News and Notes: Friday, September 29 2017

Around SLB this week:

- There are still some important matchups as SLB finishes up the 2017 Regular Season Schedule. In the South, SAV has clinched a playoff spot with the collapse of BED. BAL has won 6 straight, including a big sweep of the Flyers and has moved into a tie with ATL for 3rd place. The Panthers host SAV for 3, the Flyers travel to Philly.
- PHI still has a shot at 3rd in the North. Only 2 games back of BED, Philly aims for a sweep of ATL while BED hosts HAL.
- CLE's experiment of throwing players into the fire has paid off as they find themselves in 2nd place. Will the Dawgs go with RP M Towaki in a setup or closer role next season? Towaki, signed for another two seasons at 6M, is 4-4, 7.03.
- The surging Dawgs will fly to SJ for their final three games. The Senadores could score a first round pass with a successful series against CLE, who just finished up a sweep v BED.
- Either LON or SCO will come out of the weekend with a playoff spot. The Rebels have to fly to France to take on 98 game winning Pimpernels, while the Knights host lowly TAI, winners of 48 games so far. Despite TAI's best effort, CHNG/TEN will still hold the mark of most losses in a season, 125 in 2011.

News and Notes: Friday, September 22, 2017

Around SLB this week:

- The Far East chase can't get any tighter. CHNG has moved back into the lead with a narrow lead over KYO and OSA. If the Kwaan win all 9 of their remaining games, they could finish at .500 for the season. CHNG goes on the road to face KYO and TAI, and return home to host KYO for their final three.
- The banged up KYO squad split 2 games with LON this week. Just a game back of CHNG, the Bushido host CHNG before travelling to LON for three and then to Thailand for their final three.
- OSA split 4 games with SCO to remain 1.5 back of the Far East lead. The first three contests were tight but Ronin game 4 starter B Sheets gave up 9 R/8 ER in 3 IP in a must win game. Rebel starter J Sowers dominated the Ronin as well, giving up just 1 hit in his 8 innings of work. OSA finishes up their schedule with 8 games versus the Euro division, going to IRE before hosting SCO and IRE.
- The North American League playoff teams look decided. Both HAL and SJ have clinched spots, while SAV has a 7 game lead for the Wildcard.
- Bedford totally folded in Crunch time. 3-7 in their last 10, BED is now under .500 for the season and is tied for 2nd in the North with CLE. "We can't hit the big bombs to win us a game," complained Manager Tommy LaSorda. "We're missing that one big hitter. If I've told management once, I've told them a thousand times. You go and spend 12 million on Kazmir but you can't get me a bat?" BED has the fourth lowest HR total in SLB, LHP S Kazmir is 9-13, 4.24.
- After a disastrous start, ATL has taken control of 3rd in the South, 4.5 games ahead of cellar dwelling BAL. At 71-79, the Flyers have a record better than any team in the Far East.
- HAL took 3 of 4 from SJ in a possible playoff preview. "That's great," said Manager Tim Raines, "but it means absolutely nothing come playoff time." SS J Upton went 9-19 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs and a stolen base in the series.

News and Notes: Friday, September 8, 2017

Around SLB this week:

- KYO had a heck of a double header on Thursday. After dropping the first two games to division rival OSA, the Bushido beat the Ronin Thursday afternoon and then made their way to the private jet for the flight to Dublin where they defeated IRE 3-2. RHP J Peavy, who left Japan a few days earlier, was the victor and kept the Bushido within 2 games of OSA (65-74).
- SCO dropped 2 of 3 crucial games to LON and remains 2 back in the World League wildcard race. Even with RHP Jered Weaver on the mound for the Knights in game 3, the Rebels again fell short in their quest for a playoff spot. Weaver, getting good run support once again, is 11-11, 5.44 with 231 baserunners in 167 IP.
- 20/20 players so far: ATL's 2B J Ewing and CF D Lemming, BAL 2B F Vanderwal, BED CF T Johnson, CLE's LF A Hildenbrand and 2B J Mercer, LON's CF W McFadden, LF J Russell and 3B D Clemente, OSA CF J Schalk, PAR's SS S Dinkman and CF R Robinson, PHI CF J Bruce, SJ's LF M Musser and SS F Larkin, and SAV CF Z Tobin.
- BED dropped all three games to SAV, leaving the Crunch at .500 and 19 games back in the North. The Crunch, who led the North for much of the season, are now in danger of being passed by CLE who are just 3 games back of BED. The Crunch and Dawgs have 7 games left against each other this season.
- After losing 7 straight to BAL (seriously?), HAL rebounded with 2 wins (and 1 run against) in a short series in Maryland. The two losses drop the Panthers to 32-43 at home and into the basement of the South.
- TAI's longest winning streak so far in 2017? 4 games in June (1 win v PAR followed by a sweep of OSA). Longest losing streak for TAI? 11 games in May v CLE, SCO, IRE, HAL, OSA and PAR.
- OSA is once again dealing with injury problems. SJ has LHP A Dailey on the DL, SAV 1B H Choi is on the DL for the 3rd time this season (playing in 90 of 140 games so far), SCO has lost CF D Ford for a few weeks and TAI's 2B L Kargel is out for 3-4 months (quite a blow to their chances of 3rd pla ... oh nevermind). HAL SS K Brezovan is about 10 days away from returning, which will most likely knock the suddenly hot hitting J Minner to the bench or AAA.