League Update
The 22nd week of the season saw an incredible series of battles that have likely decided the title for the season. The Kraken fought to the bitter end but were outlasted by the Possums. The Armadillos survived a spirited comeback from the Wolf Spiders. The win clinches the title for the season’s top performer. At the bottom of the standings, both the Hares and Skyline Sluggers earned solid victories to push for better draft position.
CP Kraken (12-6-2) vs. RK Possums (11-9)
The only team with a chance to catch the Armadillos was the Kraken. Chris’s squad has refused to capitulate and was the only true challenger for the last several weeks. The team relied on explosiveness and finally, after weeks of hanging on, they couldn’t quite muster the offense they needed to win. The Possums also fought on, rallying through the mid-season to move into the league’s top 3. Rick also refused to give up, and is now firmly in the top of the league table.
Their effort this week was led by the offense. Manny Machado had a huge week with 3 home runs, 9 RBI, and a 1.094 OPS. Jazz Chisolm Jr. added 2 home runs and a 1.288 OPS. He also had a strong 3 steals, which were matched by Bryson Stott. The Kraken’s offense was carried by two players: Yordan Alvarez and Matt Olson. The pair combined for 8 of the team’s 9 home runs. They added 17 RBI and 15 runs. Their OPS values were 1.650 and 1.220 respectively. Their two-man effort wasn’t enough, and the Possums held a 4-0-1 lead. The tie was in RBI, and Chris would have tied the week with just one more.
On pitching the Kraken were much better. The team led the league in strikeouts and were third in ERA. The Kraken had the best WHIP in the league. Cole Ragans was outstanding with 9.0 IP and 14 strikeouts. Sean Manea and Logan Gilbert were also great. Ryan Helsley added two saves. Sadly, Bailey Ober suffered an horrific start in which he allowed 9 ER in just 2.0 IP. This was a brutal turn for the Kraken, because they were only able to tie the Possums in IP. With saves also tied, there was no way for Chris to salvage the tie or win for the week. Had Ober make it through one more batter, Chris would have again tied. The same can be said for saves. The week ended on a knife’s edge, and this time the Kraken were left out. The Possums did enough on the mound to win, and ultimately end Chris’s dream of upending the Armadillos.
Although the loss is a tough one for the Kraken, it is worth remembering that Chris has been the only one to keep pace with the Armadillos. The rest of the season is likely a battle for second place, but the Kraken did their best to keep the race close and made some bold moves. The Possums have also moved into the conversation for second place, which is a surprising and welcome outcome after a slow start to the season.
LK Armadillos (14-3-3) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (9-10-1)
The Kraken’s loss gave the Armadillos a chance to all but clinch this season’s championship. The team responded with a strong showing against a game Wolf Spiders team. Larry’s team got a boost from the pitching staff that led the league in ERA and tied for the lead in saves. The Wolf Spiders were able to mount a challenge on offense, but fell just short of the upset.
The Armadillos’ best pitcher was Spencer Arrighetti. He did not allow an earned run in7.2 IP and added a huge 11 strikeouts. Tarik Skubal also had a good start, throwing 8.0 IP with 8 strikeouts. These long starts were crucial as they prevented Kyle from challenging in IP. Kyle’s team struggled with short starts from Brandon Pfaadt, Zac Gallen, and Jon Gray. However, none of these pitchers were a total disaster and each also recorded a good number of strikeouts. This kept IP and especially strikeouts somewhat close. Both teams had great weeks from their bullpens. In the end the Armadillos were slightly more efficient and won 4 of 5 categories.
On offense, the Wolf Spiders were better, but they didn’t have quite enough power to earn the tie or upset. Freddie Freeman and Dylan Crews each had 2 home runs. Alec Burleson and Corey Seager were also strong with OPS’s over 1.000. Jackson Merrill and Josh Jung added 5 total steals, easily winning the category. The Armadillos countered with a huge week from Lawrence Butler. He had 4 home runs, and an astonishing 1.968 OPS for the week. Jarren Duran added 3 home runs of his own. The rest of the team struggled, but the strong home run totals were enough to win the category and the week. Butler in particular was essential – without him, Kyle would have easily taken all five categories.
The win also clinches the title for the Armadillos, who have had a run that is only matched by the 2013 Lannisters. This year, the Armadillos were able to get the job done down the stretch. Despite strong challenges from the Kraken and others, the team refused to lose their focus. After last season’s strong start and shocking fade, the Armadillos remained resolute in their pursuit of the title in the offseason. With a roster closing in on 300 moves, the team has made the most of every available opportunity. This season will likely end as one of the best ever for the league, and show that the rest of the league has some catching up to do to be competitive.
HP PhoeGnomes (8-11-1) vs. JK Hares (6-11-3)
Lower in the standings, the PhoeGnomes and Hares faced off in a battle for draft position. Neither team has been great this year, but both squads have had their moments. In this case, the Hares were able to emerge with the win, and step into 6th place. After several weeks of floundering, the team finally put together a complete performance. Jeff’s team led the league in OPS, and runs, and were in the top half for RBI and home runs. Brent Rooker was on the warpath again with 3 home runs and a 1.494 OPS. Jake Cronenworth added a couple of steals and a0.941 OPS. Nico Hoerner and Bryan Reynolds each were great in part-time duty. The PhoeGnomes had a great week from Bobby Witt Jr., who had 4 home runs and a 1.011 OPS. Three players had 2 steals each, and Heather won the category. However, the Hares were able to take the other 4 without too much worry.
The Hares were decent on the pitching side, and the PhoeGnomes struggled. This was a recipe for disaster for Heather, as Gavin Stone and Martin Perez suffered bad outings. Aaron Nola had a short but solid start with 9 strikeouts in 6.0 IP. The Hares relied on Zack Wheeler to record 13 strikeouts and just 2 earned runs spaced over 2 starts. Despite low strikeout totals, the Hares’ staff avoided critical meltdowns. Heather also suffered from a missing bullpen and failed to record a save. This was enough for the Hares to earn a convincing, complete victory. This moves the Hares up a slot in the standings, and increases their chance to have the first pick in the 2025 draft. However, the PhoeGnomes are still tied with the Hares pre-tie-breakers, so the battle is still far from over.
KG Capital City Goofballs (7-8-5) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (6-13-1)
The week’s final match saw the Skyline Sluggers step up and deliver a nice win versus the Goofballs. Charlie’s team led the league in home runs by a huge margin, and also paced the league in RBI. Willy Adames had 5 home runs, 10 RBI, and a steal to go with a 1.150 OPS. William Contreras and Shohei Ohtani each had 3 home runs, and Ohtani added 3 steals. He is now 6 homers and 7 steals away form an almost-unthinkable 50/50 season. The Goofballs had a match for Adames with Corbin Carroll’s 5 home run, 11 RBI, 1 steal, and 1.510 OPS week. The monster performance was shadowed by Bryce Harper, who didn’t have a home run but did record a 1.101 OPS. Sadly for Kevin, the rest of the team couldn’t keep pace and Charlie swept all 5 categories.
On pitching neither side was great, but Charlie again did just enough to win. Nathan Eovaldi was the standout with 10 strikeouts over 7.0 IP. He allowed 0 earned runs and set the pace for the team. Kevin had a nice two-start week from Jose Berrios who allowed just 2 earned runs and struck out 11 over 13.2 IP. Freddy Peralta also had a nice start. However, the team’s WHIP was slightly inflated and ultimately Kevin couldn’t manage a sweep for the tie. This gave the Skyline Sluggers their first win in several weeks, which is always good for morale in the clubhouse. Charlie is now 2.0 games behind both the Hares and PhoeGnomes, and there’s still plenty of time for him to climb out of the basement.
Players of the Week
The weeks best players have to be Lawrence Butler for the Armadillos and Cole Ragans for the Kraken. Ragans’ strong start was exactly what the Kraken needed to try to stay close, and Butler delivered the home run category, and ultimately the league title, to the Armadillos.
Next Week
With the title wrapped up, attention must now turn to other battles. The Possums will try to keep their silver medal hopes alive against the Armadillos. The Hares will do the same for 6th place versus the Wolf Spiders. The Kraken will play the Goofballs, and try to hold on to second. Finally, the Skyline Sluggers and PhoeGnomes meet in a battle to stay out of last place!
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