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.