score only after building up a 13-run lead. Palmeiro broke the game open with a 3-run homer in the first inning; he ended with 2 hits and 5 RBI's. Benny Kauff rapped 3 hits, including a triples, and scored 4 runs. Javier Vazquez earned his sixth win in six postseason starts, taking a shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering a pinch-hit homer to Ramon Castro. Chicago's Danny McDevitt left the game in the first inning with an abdominal strain, and the Armadillos teed off on Chicago's middle relievers.

In a controversial decision, Rafael Palmeiro was named World Series MVP after hitting .381 with a homer and 7 RBI's. Right fielder Benny Kauff hit .364 with 8 runs scored, 4 steals, and 2 RBI's. Kal Daniels hit .333 with a homer and 4 RBI's. But Javier Vazquez put on the best show of the Series, going 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings, fanning 15 hitters without allowing a single walk. Catcher Ted Simmons put up a valiant effort for the Mules in defeat, hitting .500 with a homer and 4 RBI's.
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Old 10-03-2019, 03:46 AM   #16
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2043 Awards Winners

Frontier League MVP- Jimmie Foxx, 1B, CHI (47): .372/ .493/ .741, 217 hits, 38 doubles, 5 triples, 56 HR, 139 RBI, 161 runs, 140 BB, 5 SB, 216 OPS+, 12.1 WAR
Second place- Mike Trout, CF, MIN (1): .337/ .460/ .649, 189 hits, 31 doubles, 6 triples, 44 HR, 113 RBI, 137 runs, 126 BB, 24 SB, +25.3 Zone Rating, 181 OPS+, 13.3 WAR
Third place- Harry Heilmann, RF/1B, LON: .369/ .458/ .670, 208 hits, 42 doubles, 1 triple, 42 HR, 116 RBI, 123 runs, 93 BB, 14 SB, 186 OPS+, 7.8 WAR
Fourth place- Dwight Evans, RF, OTT: .339/ .420/ .652, 210 hits, 44 doubles, 6 triples, 46 HR, 141 RBI, 135 runs, 84 BB, 4 SB, +8.5 Zone Rating, 171 OPS+, 9.4 WAR
Fifth place- Trey Mancini, LF, OMA: .349/ .387/ .594, 217 hits, 19 doubles, 2 triples, 43 HR, 137 RBI, 111 runs, 37 BB, 154 OPS+, 5.5 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, CAL (46): 16-8, 1.99 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 236 IP, 294 K, 45 BB, 4 CG, 4 shutouts, 229 ERA+, 10.4 WAR
Second place- Elmer Riddle, LON (1): 17-6, 2.26 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 219 IP, 161 IP, 53 BB, 5 CG, 4 shutouts, 204 ERA+, 5.8 WAR
Third place- Paul Derringer, DET (1): 19-5, 2.49 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 213 IP, 170 K, 35 BB, 4 CG, 4 shutouts, 186 ERA+, 7.1 WAR
Fourth place- Jim Maloney, BAL: 11-12, 2.70 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 224 IP, 301 K, 79 BB, 2 CG,168 ERA+, 8.4 WAR
Fifth place- Red Lucas, LON: 17-7, 2.39 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 226 IP, 130 K, 15 BB, 2 CG, 193 ERA+, 7.4 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Dave Stapleton, 1B, OTT (28): .304/ .340/ .460, 195 hits, 47 doubles, 1 triple, 17 HR, 75 RBI, 74 runs, 2 SB, +13.1 Zone Rating, 104 OPS+, 3.0 WAR
Second place- Hunter Pence, RF, POR (10): .259/ .296/ .466, 167 hits, 31 doubles, 2 triples, 33 HR, 104 RBI, 97 runs, 36 BB, 14 SB, 95 OPS+, 1.5 WAR
Third place- Stephen Strasburg, RHP, BUF (10): 13-10, 3.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 173 IP, 174 K, 66 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 122 ERA+, 3.5 WAR

Continental League MVP- Joe DiMaggio, CF, ELP (47): .331/ .401/ .624, 202 hits, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 48 HR, 151 RBI, 118 runs, 61 BB, 1 SB, 174 OPS+, 8.9 WAR
Second place- Carlos Guillen, 3B/ 2B, PHO (1): .369/ .440/ .593, 224 hits, 48 doubles, 14 triples, 20 HR, 117 RBI, 122 runs, 80 BB, 9 SB, 154 OPS+, 9.4 WAR
Third place- Austin Kearns, CF, NOR: .347/ .433/ .566, 209 hits, 39 doubles, 3 triples, 29 HR, 113 RBI, 110 runs, 84 BB, 3 SB, +19.5 Zone Rating, 155 OPS+, 9.3 WAR
Fourth place- Ralph Kiner, LF, MEM: .308/ .417/ .673, 174 hits, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 60 HR, 109 RBI, 118 runs, 100 BB, 1 SB, 179 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Fifth place- Robin Yount, DH/ SS, JAX: .365/ .426/ .589, 245 hits, 56 doubles, 8 triples, 26 HR, 135 RBI, 140 runs, 70 BB, 11 SB, 156 OPS+, 7.1 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Greg Maddux, SA (43): 16-7, 2.02 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 245 IP, 225 K, 38 BB, 6 CG, 3 shutouts, 235 ERA+, 8.5 WAR
Second place- Mel Parnell, ATL (5): 17-4, 2.36 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 241 IP, 196 K, 58 BB, 4 CG, 3 shutouts, 212 ERA+, 7.4 WAR
Third place- Jon Lester, ALB: 14-9, 2.21 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 224 IP, 243 K, 69 BB, 6 CG, 3 shutouts, 231 ERA+, 8.0 WAR
Fourth place- Bob Ojeda, CHA: 19-5, 2.29 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 192 IP, 182 K, 37 BB, 224 ERA+, 5.9 WAR
Fifth place- Mark Prior, NAS: 14-9, 2.88 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 228 IP, 289 K, 35 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 162 ERA+, 7.3 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year: Dave Bancroft, SS, AUS (47): .295/ .387/ .468, 158 hits, 22 doubles, 1 triple, 23 HR, 80 RBI, 95 runs, 75 BB, 32 SB, +13.2 Zone Rating, 121 OPS+, 6.3 WAR
Second place- Greg Gross, LF, HOU (1): .339/ .429/ .441, 165 hits, 30 doubles, 7 triples, 2 HR, 61 RBI, 91 runs, 75 BB, 25 SB, 125 OPS+, 4.2 WAR
Third place- Lee Maye, DH, OKC: .297/ .361/ .550, 95 hits, 17 doubles, 5 triples, 18 HR, 65 RBI, 66 runs, 27 BB, 3 SB, 128 OPS+, 2.1 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Baby Doll Jacobson, RF, Washington Ambassadors
2. Brian Downing, C, Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas
3. Jeff Kent, 2B, Hartford Huskies
4. Tillie Walker, LF, Portland Skunks
5. Alex Bregman, 3B, Cleveland Rocks
6. Rico Carty, LF, Austin Mustangs
7. Dusty Baker, LF/RF, San Antonio Marksmen
8. Tony Conigliaro, LF, Vancouver Viceroys
9. Mark Mulder, LHP, Philadelphia Hawks
10. Whit Wyatt, RHP, Nashville Blues
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Old 10-07-2019, 02:47 AM   #17
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2043 Hall of Fame Voting

After a twelve-year low of only two players were inducted in 2042, the Hall of Fame returned to form in 2043, with four players being inducted. Ballot newcomers Minnie Minoso, Eric Davis, and Ryne Sandberg were inducted, as was fourth-time candidate Gorman Thomas. Minoso challenged the all-time record, receiving 98.9% of the vote, while Davis and Sandberg received 85.9% apiece. Thomas became the first returning candidate to be elected in four years, receiving 76.0% percent.

Minoso was drafted sixth overall by the Toronto Predators following the 2023 season. As a 23-year-old rookie in 2025, he had a modest season, hitting .261 with 8 homers, 45 RBI's, and 23 steals in 121 games. He took the leap into stardom in his third season, hitting .301 and slugging .491 with 28 homers, 103 RBI's, 101 runs scored, and 29 steals. Minoso took another step forward in 2026, hitting .329 and slugging .552, leading the Frontier League with 34 homers and 114 runs scored, while driving in 110 runs. Remarkably, Minoso hit exactly .348 in each season between 2029 and 2031, and hit .349 the following season -- topping 40 homers and 110 RBI's each season, including a league-high 49 round-trippers in 2030 as he slugged .652 while winning MVP honors; he finished fifth in the 2029 MVP voting. In 2031, Minoso bashed 48 homers and scored a league-high 136 runs as he finished fourth in the MVP voting, and duplicated that finish the following year, as he slugged .606 with 215 hits, 44 homers, and drove in 127 runs. In 2033, Minoso missed 25 games, slipping to 31 homers and 97 RBI's, while hitting .358. He returned to form the following season, hitting 45 round-trippers and plating 114 runs. Minoso had a career season in 2035, setting franchise records as he hit. 378 with a league-leading 57 homers, while driving in 153 runs as he slugged .698, finishing second in the MVP balloting. Despite missing 40 games with a hamstring injury, his 2036 was nearly as impressive, as Minoso hit .371 with 41 homers and 110 RBI's, slugging a league-high .724 in just 122 games. Following the season, Minoso left Toronto, signing with the Las Vegas Aces in free agency. Minoso led the league with a .667 slugging percentage in his first year in Las Vegas, as he hit .348 (again) with 43 homers and 128 RBI's. After an injury-riddled 2038, Minoso opted out of his contract and signed with the Chicago Mules, where he hit .315 with 41 longballs and 115 RBI's and 118 runs scored in 2037. After an injury-riddled and ineffective 2040 season, Minoso retired. The lone blemish in his otherwise stellar career was his postseason performance: Minoso only appeared in the playoffs three times, and hit only .211 with a lone homer and 4 RBI's in 25 games. Over his career, Minoso made seven All-Star teams and won seven Silver Slugger awards. He posted a career .329/ .405/ .584 slash line, notching 2771 hits, 469 doubles, 545 homers, 1602 RBI's, 1584 runs scored, 199 steals, and 93.0 WAR. At the time of his induction, Minoso ranked 15th all-time in batting average, 10th in slugging percentage, and 17th in homers.

Davis, a multitalented centerfielder, was drafted third overall by the Milwaukee Raccoons following the 2023 season. He showed flashes of raw talent in his rookie season, popping 21 homers and swiping 30 bases, although he hit just .232. Davis exploded as an elite power-speed threat in 2026, hitting .282 and slugging .492, pounding 31 homers and swiping 61 bags while leading the league with 142 runs scored. The following season, Davis hit .288 with 35 homers, stealing 70 bases, and scoring 125 runs, finishing third in the MVP voting. In 2029, Davis hit a career-high .310 with 32 homers, 111 RBI's, and stole 74 bases. The following season, he hit .293, blasting 39 longballs and driving in 110 runs while scoring 122 times, with 54 steals. Beginning in 2032, he had three straight 40-40 seasons, culminating in his 2034 campaign, when Davis hit .295 and slugged .568, drilling 44 homers, leading the league with 163 RBI's, scoring 127 runs, and stealing 62 of 69 bases and finished fifth in the MVP balloting. Although he missed substantial time with injuries in 2035 and 2036, he averaged over 25 homers and 25 steals each season. In 2038, he drilled 28 homers and plated 118 runs while stealing 30 bases- at age 35. Davis retired while remaining near the top of his game, bopping 26 homers and scoring 95 runs in 2040 before retiring after seventeen seasons - all with Milwaukee. Davis made seven All-Star teams and won three Silver Slugger awards. He posted a career .277/ .372/ .496 slash line, with 2654 hits, including 400 doubles, 520 homers, 1585 RBI's, 1826 runs scored, 814 steals, and 96.8 WAR. He ranked 18th all-time in runs scored and 13th in steals. Davis was a solid postseason player, posting a career .311 average and .547 slugging percentage, with 11 homers, 35 RBI's, and 11 steals in 49 games over seven postseasons.

Sandberg was drafted first overall by the Albuquerque Conquistadors in 2023. He struggled as a 20-year-old rookie, hitting just .251 and slugging .317, with just 3 homers and 56 RBI's, while stealing 24 bases. He blossomed in his 2025 sophomore campaign, hitting .309 and slugging .433, with 11 homers, 89 RBI's, and 33 steals, making the first of his ten All-Star teams. He took the next step into stardom in 2027, hitting .324 and slugging .503, with 209 hits, 28 homers, 129 RBI's, 118 runs scored, and 55 steals, as he finished fifth in the MVP voting. Over the course of the next six seasons, Sandberg hit at least .299 every season, driving in over 110 runs and stealing at least 49 bases each year. In 2029, Sandberg hit .299 and slugged .520, with 34 homers, 128 RBI's, 126 runs scored, and 60 steals. He followed that up the next year by hitting .330 and slugging .608, rapping 49 doubles, 38 longballs, plating 125 runs, scoring 135 runs, and swiping 62 bags, finishing fourth in the MVP balloting. Following that season, he signed with the London Werewolves in free agency. In 2031, Sandberg won the Frontier League batting title, hitting .368, and he slugged .619, ripping 39 homers, with 127 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and 66 steals, as he finished third in the MVP voting. The following season, he hit 34 homers, drove in a career-high 130 runs, and stole 51 bases. At season's end, he opted out of his contract, and signed with the Austin Mustangs in free agency. Sandberg topped 100 runs scored in his first six seasons in Austin, topping 30 steals 5 times and posting 30-30 seasons in 2036 and 2037. Sandberg topped the 3000-hit milestone in early 2040 and retired at year's end. Sandberg posted a career .299 average with a .360 on-base percentage and a .490 slugging percentage. He notched 3046 hits, scored 1790 runs (20th all-time), ripped 561 doubles and 426 homers, knocked in 1595 runs, stole 681 bases, and notched 86.1 WAR. Sandberg made 10 All-Star teams, earned five Silver Sluggers, and two Gold Gloves. He also was a terrific postseason player, hitting .336 and slugging .595, with 19 homers, 64 RBI's, and 15 steals in 79 games. In 2031, he led the Werewolves to the League Championship Series, as he hit .370 with 4 homers and 25 RBI's in 20 games, and in 2038, he hit .421 in 18 games with 5 homers and 13 RBI's.

Thomas was tabbed 11th overall by the Hartford Huskies in the 2018 draft. As a 21-year-old rookie in 2019, he smacked 19 homers and drove in 70 runs, but hit just .232. He leaped into stardom in his third season, hitting 33 homers, driving in 98 runs, scoring 104 runs, while providing elite center field defense. In 2023, Thomas hit .284 and slugged .564 with 40 homers, 113 RBI's, and 104 runs scored. He posted nearly identical seasons the next two seasons, hitting .283 with 31 homers and 112 RBI's in 2024, and hitting .282 with 30 homers and 112 RBI's the following year. After an off season in 2026, he left Hartford in free agency for the El Paso Armadillos. Thomas hit .282 with 28 homers and 95 RBI's in his first season in El Paso, earning fifth place honors in the MVP voting, and he smacked 31 homers in each of the next two years. In 2030, Thomas hit .279, blasting a career-high 47 homers and driving in 123 runs, finishing fifth in the MVP voting once again. The following season, after joining the Omaha Falcons as a free agent, he ripped 38 jacks and plated 106 runs. In 2033, Thomas slugged .571, launching 37 doubles, 46 homers, and knocked in 99 runs. In the next four seasons, Thomas struggled to clear the Mendoza line, but remained a potent power hitter, averaging 25 homers a season, as he joined the Chicago Mules in 2036 and spent the final two seasons of his career with the Charlotte Aviators. Although Thomas hit just .250 for his career, he notched a .348 on-base percentage and a .479 slugging percentage. He posted 2546 career hits, drilling 556 doubles and 574 homers (9th all-time), with 1626 runs scored, 1744 RBI's, and drew 1572 walks while posting a career +271.6 Zone Rating in center field. He also posted 108.2 career WAR, ranking second all-time among center fielders and 15th overall. Thomas made five All-Star teams and won a Silver Slugger award. He also smacked 19 postseason homers in 83 games, including 6 homers and 14 RBI's as he led El Paso to the World Series in 2028.

Top vote recipients include:

Minnie Minoso, LF, TOR/ LV/ CHI: 98.9%
Eric Davis, CF, MIL: 85.9%
Ryne Sandberg, 2B, ALB/ LON/ AUS: 85.9%
Gorman Thomas, CF, HAR/ ELP/ OMA/ CHI/ CHA: 76.0%
Tex Erwin, C, ALB/ HOU: 67.5%
Yasiel Puig, RF, ALB/ MIN, NOR: 62.5%
Brian McCann, C, SEA/ ELP/ ATL: 60.1%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 55.8%
Larry Parrish, 3B, ANA/ CHA: 54.1%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 53.7%
Ralph Garr, RF, MIL/ WAS/ HOU/ OKC: 53.7%
Jerry Mumphrey, RF, ANA/ NAS/ PHI/ MEM: 50.9%

Among the most noteworthy players who were removed from the ballot after failing to draw 10% of the vote are 500-homer hitters Michael Conforto and Gus Zernial, five-time Gold Glove third baseman Gary Gaetti, and two-time MVP Kevin Mitchell. Also, seven-time All Star shortstop Trevor Story saw his eligibility expire after ten years on the ballot.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 10-12-2019, 03:12 AM   #18
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2044 Mid-Year Review

Here's a look at the major stories from around the league at the 2044 All-Star break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Toronto Predators, coming off a .500 season last year, entered the break with a 44-30 record, just 4 games out of first place in the Great Lakes Division, and on track to return to the playoffs for the first time in five years. The Predators ended the first half leading the Frontier League in runs scored, despite ranking just 19th in homers, led by a league-leading .285 average and the most steals in the league. First baseman Jim Dyck came out of nowhere to hit .323 and slug .523, with 21 doubles, 11 homers, and 45 RBI's. Center fielder Coco Crisp hit .322 and slugged .495, ripping 25 doubles, 7 homers, driving in 56 runs and swiping 29 bags. Right fielder Chris Young hit .290 and slugged .534, pounding 26 doubles, 13 longballs, and plating 56 runs. Righthander Tim Belcher sported an 8-5 record with a 2.83 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts. The San Francisco Longshoremen, after missing the playoffs last year with 84 wins, appeared to be a lock to return to the postseason after going 47-27, narrowly missing the best record in the Frontier League. Star rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero led an otherwise underwhelming offense, hitting .300 and slugging .502, with 13 homers, 58 RBI's, and 11 steals. Left fielder Zack Wheat hit .295, ripping 9 homers, driving in 51 runs, and stealing 16 bases. The Longshoremen allowed the fewest runs in baseball, led by George Mullin, who posted a 6-3 record with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Righthander Art Ditmar jumped out to an 8-2 start with a 3.75 ERA, while closer Ferdie Schupp notched 16 saves with a 2.08 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Memphis River Pirates looked to snap a fifteen-year streak of finishing below .500, as they took a 41-33 mark into the break. Led by slugger Ralph Kiner, who blasted 20 homers and drove in 54 runs, Memphis ranked second in the league in both homers and runs scored. Rookie center fielder Matt Kemp starred, hitting .320 and slugging .544, with 14 homers, 48 RBI's, and 52 runs scored. Shortstop Jonathan Villar had a breakout season, hitting .311 with 14 homers, 45 RBI's, 62 runs scored, and 32 steals at the break. Southpaws Woody Fryman and Paul Maholm won eight games apiece, with Fryman sporting a 8-2 record, a 2.82 ERA, and a 1.00 WHIP. The Albuquerque Conquistadors had gone eight straight seasons without finishing above .500, but they entered the break with a 41-33 record. While Albuquerque's prior playoff teams relied on a dominant offense, they used a dominant pitching staff to offset a middling offense. First baseman Butch Huskey led the way with 13 homers and 38 RBI's, while second sacker Woody Woodward hit .329 with 22 doubles. On the mound, Kevin Appier dominated, going 7-1 with a 1.79 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts in just 100 innings. Jon Lester posted an 8-4 mark with a 2.50 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and fanned 116 enemy hitters, while Chan Ho Park posted an 8-4 mark of his own with a 2.94 ERA and 98 whiffs.

Disappointments: Although the Baltimore Robins remained in contention until August last season, before fading to finish with 82 wins, they stumbled out of the gate to a 3-9 start before ending the first half with a disappointing 30-44 record. Baltimore struggled offensively, ending the half ranked just 22nd in the Frontier League in runs scored. Left fielder Monte Irvin, who slugged .675 last year as he blasted 37 homers in just 129 games, had a power outage, as his slugging percentage declined by over 160 points, as he popped just 12 first-half homers and drove in just 44 runs. Catcher Mike Sweeney, who bashed 23 homers and plated 73 runs last year, smacked just 8 first-half homers and drove in just 27 runs. Right fielder Jim Wallis struggled to replace power hitter Pat Seerey, as Wallis hit just .207 and slugged .336. On the mound, Jim Maloney saw his ERA spike by nearly a run and a half, as he went just 5-5 with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. The Minneapolis Penguins, a 96-game winner last season, were in danger of missing the playoffs altogether after stumbling to a 38-36 first-half record. 32-year-old right fielder Darryl Strawberry collapsed, hitting just .226 with a punchless .368 slugging percentage, as he ripped just 3 homers and drove in only 19 runs. Ageless slugger Lee May, who hit .302 with 33 homers and 143 RBI's at age 43 last season for Austin, tumbled to .252, with a mere 7 homers and 26 RBI's. Even Mike Trout couldn't avoid the power outage, falling off from 44 homers and 113 RBI's to a more modest 8 longballs and 40 RBI's. On the mound, Wade Miller declined from a 14-7 mark to a 4-4 record with a 4.45 ERA, while closer Ed Connolly posted a bloated 6.00 ERA.

In the Continental League, the New York Emperors' streak of five consecutive seasons with at least 90 wins was in jeopardy, as the Emperors sported a 34-40 mark at the break. Second-year DH Duane Walker collapsed after a solid rookie season, as he hit just .188 with 3 homers and 14 RBI's. 38-year-old center fielder Kevin Kiermaier disappointed, hitting just .237 with 8 homers, and providing uncharacteristically poor defense. But the bigger problem was on the mound, as the team ERA spiked by more than a run per game. Although Corey Kluber went 5-3, he saw his ERA spike to 5.46 and his WHIP rose to 1.41. Free agent Ryan Drese disappointed, going just 1-7 with a 5.17 ERA and a ghastly 1.75 WHIP. The Atlanta Ducks, winners of 96 games last year, collapsed to a 25-49 first-half record. Free agent signee Pete Reiser stumbled, hitting just .214 before landing on the injured list with a back injury. Shortstop Tim Anderson took a step back, falling off from a .302 average and 95 RBI's last year to just .265 with 6 homers and 34 RBI's. Right fielder Rusty Staub saw his power vanish, as he declined from 27 homers and 129 RBI's last year to just 7 homers and 38 RBI's at the break. But the bigger problem was the utter collapse of Atlanta's pitching staff, as the team's ERA rose by nearly 2 runs per game. After seeing most of the pitching staff turn over in free agency, Atlanta's new acquisitions proved to not be up to the task. Righthander Mike Minor saw his ERA jump by nearly five runs per game, spiking to 8.38 with a 2.57 WHIP, as he walked 38 hitters while fanning just 15 in 48 innings. Cy Buker shuttled between the closer's role and the rotation - despite a 10.63 ERA and a 2.34 WHIP in 42 innings.

The Ryan Express: Detroit ace Nolan Ryan had a dominant half, flirting with a Triple Crown as he sported an 11-2 record with a 1.88 ERA and 148 strikeouts at the break. Ryan hurled a no-hitter against Seattle on Opening Day - and remained unhittable for the first month of the season. In his first five starts, Ryan yielded an incredible 7 hits in 40 shutout innings - while fanning 57. After the no-hitter, he hurled seven shutout innings allowing three hits, then allowed one hit in each of his next two starts, before hurling a 2-hit, 16-strikeout masterpiece against Philadelphia. Ryan yielded more walks than hits in the first half of the season, entering the break with just 46 hits allowed in 105 innings, while walking 58 and fanning 148 hitters.

Tale of Two Seasons: The Buffalo Fighting Elk got off to an uncharacteristically poor start, starting just 8-15 as they ended April in fourth place in a weak Northeast Division. By May 9, the Fighting Elk stabilized to a 14-22 record - and then they ripped off a 16-game winning streak as part of an incredible 25-1 stretch. Buffalo ended the half with a 44-28 record, and a sizable 7 1/2 game lead.

Outfield of Dreams: The London Werewolves made a statement by signing center fielder Willie Mays in the offseason. Mays led the Werewolves to a 48-26 first-half record -- and he anchored one of the strongest outfields in league history. Mays hit .342 and slugged .593, ripping 38 extra-base hits including 17 homers, scoring 69 runs, driving in 46 runs, and stealing 21 bases while providing elite defense. Right fielder Harry Heilmann his .339 and slugged .650, smacking 21 homers and driving in 62 runs, while left fielder Jay Buhner hit .302 and slugged .585 with 21 jacks and 55 RBI's.

Major Injuries: Calgary's Chris Sale, who moved into the rotation after three brilliant years in relief, suffered shoulder inflammation in early May, knocking him out of commission for the season. Chicago third baseman Pie Traynor, who suffered a broken elbow during last year's World Series, suffered a setback which effectively knocked him out for the year. Cleveland third baseman Alex Bregman suffered from plantar fascitis early in a brilliant rookie season, sidelining him for nearly two months. Detroit ace Paul Derringer tore his rotator cuff in spring training and was not expected back until July. Jacksonville left fielder Beals Becker stumbled in his recovery from a broken kneecap and missed the entire first half. London righthander Elmer Riddle, last year's Cy Young runner-up, suffered from bone chips in his elbow in June and was sidelined for the season. Nashville ace Mark Prior, having his usual brilliant season with limited offensive support, tore his triceps shortly before the All-Star game, knocking him out for the second half. New Orleans shortstop Dick Bartell tore his ACL in April, ending his season early. Vancouver southpaw CJ Wilson tore his UCL in June, and he was not expected to return until after the 2045 All-Star break.

Major Milestones: Albuquerque first baseman Sherry Magee popped his 4,000th hit in early April and also smacked his 750th career homer. Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado and San Diego right fielder Goose Goslin each joined the 3,000 hit club, while Buffalo center fielder Tris Speaker, Portland left fielder Mike Easler, and El Paso first baseman Rafael Palmeiro each drilled their 2,500th career hit. Looking ahead, El Paso DH Rougned Odor and Chicago right fielder Hal McRae were likely to join the 3,000 hit club by year's end. Minneapolis first baseman Lee May was projected to hit his 600th homer, and teammate Darryl Strawberry was expected to smack his 500th longball by August. Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado was expected to knock in his 2,000th run by the end of July. On the mound, Cincinnati's Bob Moose was one win away from tying the all-time record held by Gary Nolan, and he had an outside chance of fanning his 4,500th batter. Pittsburgh's Jim Shaw was projected to whiff his 3,000th hitter before the end of the year.
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Old 10-20-2019, 05:19 AM   #19
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2044 Year in Review

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk cruised to their eighth straight Northeast Division title despite starting the season 8-15. Buffalo won 94 games, taking the division by 13 games, despite losing both Tris Speaker and Stephen Strasburg to season-ending injuries in mid-July. Shortstop Rico Petrocelli led Buffalo, hitting .301 and slugging .599, with a league-high (and franchise record) 49 homers and 146 RBI's. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit .285 with 35 round-trippers, 106 RBI's, 121 runs scored, and 23 steals. Speaker hit .346 with a .441 on-base percentage, including 41 doubles, 10 homers, and 64 runs scored in just 94 games before breaking his ankle. Buffalo ranked fourth in the league in runs allowed. Southpaw Tim Lollar went 16-6 with a 3.23 ERA. Strasburg notched a 10-5 mark with a 3.25 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 145 whiffs in 130 innings, while Hal Carlson went 12-5 with a 2.99 ERA before tearing his UCL.

Once again, the Detroit Purple Gang were the class of the Frontier League, winning a franchise-record 112 games, holding off the hard-charging London Werewolves by three games. Detroit finished third in the Frontier League in runs scored, led once again by Nolan Arenado, who posted a stellar .334/ .447/ .629 slash line, along with 42 longballs, 117 RBI's, and 128 runs scored, and smacking his 600th career homer in the waning days of the season. Catcher Ryan Doumit starred, hitting .305 and slugging .547, bashing 30 homers and plating 104 runs. Left fielder Bernard Gilkey hit .282 with 44 doubles, 19 homers, 20 steals, 106 runs scored, and 80 RBI's. Second baseman Red Schoendienst hit .374 with 30 doubles and 69 runs scored in just 85 games. On the mound, Nolan Ryan flirted with a triple crown, posting a 22-4 record and setting franchise records with a 1.82 ERA and 311 strikeouts. Lew Burdette went 15-4 with a 3.66 ERA. Righthander Paul Derringer missed the entire first half, but he returned with a vengeance, going 10-2 witha 2.75 ERA and 1.03 WHIP after the break. The London Werewolves won a franchise-record 109 games after adding Willie Mays to last season's 98-win squad, leading the Frontier League in both runs scored and runs allowed. Mays was the front-runner for MVP honors after hitting .368 and slugging .667, with 96 extra-base hits, including 47 longballs, 112 RBI's, 43 steals, and a league-high 159 runs scored and 246 hits. Right fielder Harry Heilmann matched Mays, hitting .364 and slugging .687, with 46 doubles, 45 homers, 131 RBI's, and 144 runs scored. Left fielder Jay Buhner had a career season, hitting .321, drilling 47 longballs, and knocking in 129 runs. The Toronto Predators returned to the postseason for the first time in five years, winning 94 games with a speed-and-defense squad. Veteran left fielder Chris Young led the Predators offensively, hitting .283 with 49 doubles, 24 homers, and 106 RBI's. Center fielder Coco Crisp set the table, hitting .297 with 49 doubles, 12 homers, 85 RBI's, 112 runs scored, and a league-high 67 steals. Second sacker Dick Egan hit .292, swiping 45 bags and scoring 99 runs. Righthander Dave Morehead posted a 16-4 mark with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Hard-luck Tim Belcher went just 16-13 despite a 3.06 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 227 strikeouts. Closer Michael Feliz notched 34 saves with a 2.17 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP.

The Omaha Falcons rode a 16-2 start to a 96-win season and a Great Plains Division title. Center fielder Joe Pepitone hit .306 and slugged .547, bashing 40 homers and plating 141 runs. Right fielder Jim Wynn hit .289 with a .396 on-base percentage, drilling 44 doubles, 41 homers, knocking in 116 runs, drawing 102 walks, and stealing 26 bases. Left fielder Trey Mancini hit .355 and slugged .638, smacking 20 round-trippers and driving in 69 runs in 77 games before being sidelined with a broken kneecap. Veteran righthander Bob Shawkey notched a 14-7 mark with a 3.04 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and a franchise-record 249 strikeouts. Tom Brewer posted a 15-9 record with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. The Minneapolis Penguins narrowly missed the playoffs, winning 87 games despite yet another MVP-caliber campaign by Mike Trout. Trout won his first batting title, posting a .370/ .457/ .635 slash line, with a franchise-best 221 hits, 49 doubles, 31 homers, 113 RBI's, 131 runs scored, and stole 27 of 29 bases. Catcher Javy Lopez hit .327 and slugged .574, ripping 41 doubles and 28 longballs, while scoring 99 runs and knocking in 84. Left fielder Don Baylor hit .284 and slugged .540, pounding 35 round-trippers and plating 97 runs. Southpaw Danny Duffy led the Penguins with a 14-6 record and a 3.89 ERA.

The San Francisco Longshoremen rode a 20-4 start to the postseason for the third time in four years, taking the Northwest Division with 95 victories. Star rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero hit .336 and slugged .587, with 75 extra-base hits, including 32 homers and 128 RBI's. Left fielder Zack Wheat had a breakout season, hitting .326 with 49 doubles, 31 round-trippers, 127 RBI's, 109 runs scored, and 30 steals. Second baseman Mike Sharperson hit .323 with a .407 on-base percentage, rapping 48 doubles and scoring 117 runs. San Francisco's always-stout pitching staff finished third in the Frontier League in runs allowed, led by southpaw Johnny Cooney, who went 17-11 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Righthander Allan Sothoron posted a 19-8 record with a 3.88 ERA and fanned 218 hitters. Closer Ferdie Schupp saved 30 games, yielding a 2.25 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The Denver Spikes made their second straight playoff appearance, winning 91 games. First baseman Ryon Healy hit .293 and slugged .523, knocking 40 doubles, 38 homers, and driving in 121 runs. Left fielder Willie Stargell hit .291 and slugged .604, bashing 36 homers and driving in 100 runs in just 126 games. Third baseman Bill Madlock hit .320, drilling a league-high 63 doubles, as well as 20 homers, 98 RBI's, and 99 runs scored. Lefty Tyler went 15-7 with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, while closer Ken Howell saved 39 games with a 1.65 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. The overachieving Calgary Cattle Rustlers survived the early-season loss of burgeoning star Chris Sale to win 88 games, making the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. First baseman Carlos Lee was a one-man wrecking crew: Calgary finished 19th in the league in runs scored and dead last in homers, even though Lee hit .317 with 48 homers and a league-high 157 RBI's. Right fielder Manny Mota flirted with the batting title, hitting .363 with 236 hits, including 40 doubles, and he scored 97 runs. Ace Walter Johnson had an MVP-caliber season, going 18-5 with a 1.86 WHIP, a ridiculous 0.76 WHIP, and a league-best 317 strikeouts. Steady righthander Burt Hooton went 11-7 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP.

Continental League: The Virginia Beach Admirals earned their fourth straight playoff spot, taking the Atlantic Division with 96 wins for just the second division title in franchise history. Right fielder Reggie Jackson starred, hitting .310 and slugging .647 with a league-high 52 homers, along with 131 RBI's and 124 runs scored. Third baseman Mike Schmidt hit just .242, but drilled 34 homers and scored 113 runs. Left fielder Carmelo Martinez hit .270 with 28 homers and knocked in 87 runs. The Admirals finished with the second-stingiest pitching staff in the league, led by second-year righthander Bob Rush, who sported a 15-7 record with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. George Cunningham and Joe Magrane won 16 games apiece, with Cunningham notching a 3.07 ERA and Magrane posting a 3.40 mark. The Jacksonville Gulls rode their explosive offense to the playoffs for the second straight season, winning 87 games, as they scored a league-high 1,011 runs. DH Robin Yount starred, hitting .337 and slugging .558, as he ripped 32 jacks, scored 121 runs and drove in 106. Catcher AJ Pierzynski had a breakout season, hitting .350 with 13 homers and 95 RBI's. First baseman Jim Thome hit .311 with a .451 on-base percentage, knocking 29 longballs, drawing a league-high 141 walks, and knocking in 123 runs. Left fielder Beals Becker returned from a broken kneecap without missing a beat, hitting .326 and slugging .586, drilling 20 homers, driving in 70 runs and scoring 82 times in just 83 games. The Gulls' pitching staff improved from its traditionally-execrable state to merely subpar, as Jim Lonborg and Spec Harkness posted matching 10-7 records and ERA's of 4.20 and 4.23 respectively. The Charlotte Aviators narrowly missed the playoffs with 87 wins. Third baseman Garrett Atkins led Charlotte, hitting .320 with 34 longballs and 110 RBI's, while first baseman Mark Teixeira hit .307 while smacking 38 round-trippers and driving in 116 runs. On the mound, Chris Carpenter successfully came back from a torn UCL ligament to go 10-6 with a 3.75 ERA.

The New Orleans Crawfish won their seventh straight Southeast Division title with 105 wins, led by free agent addition Domingo Santana, who hit .305 and slugged .578, smashing 37 homers, driving in 100 runs, and scoring 108 times in just 130 games. George Brett solidified his Hall of Fame credentials, hitting .310 and slugging .517, with a league-high 58 doubles, 10 triples, 18 homers, and 103 RBIs. Second baseman Omar Infante hit .319 and slugged .514, drilling 15 homers, swiping 25 bags, and scoring 86 runs in just 105 games. Steady southpaw Wilbur Cooper led the league's best pitching staff, going 16-7 with a 3.66 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 188 strikeouts. Rosy Ryan posted a 13-5 mark with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Closer Andrew Miller earned 6 wins and 28 saves with a 2.72 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 90 strikeouts in just 60 innings. The Memphis River Pirates were the biggest surprise in baseball, snapping a 15-year streak of sub-.500 finishes by improving by 25 wins to finish with 98 wins -- making just their third playoff appearance in franchise history. Memphis finished with the third-highest scoring offense in the Continental League. Rookie center fielder Matt Kemp had a monster season, hitting .342 and slugging .565, with 30 homers, 119 RBI's, 115 runs scored, and 26 steals. Left fielder Ralph Kiner hit .271 with 42 homers, 133 RBI's, 122 runs scored, and 113 walks -- ironically, setting career lows in batting average and homers. Shortstop Jonathan Villar had a stellar all-around season, posting a .312/ .420/ .504 slash line, with 23 homers, 84 RBI's, 134 runs scored, 101 walks, and 65 steals. Second sacker Denis Menke hit .308 with 14 homers, 78 RBI's, and 110 runs scored. On the mound, southpaw Woodie Fryman had a breakout sophomore campaign, going 18-4 with a 2.55 ERA, and a 0.94 WHIP. Paul Maholm went 13-10 with a 4.06 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Despite losing Willie Mays in free agency prior to the season, the Birmingham Steelers made a surprise playoff run, snapping a 17-year drought by winning 87 games. Third baseman Scott Rolen hit .290 and slugged .516, ripping 78 extra-base hits, including 25 homers, 105 RBI's, and scored 107 runs. Left fielder Bob Skinner hit .337 and slugged .542, popping 17 homers and plating 79 runs in just 113 games. Catcher Mark Salas hit .318 and slugged .538, drilling 23 round-trippers and knocking home 82 runs in just 109 games. Righthander Jack McDowell posted a 14-12 mark with a 3.41 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 189 strikeouts. Mark Langston sported a 14-9 record with a 4.04 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and fanned 203 hitters. Brad Penny went 16-7 with a 3.45 ERA, despite a bloated 1.46 WHIP.

The defending champion El Paso Armadillos narrowly held off the Houston Pythons to take the Texas Division with 89 wins, clinching the division in a blowout over Houston on the final day of the season. All six teams in the division finished won between 80 and 89 games. El Paso's explosive offense led baseball with 252 homers and finished 4th in the Continental League in runs scored. Seven players topped 32 homers, and two more jacked at least 20. Defending two-time MVP Joe DiMaggio hit .284 and slugged .582, bashing 48 homers, driving in a league-leading 149 RBI's, and scoring 113 runs. Left fielder Kal Daniels hit .314 with 40 doubles, 33 longballs, 106 RBI's, and 128 runs scored. Veteran first baseman Rafael Palmeiro hit .289 with 35 homers and 125 RBI's. DH Rougned Odor and third baseman Manny Machado combined for 65 homers and 201 RBI's. On the mound, Javier Vazquez built on last year's postseason heroics by posting a 17-7 record with a 3.34 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 231 whiffs. James Paxton notched a 15-6 mark despite a middling 4.35 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. The overachieving Houston Pythons won 88 games despite finishing 23rd in the Continental League in runs allowed. Center fielder Garry Maddox hit .306 and slugged .537, ripping 52 doubles, 9 triples, 21 homers, driving in 101 runs, and scoring 108 runs. Right fielder Jason Heyward hit .337 with a .430 on-base percentage, drilling 42 doubles, 21 homers, 99 RBI's, scoring 119 runs, and stealing 18 of 19 bases. Catcher Todd Hundley smacked 28 homers and drove in 103 runs, while third baseman Buck Weaver hit .344 with 214 hits, 40 doubles, 9 homers, 92 RBI's, and 28 steals. Veteran lefty Matt Chico posted a 20-4 record despite a 4.00 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Journeyman closer Hank McDonald unexpectedly posted 27 saves and a 1.72 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP.

The Phoenix Lizards won 99 games to take their third straight Southwest Division title and fifth in six years, as they finished second in the Continental League in runs scored and led baseball with a .312 team batting average. Third baseman Butch Hobson hit .296 and slugged .578, smacking 39 homers and driving in 123 runs. First baseman Donn Clendenon hit .316, with 34 longballs, 111 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Carlos Guillen split his time between second, third, and shortstop, and hit .345 with 44 doubles, 12 homers, 90 RBI's, and 104 runs scored. Leftfielder Clyde Milan hit .327, with 217 hits, including 11 homers, 66 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and swiped 80 bags in 88 attempts. Veteran righthander Red Ames went 14-8 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Southpaw Bud Smith posted a 14-4 mark with a 2.80 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.

Best season in team history: Detroit Purple Gang (112 wins), London Werewolves (109 wins), Memphis River Pirates (98 wins), Toronto Predators (94 wins)

Worst season in team history: Philadelphia Hawks (56 wins)
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Last edited by Dukie98; 10-20-2019 at 05:36 AM.
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Old 10-25-2019, 03:26 AM   #20
Dukie98
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2044 Playoff Report

Frontier League: The 112-win Detroit Purple Gang swept the overmatched Calgary Cattle Rustlers, holding Calgary to just nine runs in four games. In perhaps the most hyped playoff pitching matchup in league history between Detroit's Nolan Ryan and Calgary's Walter Johnson, neither pitcher made it out of the fifth inning. Detroit center fielder Jose Cardenal earned MVP honors, hitting .471 and slugging 1.118, with six extra-base hits, including 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Ryan Doumit hit .400 with a homer and drove in 3 runs. Third baseman Nolan Arenado drilled a pair of homers and drove in 4 runs. Righthander Bob Welch hurled 8 shutout innings in a 1-0 Game 4 victory. Left fielder Jack Graney led a punchless Calgary squad, hitting .333 with a .444 on-base percentage and scored two runs. In the only wild-card series to go the distance, the London Werewolves erased a 3-1 deficit to upend the Buffalo Fighting Elk. London center fielder Willie Mays led the way, hitting .379 with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Right fielder Harry Heilmann popped 3 homers and 7 RBI's, while left fielder Jay Buhner and catcher Cliff Johnson smacked 2 homers apiece. Righthander Jose Rijo posted a 2.08 ERA, with 15 strikeouts in 13 innings, despite a 0-1 record. Buffalo was led by left fielder Pedro Guerrero in defeat, as he hit .483 and slugged .966, with 4 longballs and 13 RBI's. Buffalo shortstop Rico Petrocelli hit .357 with a homer and drove in 7 RBI's. The Toronto Raptors' first postseason visit in five seasons was a short one, as they were swept by the San Francisco Longshoremen - even though San Francisco right fielder Vladimir Guerrero missed the series with an elbow injury. San Francisco shortstop Marty Marion earned MVP honors after hitting .383 with a .556 on-base percentage and 5 runs scored. Backup right fielder Ron Blomberg led the Longshoremen with 5 RBI's. Southpaw Johnny Cooney earned a Game 2 win with 7 innings of one-run ball. The Longshoremen's bullpen was brilliant, allowing just 2 runs in 15 innings. Toronto catcher Derek Norris posted a .412 average with 2 RBI's in a losing effort. The Omaha Falcons eliminated the Denver Spikes in five games, led by catcher Bill Sarni, who won MVP honors after hitting .429 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Center fielder Joe Pepitone matched Sarni, hitting .429 as well, with a round-tripper and 3 RBI's. Second sacker Mickey Doolan hit .368 with a homer and 4 runs scored. Tom Brewer posted a 1.08 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 8.1 innings, earning a key win in Game 2. Center fielder Terry Moore led Denver, hitting .333 with a homer and 4 RBI's.

In a classic Division Series matchup, the 112-win Detroit Purple Gang edged the 109-win London Werewolves in 7 games, taking the final three games to erase a 3-1 deficit. Detroit second baseman Red Schoendienst took home the hardware, hitting .357 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. First baseman Dee Fondy hit .357 as well, smacking a homer and driving in 5 runs -- including a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 to score Tony Gwynn with the series-clinching run. Right fielder Chad Pinder popped 2 homers and drove in 6 runs. Ace Nolan Ryan went 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings. Harry Heilmann led London in a losing effort, hitting .346 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's, while Willie Mays hit .333 with 3 longballs and knocked in 6 runs while scoring 8 times. Although the San Francisco Longshoremen -- still playing without Vladimir Guerrero -- jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, the Omaha Falcons stormed back, winning the next four games. Omaha first baseman Ty Wigginton received MVP honors after hitting .320 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Shortstop Pee Wee Reese led all hitters with 10 hits and a .357 average while scoring 5 runs. Although Tom Brewer split two decisions, he posted a 1.42 ERA with 15 strikeouts. Southpaw Johnny Cooney led San Francisco with a 1.38 ERA and a 13:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio, but split two decisions. Despite making their eighteenth appearance in the playoffs, the Detroit Purple Gang had only made the League Championship Series on one prior occasion -- and the Omaha Falcons had never made it. Detroit easily ousted Omaha, holding the Falcons to just 13 runs in 5 games. Detroit catcher Ryan Doumit was tabbed MVP after hitting .364 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Second sacker Red Schoendienst hit .368, while center fielder Jose Cardenal hit .333 with 3 extra-base hits and 3 runs scored. Nolan Ryan was brilliant, allowing just one run and 5 hits in 13 innings while fanning 17 -- yet came away with two no-decisions. Relievers Lee Smith, Reggie Patterson, Brad Lesley, Brent Gaff, and Keith Foulke combined for all four Detroit wins, allowing just 4 hits in 14.2 shutout innings.

Continental League: In one of the more shocking upsets in league history, the 87-win Birmingham Steelers blasted the 105-win New Orleans Crawfish, scoring 34 runs in a five-game romp. Birmingham third baseman Scott Rolen earned MVP honors, hitting .435 with 3 homers and 10 RBI's. Right fielder Walt Williams hit .455 and slugged .864, drilling a pair of jacks and plating 3 runs while scoring 6 runs. Shortstop Ron Hansen hit .474 with 5 doubles and knocked in 3 runs. Jack McDowell went 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings, while Mark Langston earned a complete game victory in Game 2, allowing 1 run while fanning 10. First baseman George Brett led New Orleans, hitting .526 with 10 hits in 5 games, including a homer and 3 RBI's. The Memphis River Pirates knocked off the defending champion El Paso Armadillos in 6 games. Memphis shortstop Jonathan Villar earned MVP honors after hitting .391 with 3 homers, 7 RBI's, 5 runs, and 3 steals. Keystone mate Denis Menke hit .348 and scored five runs, while left fielder Ralph Kiner slammed 3 homers and plated 6 runs. Southpaws Paul Maholm and Woodie Fryman each went 1-0 in two starts apiece, posting ERA's of 1.93 and 2.19, respectively. James Paxton led El Paso, notching an ERA of 1.29 in 14 innings, allowing just 7 hits, while Rougned Odor smacked 2 homers and drove in 4 runs. The Virginia Beach Admirals swept the overmatched Houston Pythons, as second sacker Frankie Gustine hit a series-high .571 with 3 RBI's and 4 doubles. DH Ryan Rua hit .389 with 3 doubles and knocked in a pair of runs. First baseman Eric Hinske hit .308 with 2 homers and drove in 4 runs. Southpaw Joe Magrane hurled 8 shutout innings, allowing just 4 hits to earn a 1-0 Game 2 victory. Right fielder Jason Heyward led Houston, hitting .467 and driving in 3 runs. The Jacksonville Gulls upset the 99-win Phoenix Lizards in a four-game sweep, as the much-maligned Jacksonville staff held the explosive Phoenix offense to no more than 4 runs in any game, outscoring Phoenix 33-15. Jacksonville third baseman Robin Ventura was an easy MVP selection, hitting an incredible .647 with 11 hits in 4 games, including 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Catcher AJ Pierzynski hit .412 and drove in 3 runs, while DH Robin Yount hit .375 and knocked in 6 runs. Spec Harkness hurled 7 solid innings in a Game 3 win, surrendering just 1 run on 4 hits. Catcher Jim Campbell led Phoenix in defeat, hitting .357 with a pair of homers and 5 RBI's.

In a Division Series matchup of two teams which had never won a postseason series, the Memphis River Pirates outlasted the Birmingham Steelers in seven games, taking the final game in a 21-4 romp, as Memphis scored an incredible 61 runs and drilled 17 homers in the series. Rookie centerfielder Matt Kemp took MVP honors after hitting .448 with 4 homers and 11 RBI's. Third baseman Larry Milbourne hit .464 with a homer and 12 RBI's, driving in 7 runs in the Game 7 romp. First baseman Matt Laporta and left fielder Ralph Kiner smacked 3 longballs apiece, and combined for 15 RBI's. Journeyman Jackie Brown went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA. Left fielder Bob Skinner led Birmingham, hitting .448 with 6 round-trippers -- yet only 7 RBI's. The Virginia Beach Admirals sunk the Jacksonville Gulls in 7 games, erasing a 3-1 deficit. Admirals DH Ryan Rua took home the hardware after hitting .393 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. Center fielder Reggie Jackson hit .414 with a homer and scored 7 runs. Left fielder Carmelo Martinez hit .375 with a round-tripper and a series-high 10 RBI's. Righthander George Cunningham hurled 8.2 shutout innings in a Game 3 victory. Jacksonville catcher AJ Pierzynski led the way for the Gulls, hitting .400 with a homer and 5 RBI's. In the League Championship Series, Memphis again prevailed in 5 games, as Memphis catcher Pat Collins hit .429 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Second sacker Denis Menke hit .480 and drove in 5 runs, while Matt Kemp hit .391 with a pair of homers and 6 RBI's. Southpaw Woodie Fryman won both his starts, posting a 1.29 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 2 starts.

World Series: The World Series featured a matchup of two first-time participants: the Detroit Purple Gang, who have been one of the winningest franchises in league history, but always fell short of the brass ring, and the Memphis River Pirates, the least successful franchise in league history. Memphis put up a valiant -- and most unexpected -- fight, but ultimately, they proved to be no match for the superior pitching of the Purple Gang. After Memphis took Game 1, Detroit ultimately prevailed in six games, with Detroit left fielder Bernard Gilkey earning MVP honors.

Memphis jumped out to an early series lead, winning Game 1 9-6 as Denis Menke drove in four runs with a homer and a triple. Detroit starter Bob Welch was knocked out in the second inning after surrendering five runs. Francisco Barrios earned the win in relief for Memphis, as Paul Maholm couldn't make it out of the fifth inning, and Marv Goodwin notched the save. Infielders Nolan Arenado, Red Schoendienst, and Jim Lefebvre each homered for Detroit in a losing effort. Detroit evened the series in Game 2, pulling out a 5-3 victory, as Paul Derringer outdueled Jackie Brown. Schoendienst broke the game open with a 3-run fifth inning homer. while Bernard Gilkey and Ryan Doumit smacked two hits apiece for Detroit. Ralph Kiner had 3 hits, including a double, for Memphis, and drove in a run. Memphis regained the series lead with a 4-3 victory in Game 3, as pinch hitter Rich Aurilia drew a bases-loaded walk-off walk from reliever Reggie Patterson after Gilkey tied the game in the top of the frame with a double. Detroit wasted a solid start from Nolan Ryan, who surrendered 3 hits in 7.1 innings while fanning 10. First baseman Matt LaPorta smacked a 2-run homer for Memphis.

Detroit evened the series in Game 4, using 3 ninth-inning runs to seize a 4-2 come-from-behind victory. Gilkey had 3 more hits, including a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning. Detroit centerfielder Jose Cardenal smacked two hits and drove in two runs. Righthander Lew Burdette scattered five hits across seven innings, surrendering two runs, including a solo shot by Kiner. Ray Bare hurled seven innings of one-run ball for Memphis. Detroit seized control of the series with a 7-2 Game 5 victory, smacking six doubles and a solo homer by Nolan Arenado. Both Arenado and Gilkey smacked three hits apiece and drove in two runs, with Gilkey ripping a pair of doubles. Bob Welch earned the win with five solid innings, outdueling Paul Maholm. Jonathan Villar singled and stole a base for Memphis. The Purple Gang clinched their first World Series title with a 4-0 Game 6 victory, as Paul Derringer yielded just 2 hits in 6.2 innings, fanning nine. Schoendienst homered, doubled, and drove in 3 runs. Matt LaPorta and Matt Kemp had the only hits for Memphis, as their offense fizzled, scoring just 11 runs in the last five games of the series.

Gilkey earned MVP honors, leading all hitters with 13 hits in six games, hitting .520 with 6 doubles, 4 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Schoendienst hit .364 and slugged .864, smacking a series-high 3 homers and driving in 12 runs. Arenado popped two homers and drove in 4 runs. Paul Derringer made a strong run for MVP, going 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA in 11.2 innings while fanning 15 River Pirates. Memphis was led by Denis Menke, who hit .280 with a homer and 7 RBI's in a losing effort.
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