RK Possums (7-7-1) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (7-8)

After a series of shocking results last week, each team hoped for a return to normal this week.  The two top performers were the Possums and Goofballs.  Rick was near the top of all categories for the week, especially on pitching.  However, Kevin was even better on the mound.  This led to a close match that was one RBI away from being a tie.

Each team’s pitching was superb.  No Possums pitcher allowed more than 3 earned runs for the week.  The team piled up strikeouts up and down the roster.  However, the Goofballs were even better.  Aaron Civale was masterful, with 14.0 IP and a single earned run with 9 strikeouts.  Other lesser names like Justin Steele and Ryan Yarbrough were solid, allowing just a single earned run each.  The Goofballs were able to win three categories, but Rick had better strikeout rates and saves.

On offense, the Goofballs weren’t able to keep pace.  Bo Bichette had a big week with 1 1.239 OPS but just one home run.  The Possums countered with a huge week from Christian Walker, who had 2 home runs and a 1.141 OPS.  Seven different players had a home run, and Rick was able to comfortably win OPS and home runs.  Kevin took steals, but Rick managed to get one more steal and tie RBIs.  Two steals came on Sunday, one each from Adolis Garcia and Fernando Tatis Jr.  The Possums were also able to win RBI for the day by a 5-3 margin over Kevin.  This was enough for a narrow 5-4-1 win.  Either team could have taken this one, but the Possums came out on top this time.

LK Armadillos (12-3) vs. CP Kraken (4-10-1)

After suffering their second loss to the Wolf Spiders, and just their third loss of the season, the Armadillos rallied to ease fears of a mid-season fade.  They led the league in all offensive categories, except for steals where they were tied for second.  However, the Kraken refused to go quietly and were second in every category except for steals!  Larry had good production up and down the lineup, but the standout was Jose Ramirez.  He had a vintage week with 4 home runs, 7 RBI, 6 runs, a steal, and a 1.287 OPS.  Pete Alonso also dialed back the clock with a monster 4 home runs 12 RBI and 1.196 OPS week.  Chas McCormick and 9 RBI and a 1.105 OPS, and Ha-Seong Kim added three steals.

This would be enough to guarantee a win most weeks, but Chris responded with his own powerful stats.  Matt Olson had 3 home runs, 8 RBI and a 1.223 OPS.  Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, and Elly De La Cruz all had OPS’s over 1.000.  Sadly, this wasn’t enough to overcome the Armadillos’ onslaught, and Larry’s team went up 5-0.  

Any hopes the Kraken had for a tie were quickly dashed.  Baily Ober allowed 6 earned runs in just 4 IP, and Aaron Nola allowed 5 in 4.2 IP.  These subpar starts ruined the Kraken’s rate stats.  They also reduced the team’s inning pitched and suppressed strikeout totals.  The Armadillo had a nice two-start week from Christopher Sanchez, who allowed just 2 earned runs in 12.0 IP with 11 strikeouts.  The Kraken stole saves, but it wasn’t enough.  The Armadillos earned an emphatic 9-1 victory for the week.  The win rights the ship after a rough patch for the squad.  They remain in first place by two games.  The Kraken fall further in the depths but can take pride in a solid offensive showing that will hopefully prove to be a harbinger of better things in the future!

KK Wolf Spiders (10-5) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (5-10)

Looking to keep pace with the Armadillos were the Wolf Spiders!  Kyle’s squad is the only team with a realistic chance to win the title, and with the dominant showing from Larry’s team, they needed a good week.  The team’s pitching was quite good and was behind only the Possums and Goofballs in total performance.  Justin Verlander delivered two good starts with just 1 earned run and 11 strikeouts.  Sandy Alcantara also had a great start with a complete game and 7 strikeouts.  David Bednar added two saves, and the defending champs swept all five pitching categories.

Neither team had great production on offense.  The Wolf Spiders led the league with 7 steals, thanks to a whopping 5 from Ronald Acuna Jr.  Austin Riley stayed hot for another week with 2 homers, and White Merrifield added 2 home runs, 7 RBI, and a steal.  The Skyline Sluggers had a few good results, too.  Christian Yelich continued to show good form with 2 home runs and a steal.  In total 7 players had a home run.  Hunter Renfroe led the way with 2 home runs and a monster 1.644 OPS.  Charlie was able to capture OPS and RBI, but Kyle’s strong pitching was enough to earn a 6-2-2 win.

JK Hares (7-7-1) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (6-8-1)

The week’s final match saw the Hares face the PhoeGnomes.  No one is sure how the Hares keep winning when they are near the bottom of every offensive category, but somehow, they find a way.  This week was no different.  They were fortunate in that the PhoeGnomes suffered some of the worst offensive totals in the league.  The Hare’s best player was Max Muncy, who had 3 home runs and 7 RBI.  However, he only had 4 hits, meaning he had just one other hit besides the home runs!  Matt Chapman added a pair of home runs and some walks.  Jarren Durran added 2 steals.  Heather managed to win home runs, but her overall offensive performance was dismal.  Lane Thomas and Nolan Arenado combined to go just 5/47.  Their blended OPS is somewhere near 0.350.  This allowed the Hares to win four categories despite a pretty bad showing of their own.

On pitching neither team distinguished themselves.  The Hares had better counting stats thanks to… you guessed it… Spencer Strider who had 10 strikeouts in 6.1 IP.  Zach Wheeler added 11 in just 6.2 IP.  Neither team had good rate stats, but the Hares were a shade better than the PhoeGnomes and went on to a comfortable 8-2 win.

Players of the Week

This week’s best player was Pete Alonso.  His power has been down for much of the season, and he could prove to be a key weapon for the Armadillos if he can get going again.  The best pitcher was Justin Verlander, who helped the Wolf Spiders keep pace with the leaders.

Next Week

The biggest match next week sees the Possums try to derail the Armadillos.  Rick has a team that can put together big numbers, and they would love to help bring down the leaders.  The Wolf Spiders face the last-place Kraken, but Chris’s team has proven it has too much pride to give up.  The Hares and Goofballs meet, and there is no way to predict what might happen when these two streaky teams meet.  Finally, the PhoeGnomes will take on the Skyline Sluggers, and a battle to reach the middle of the pack.

KK Wolf Spiders (9-5) vs. LK Armadillos (12-2)

With only ten weeks left in the season, the Armadillos entered the week with a chance to extend their lead on the rest of the league.  With every other team hovering near 0.500, only the Wolf Spiders boasted a record that could challenge Larry’s team’s lead.  Even with their winning record, the Wolf Spiders were three games behind the leaders.  However, they have two head-to-head matches left, and Kyle knew he could still threaten to win back-to-back titles.  With everything on the line, could the Wolf Spiders respond?  Could they handle the pressure of a must-win situation?  Or would the Armadillos all but seal the title?

Kyle answered the call in emphatic fashion, earning a dominant 9-1 win that was never in doubt.  His offense led the way and finished second in home runs, tied for second in RBI, and third in runs.  One player was crucial to the effort and saved Kyle’s season:  Austin Riley.  When his team needed him, he delivered one of the biggest stat lines of any player this season.  Riley had 6 home runs, 9 runs, and an incredible 16 RBI in just 25 at-bats.  His OPS was 1.640.  His production alone was ~35% of the Wolf Spiders’ team totals for counting stats.  Other players like Orlando Arcia and Bryan De La Cruz had nice weeks, but Riley stood alone, willing his team to victory in every category except steals.

On the pitching side, the Wolf Spiders were serviceable.  However, their totals weren’t strong enough to run away with the week on their own.  Unfortunately for the Armadillos, their old bugaboo surfaced again with a series of pitching meltdowns.  The staff produced league-worst ERA and WHIP totals that are near season highs for any team.  The shameful list includes a 7 ER, 4.0 IP start from Tarik Skubal.  Braxton Garret added 6 ER in just 3.0 IP.  Ranger Suarez allowed 4 in just 5.0 IP.  While the ERA and WHIP were bad enough, the low innings totals also suppressed strikeouts and IP.  This gave Kyle an easy path to victory where he swept all five pitching categories.

With this win, the Wolf Spiders are just two games behind the Armadillos and appear to have momentum.  The Armadillo’s pitching has always been a weak point, and it cost them at the worst possible time.  Still, they remain the favorites until these troubling results become a pattern.  Kyle has proven that his team has the determination needed to push for a second title.   He has also beaten the Armadillos twice, meaning he can’t lose a tie-breaker.  (The Goofballs are the only other team to have beaten the Armadillos, with the Hares having two extremely close calls.)

CP Kraken (3-10-1) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (7-7)

While the Wolf Spiders were busy saving their season, the Kraken were busy posting the best overall stats for the week.  They led the league in home runs, RBI, and OPS by a wide margin.  They were tied for the top in steals, and tied for second in runs.  Give players had OPS’s over 1.000, led by Juan Soto with 3 home runs and 9 RBI.  Josh Naylor was even better with 3 home runs and 10 RBI.  Kyle Tucker and Bryson Stott each had 3 steals.  The Goofballs were solid on offense as well, and enjoyed a remarkable week from Freddie Freeman.  He had 3 home runs, 7 RBI, 13 runs, and an unimaginable 1.833 OPS.  This allowed Kevin to take runs, but Chris dominated the other four categories. 

The Kraken differentiated themselves on pitching.  They posted the second best overall stats in the league to the Hares.  There were no major standouts but everyone was efficient and piled up strikeouts.  Aaron Nola was probably the best of the group in two starts over 14.1 IP and 13 strikeouts.  Alexis Diaz added 3 saves.  The Goofballs countered with good weeks from Raisel Iglesias and Devin Williams.  However, they suffered from a series of poor starts with small IP totals.  Logan Webb was a disaster, allowing 9 ER in 8.1 IP.  Other starts like Aaron Civale did well, but couldn’t throw enough innings.  This gave Chris a clear path to victory after his strong offensive showing.  The Kraken earned a win, and with it hope to improve the draft lotter chances.  The loss is a difficult one for the Goofballs, who had hoped to make a run.  However, they are still in the hunt for third place with plenty of time left in the year.

HP PhoeGnomes (6-7-1) vs. RK Possums (6-7-1)

The week’s third match paired two teams with a chance to get back to 0.500 facing off.  The Possums and PhoeGnomes both fought hard, but it was Rick who came out on top and moved back up in the standings. 

The PhoeGnomes were the better offensive team with a big week from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.  He had 3 home runs, and paired with Nolan Arenado’s 12 RBI to build some solid counting stats.  The team also had five players with OPS’s over 1.000.  Despite these strong showings, the team had a strange lack of runs and the steals total was low.  This gave Rick an opportunity, and he responded to win both categories.  Christian Walker added 6 runs, and Luis Robert Jr. and Francisco Lindor had a total of 5 steals.  This was enough to win two critical categories.

On pitching, neither team had great stats.  The PhoeGnomes managed to finish second in the league in strikeouts, but the Possums had the better ERA and WHIP.  Felix Bautista’s 3 saves were enough to win their category on their own for Rick.  Luis Castillo also represented the Possums well with a nice 11 strikeouts in just 6.0 IP.  Michael Lorenzen also had a nice start with no earned runs in 7.0 IP, but with just 3 strikeouts.  The PhoeGnomes had a disastrous week from Lucas Giolito, who allowed 8 earned runs in 8.2 IP.  (I feel like I have written this sentence once or twice a season for the last 9 years.)  Giolito and Jesus Luzardo combined for 29 strikeouts, but Rick’s better rate stats were enough to earn four categories and the win.

CM Skyline Sluggers (5-9) vs. JK Hares (7-7-1)

The week’s final match saw the Skyline Sluggers meet the Hares.  Charlie’s team has been relatively hot lately, and hoped to keep on track versus the inconsistent Hares.  Things went well on offense for Charlie, with Shohei Ohtani posting a 1.479 OPS with 2 home runs.  Masataka Yoshida and Javier Baez each had a pair of steals.  Rafael Devers and Christian Yelich also had nice weeks with OPS’s over 1.000 but limited home run totals.  This would hurt the squad as it allowed the Hares to take RBI with 40.  Max Muncy was the key contributor with 3 home runs and 10 RBI for the Hares.  Jeff’s team didn’t post terrible offensive numbers, but were only able to take one category.

Pitching was a different story.  Charlie posted the third best overall stats in the league, led by a nice week from Yu Darvish.  However, the Hares were on a different level and posted the best stats in the league by far.  Three pitchers had 10 or more strikeouts in single starts, and a fourth had 9.  Spencer Strider once again led the way with 13 in just 6.0 IP.  Corbin Burnes and George Kirby threw 15 IP with 20 strikeouts, 0 earned runs, 6 hits, and just 1 walk.  Kirby’s control is insane – he has just 11 walks in 119.2 IP with 103 strikeouts.  Thanks to two non-terrible spot starts from Tyler Anderson and MacKenzie Gore, the Hares swept all five categories and earned the win.

Players of the Week

This weeks’ best players are the Hare’s Austin Riley, who saved Kyle’s season.  Burnes and Kirby are the pitchers of the week thanks to their dominant outings.

Next Week

After a week of shocking results, the standings are in absolute chaos.  The Armadillos are on top with a two game lead over the Wolf Spiders.  The Possums and Hares are somehow tied for 3^rd with just 7-7-1 records.  The Goofballs are right behind with a 7-8 record.  After that, the PhoeGnomes, Sluggers, and Kraken are all in the mix.  It’s impossible to tell where things will end up.

This week, the Kraken hope to keep things rolling and defeat their most bitter rival, the Armadillos.  Kyle will try to build further momentum against the Skyline Sluggers.  The Possums and Goofballs meet in a battle for 3^rd place.  Finally, the PhoeGnomes will look to stay out of the bottom tier of the league versus the unpredictable Hares.

The long Week #14 came to a close with several close contests.  Many favourites earned victories while other teams managed to surprise.  The question looms, though – can anyone challenge the Armadillos in the second half?

CP Kraken (3-9-1) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (5-7-1)

The week’s most spirited matchup saw the PhoeGnomes best the Kraken.  In a week of miserable pitching across the league, Heather was able to put up great numbers.  The PhoeGnomes easily led the league in ERA and WHIP.  Her ERA was a full run better than the next closest team.  Her standout performer was Kyle Bradish who threw 13.1 IP and had 13 strikeouts and no earned runs.  Jordan Romano was also superb with 6 strikeouts and 3 saves.  Jesus Lazardo also had two great starts, and the PhoeGnomes edged the Kraken in strikeouts and IP.  However, Chris was able to tie saves thanks to a nice week from Alexis Diaz.

This pitching advantage was enough for Heather to hold out on offense as well.  The PhoeGnomes managed to tie for 3^rd in hoe runs and were second in RBI.  Nolan Arenado and Bobby Witt Jr. each had 4 home runs, totalled 19 RBI, and Witt had 4 steals.  The Kraken tried their best and tied for the lead with 10 steals.  They also posted the 3^rd best OPS in the league.  Unfortunately for Chris, Cody Bellinger was the only player with 3+ home runs.  Quite a few others had good OPS, but the top-end home run power was absent.  Chris was competitive on offense and won 3 categories, but it wasn’t enough to dig the team out of the pitching hole.  Heather earned a hard-fought win and is now just one game below 0.500 on the season.

RK Possums (6-7) vs. JK Hares (6-7)

The Hares and Possums met with both teams suffering through difficult seasons.  However, each team brought their best to All-Star Week and posted strong numbers.  The two teams ended with a rare 5-5 tie with each team sweeping a set of categories.

The Possums easily had the best offense in the league for the week.  They led every category except steals.  Two players were key:  Manny Machado and Adolis Garcia.  After starting the year hot, Garcia had cooled until this week, when he unleashed 4 home runs, 13 RBI, 12 runs, and a 1.100 OPS in 40 at-bats.  Incredibly, this wasn’t even the best showing on the team, as Machado tallied 6 home runs, 15 RBI, 11 runs, and had a 1.343 OPS in 37 at-bats.  This is a truly remarkable showing for both players.  For their part, the Hares had 9 players with a home run, and big weeks from J.D. Martinez and Max Muncy.  However, none of it was enough to keep pace with the Possums’ enormous production.

The battle continued in pitching.  The Hares led the league in both IP and strikeouts.  Spencer Strider and Corbin Burnes combined for 40 strikeouts in 4 starts.  Dylan Cease and Zach Wheeler added 14 each as well.  The pitchers allowed a lot of runs, so the Hares’ ERA wasn’t great, but the team did enough to easily win the counting stats.  The Possums were betrayed by their starters, and lost ERA and WHIP after a strong Sunday from the Hares.  The teams finished with a 5-5 tie that is frustrating for both.  Still, a tie is probably the most fair outcome given that both teams performed well enough to win against most of the other teams in the league.

KG Capital City Goofballs (6-7) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (9-4)

The Goofballs made a statement that the Armadillos were not going to run away from them without a fight in a sharp victory over the Wolf Spiders.  Kevin’s team posted good offensive numbers, but finally found some answers on the pitching side and had positive contributions there as well.

Freddie Freeman had a nice week for the Goofballs, managing 3 home runs and a 1.231 OPS, albeit over only 26 at-bats.  He paired with Francisco Alvarez, who added another 3 home runs and a 1.204 OPS.  This was enough to sweep four categories (the Goofballs ceded steals), and take a strong lead into the pitching battle.

Normally this is where the Goofballs can run into trouble, but this week the starters produced at a high level.  They were second to only the Hares in IP and K, and were in the top 2 or 3 for ERA and WHIP.  Logan Webb dominated with 21 strikeouts versus only 2 ER in 15.2 IP.  Devin Williams and Freddy Peralta each had 10 strikeouts.  Note that Williams is a reliever who had an incredible 5 saves!  Kyle had a good week from Gerrit Cole, but Dane Dunning and others were shaky.  The team posted pretty good overall stats, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Goofball’s numbers.  This gave Kevin a quality win, and puts Kyle 3 games behind the Armadillos.  This is a tough loss for Kyle, who will have to try to bounce back next week.  The Goofballs are determined to make a run, and might be active on the trade market.

LK Armadillos (11-2) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (5-8)

The week’s final match saw the Skyline Sluggers fall to the Armadillos.  However, the match was closer than the score might indicate.  Things look promising for Charlie on offense.  They were second in home runs to the Possums, and had great RBI and runs totals.  Their OPS was also second only to the Possums!  Anthony Santander, Christian Yelich, Joey Meneses, Sean Murphy, and Rafael Devers each had at least 3 home runs.  Five players had OPS’s above 1.000 with at least 20 at-bats.  Up and down the line-up the team posted great runs and RBI numbers.  However, the Armadillos were able to capture steals without too much trouble and snuck in a tie in runs thanks to a whopping 10 from Mookie Betts!  However, this still left Charlie with a 3-2 lead.

The Armadillos struck back in pitching.  They easily won saves 6-0.  They then relied on a series of solid if not spectacular starts to product the league’s second best ERA and WHIP.  They were also efficient and took IP and strikeouts.  Joe Musgrove was the best starter with 18 strikeouts in 12.0 IP and just 1 earned run.  Braxton Garrett had a bizarre week in which he struck out 14 over 15.1 IP but allowed 10 earned runs.  This kept the teams pitching from being elite.  However, it was more than enough to earn a 5-0 category sweep and take another victory for the year.

The question becomes – can anyone mount a charge against the Armadillos?  Can any team keep pace at this point.  The Sluggers had been red-hot going into the battle, and it wasn’t enough.  What will it take?

Players of the Week

The best pitchers for the week were the four Hares who combined for 68 strikeouts among them.  The best hitter was definitely Manny Machado!

Next Week

The season rolls on with the third and final full rotation beginning today.  This is back to a regular week with 8 starts only.  The most important match of the week sees the Armadillos and Wolf Spiders face off.  For Kyle to have a realistic chance at a repeat, he must win this match.  The Hares and Sluggers meet in a battle of teams looking to stay in the middle of the pack.  The Goofballs will try to stay hot against the Kraken.  Finally, the Possums and PhoeGnomes will each try to move back to 0.500 in their clash.

Happy 4^th of July all! This recap written by yours truly – the 2021 League Champion! Pictured below – my favorite fireworks scene from a movie – when the kids from the Sandlot played their only night game under a sky lit up by fireworks!

Skyline Sluggers (4-8) vs. Possums (6-6)

With 24 weeks worth of matchups for the season, this past week signaled the beginning of the second half for the league.  Charlie took his Sluggers up against the Possums in what turned out to be one of the tighter matchups of the week.

On offense, the Sluggers were led by Shohei Ohtani who was 7-21 with 7 runs, 4 hr, 5 rbi and  a 1.462 OPS.  It wasn’t just a one man wrecking crew though, as Charlie had 4 other players with 10+ plate appearances that also posted an OPS over 1.000 The Possums offense was led by offseason trade acquisition Luis Robert, who hit 3 homers and stole 4 bases with an 1.165 OPS. Rick also had 4 other players with multiple HR weeks which gave him that category, and he nipped Charlie on SB 6-5 because of the aforementioned Robert. Those were the only 2 offensive categories Rick won however, as the consistency across the board from the Sluggers offense gave them narrow victories in Runs and RBI, with a significant advantage in OPS despite being outhomered  16-13 for the week.

When it comes to pitching, Charlie’s starters carried the week for him. He only had one starter who gave up multiple runs and he won the rate stats relatively easily as Rick had to endure rough outings from multiple starters. The Possums took innings and saves, but the advantage in IP did not include an advantage in K’s, as the Sluggers took that category on the strength of 3 double digit K performances from his SP, including that guy Ohtani (he’s good at baseball). Sluggers take the pitching categories 3-2 and the week 6-4.

Hares (5-7) vs. Kraken (3-8-1)

League veterans Jeff and Chris did battle this past week in the only matchup featuring two below .500 teams. Both teams came into the week struggling and desperate for a victory. The Hares came into the matchup on a 4 game losing streak and the last place Kraken had posted a disappointing 2-5-1 record over their last 8 weeks.

The Hares pitching registered a dominant performance this week, posting a league low 2.42 ERA and 0.79 WHIP. Dylan Cease had two solid outings and Jeff got very good single starts from Burnes, Bieber, Kirby, and Strider (that sounds like a law firm). Chris got a great week from Reid Detmers, who struck out 19 in 13 innings of work with a 2.08 ERA and 0.69 WHIP, but his beloved Astros let him down, as Cristian Javier and Hunter Brown combined to give up a combined 9 ER and 18 H over only 8 IP.  The Kraken were able to take IP for the week, but that was it for him on that side, as the Hares took K’s as well as saves behind a 3 save week from Ryan Pressly.

With a solid 4-1 advantage in pitching, the Hares needed only to tread water on the hitting side to take the week and end their losing streak. Jeff didn’t really get any standout performances from any hitters beyond Eloy Jimenez’s 2 HR/8 RBI/1.075 OPS week. The Hares hit a league low 7 HR and notched just 34 RBI for the week. The Kraken easily outpaced the Hares in both those categories, as they were led by Matt Olson and Kyle Tucker who combined for 5 HR and 17 RBI for the week while each posting an OPS over 1.200. Jeff was able to keep OPS close, but Chris took that category narrowly as well.

Going into Sunday, the Kraken held a slim 1 run advantage with the two clubs being tied in steals. Michael Harris II turned out to be the difference maker, as his stolen base and run scored (one of five runs scored by the Hares on Sunday) gave Jeff both runs and steals by the narrowest of margins. The Hares end their slide and take the week 6-4 while the Kraken are still looking for answers.

Wolf Spiders (8-4) vs. PhoeGnomes (5-6-1)

Defending Champ Kyle went into Week 13 as one of only two teams in the league with a winning record (more on that other team in just a bit) while Heather was looking to get herself level at 6-6-1.

On offense, both teams and strong weeks in the power department. A trio of Phoegnomes had 3 HR weeks, with Altuve, Ezequiel Duran, and Nick Castellanos combining for 9 HR and 21 RBI. Kyle got an absolute monster week from Ronald Acuna, Jr. who registered a 1.916 OPS,  9 runs scored, 5 HR, 7 RBI, and 4 steals. Spencer Steer also made his presence felt for the Wolf Spiders registering 3 HR 7 RBI and a 1.388 OPS. The two clubs split HR and RBI, with Kyle taking runs scored and steals, and Heather notching a narrow victory in OPS, giving Kyle a 3-2 lead on the hitting side.

Both teams posted relatively strong pitching performances. Rotation stalwarts Zac Gallen and Shane McClanahan had surprisingly disappointing weeks for the Wolf Spiders, but that was offset by 12 innings of shutout ball thrown by the apparently ageless Justin Verlander, as Kyle’s squad posted a 3.04 ERA and 1.07 WHIP overall. The PhoeGnomes couldn’t match either ratio, as a poor performance by Mackenzie Gore (2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER) spoiled most of the otherwise solid work done by Heather’s pitching staff this week, as they were able to gain the advantage over the Wolf Spiders in Innings and K’s. The bullpens were going to be the difference here. Heather got a save apiece from both Jordan Romano and Kenley Jansen, but it wasn’t enough to take the category as Kyle picked up a pair of saves from Camilo Doval and one save from David Bednar to take the category 3-2, giving Kyle a 6-4 victory overall for the week.

Armadillos (11-1) vs. U-Haul Trucks (5-7)

*Cracks knuckles*

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am SICK and TIRED of the Armadillos running roughshod over the rest of the league this year. I honestly don’t even like armadillos in real life. Like what do they even think they are? Are they an anteater? Are they a snail? Are they a porcupine? Come on armadillos, pick a lane!

The last time I ever rooted for an Armadillo was when the fictional ones from Texas St. were playing ironman football led by Paul Blake at QB,  Andre Crimm at DT, Manumana the slender at OT, and Lucy Draper at K.

But I digress…

Larry’s squad entered the week on an 11 week winning streak putting himself in great position to hang up another championship banner at Armadillo HQ. Sensing a desperate time and with the season hanging in the balance, the Goofballs decided to temporarily change the name of the franchise (without league approval) in hopes of stopping the apparently unstoppable Armadillos.

With regard to hitting for the week, it was very much a back and forth matchup in every category except steals, which Larry tends to win by like 50,000 every week. The Armadillos tried to lean heavily on Julio Rodriguez, Mookie Betts, and Jose Ramirez, as they played the matchups at mostly every other position this week, starting a total of 21 different players on offense. Larry got 4 HRs and 17 RBI from the aforementioned trio. The U-Haul Trucks did not do much offensively for the 2^nd week in a row, but a strong Sunday performance in HR (3) and OPS (.876) gave them two hitting categories for the week, while a late HR by Pete Alonso gave Armadillos the advantage in RBIs, to go along with their relatively easy victories in SB and runs scored.

All Larry had to do was hold serve against the Goofballs weak pitching staff and they’d be well on their way to a 12^th straight victory.

Oops.

The ‘Dillos had a nightmarish outing from Eury Perez (0.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 H) and relatively poor starts from Yusei Kikuchi and Logan Gilbert, leading them to post the worst numbers in the league in ERA and WHIP this week. Larry also didn’t get much volume from his usually stellar bullpen, as Emmanuel Clase and Josh Hader combined for only 2.1 IP and 1 save for the week.

The U-Haul Trucks have struggled immensely on the bump for the season, but this week was a different story. Jordan Montgomery was dominant in two starts, tossing 13.1 IP while striking out 12 and posting a 0.68 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. Devin Williams anchored the Trucks bullpen posting 4 saves and 4 scoreless innings. All the Goofballs staff had to do on Sunday to sweep the pitching categories was avoid multiple major blowups, and they did just that, sparing any drama. Trucks win the pitching categories 5-0 and the week 7-3, giving their Owner and GM a great 42^nd birthday present and hopefully providing some hope to the rest of the league that the Armadillos can be beaten.

This Week:

The sizzling hot Skyline Sluggers, winners of 3 in a row, will look to put the Armadillos on a streak of the losing variety. Kyle and his Wolf Spiders, who’ve won 6 of their last 7 face a Goofballs squad that has won 4 of their last 5. Rick and Jeff take identical 6-7 records into their matchup, with both hoping to get to .500, and Heather takes the PhoeGnomes into battle against Chris’ Kraken, in a battle to determine who will be sleeping on the couch at their house next week (just kidding, we know Chris will be sleeping on the couch no matter the result).

Everyone have a wonderful holiday and be safe tonight!!

CP Legion (2-8-1) vs. RK Possums (6-5)

The week’s most thrilling match-up featured the Legion/Kraken versus the Possums.  Both teams put up astounding numbers in an epic battle.  On offense, with the exception of teals, the Legion led the league in all four categories and the Possums were second.  On pitching, the Possums were near the top of the league in all categories.  The end result was a razor-thin 5-4-1 victory for Chris’s squad.  The Possums suffered the most bitter defeat possible – they would have easily defeated any other team in the league.

Let’s start with Rick’s pitching.  No one player had a particularly great week, but the overall team effort was strong.  James Paxton and specifically Max Scherzer had good weeks.  Scherzer had 16 strikeouts in 14.0 IP with just 3 earned runs.  Felix Bautista and Will Smith each had a pair of saves.  This was enough to win four categories – but the Legion drew saves thanks to a 3 save week from Alexis Diaz.  This tie would prove essential to Chris’s win.

Offensively, both teams were amazing, but the Legion were on a different level.  Matt Olson have 5 home runs, 9 RBI, and 7 runs.  Juan Soto emerged from a slump with 3 home runs and a 1.514 OPS.  Six players had OPS values over 1.000, all with lots of playing time.  This included Elly De La Cruz, who had 2 steals and 6 runs. 

Normally this would guarantee a victory for a team, but incredibly, the Possums kept pace and game within a single steal of tying for the week.  Luis Robert led the team with 3 home runs, and the unlikely Christian Walker contributed 3 steals.  Rick had 5 players with OPS values over 0.900, just a tick behind the Legion.  The teams combined to have 15 players with a home run.  Each individual team had more home runs than either the Sluggers/Goofballs and PhoeGnomes/Armadillos match totals!  Combined, the two teams had 29 home runs.  The rest of the league had just 40.

With just one more steal of save, the Possums could have earned a tie.  Unfortunately for Rick, the Legion truly “released the kraken” and came out of nowhere to earn an impressive win.

KG Capital City Goofballs (5-6) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (3-7)

The next match in our rundown saw the Sluggers win another close contest with the Goofballs.  Charlie earned back to back wins thanks to good pitching and just enough hitting to get the job done.  The Sluggers were second in the league in strikeouts behind another great outing from Blake Snell.  He had 11 strikeouts in 6.0 IP, and allowed no earned runs.  The Goofballs suffered a series of meltdowns “led” by Jack Flaherty’s 6 earned runs in 6.1 IP.  Every Goofballs started allowed at least 3 earned runs, and none started two games.  In a somewhat bizarre development, Kevin managed to win one category – saves – with a lone save from Devin Williams. 

On offense, neither team did well.  Neither team had a player with more than 1 home run.  The teams’ OPS were both below 0.670, an abysmal total in itself.  Kevin managed 7 steals, but the Sluggers won OPS, home runs, and RBI.  This was enough for Charlie to achieve back-to-back wins and show that the team remains a competitive threat.

KK Wolf Spiders (7-4) vs. JK Hares (5-6)

Our next match-up paired the Hares with the Wolf Spiders.  Kyle needed a win to keep pace, and his team delivered with a solid overall performance.  The Hares also had some good numbers, and the score was deceptively lopsided.

The Wolf Spiders had arguably the best pitching stats across the league.  They were at the top for IP and saves, and were just behind the Possums in ERA and WHIP.  Leading the way was Gerrit Cole who had 15 strikeouts in 2 starts over 12.0 IP.  Camilo Doval had 3 saves, but three other Wolf Spiders relievers also recorded a save.  This shows that Kyle paid attention to rest, matchups, and other factors to keep fresh relievers in his lineup across the entire week.  The Hares normally have reliable pitching, but they suffered a series of low-inni

ng meltdowns (particularly Corbin Burnes) that rendered most categories almost un-winnable. 

Neither team had great offensive numbers, but neither team was at the bottom of the league tables.  The Hares had 8 home runs – strangely, this came from 4 players with 2 each.  Will Smith continued to be one of the league’s top catchers.  However, the Hares’ totals were only good enough to tie home runs and win runs.  Kyle had better depth and took RBI, steals, and OPS.  Austin Riley had a nice week with a 1.125 OPS, and Trea Turner had 3 steals in limited duty, another testament to Kyle’s attention to detail this season.

Overall, the Wolf Spiders earned a comfortable victory and kept pace with the Armadillos.  Kyle is serious in his bid to repeat, and the rest of the league should take notice.

HP PhoeGnomes (5-5-1) vs. LK Armadillos (10-1)

The week’s final match saw the Armadillos win yet another week.  This time, the result came from excellent pitching.  The Armadillos led the league in strikeouts and ERA and were second in WHIP and IP.  Leading the way were two players with incredible weeks.  First, Braxton Garrett had 13 strikeouts in just 7.0 IP and gave up 1 ER on 3 hits.  Even more impressive with Eury Perez, who had 18 strikeouts across 2 starts, gave up no earned runs, and allowed just 1 walk.  These two pitchers combined to dominate the stats page.

Neither team had spectacular offense, but the Armadillos managed to win steals and solidify their victory.  The win increases their phenomenal streak, and the rest of the league is disappointed that Heather couldn’t pull out the upset.  The score was such that the leaders were vulnerable, but yet another team failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

Players of the Week

The best players of the week are undoubtedly Juan Soto for the Legion and Garrett / Perez duo for the Armadillos.  Without these key contributors, neither team would have won their matches.

Next Week

The final week before the All-Star break sees the mighty Kraken take on the slumping Hares.  The Possums and Wolf-Spiders hope to keep pace versus the Sluggers and PhoeGnomes.  Finally, the Armadillos face off against the…. U-Haul Trucks??  Kevin hopes a name change will give him a chance!

RK Possums (6-4) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (6-4)

The week’s most interesting match-up paired the Wolf Spiders versus the Possums. Both teams are among the few that might be able to defeat the Armadillos. In this mach, Kyle was able to come out on top thanks to the best overall performance in the league.

Both teams were evenly matched on offense, but Kyle was able to get a slight edge across all categories except steals. The teams were #1 and #2 in home runs, and the Wolf Spiders were led by an amazing week from Corey Seager. He had 3 home runs, 6 RBI, 6 runs, a steal, and an astonishing 1.408 OPS over 28 at-bats. The Possums enjoyed a fine week from Jonathan India (3 home runs) and Fernando Tatis Jr (4 steals). Unfortunately, steals was the only category that went Rick’s way, and he had to face a 4-1 deficit before pitching.

On the pitching side, the Wolf Spiders pulled away. Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, and Zac Gallen each had great starts, giving up just 1 ER each. The Possums suffered through three starters who each gave up 6 earned runs or more. The Possums won saves, but Kyle was good enough to take the other four categories with relative ease. This was enough for Kyle to earn a win and move into second place, 3 games behind the Armdillos. The Possums are still in third, and are no 4 back.

LK Armadillos (9-1) vs.. JK Hares (5-5)

The Armadillos were heavy favorites against the Hares, but Jeff had a gameplan to try to bring down the league leaders. The team’s goal was to win as many pitching categories as possible and hope to steal an offensive category or two.

Half of the plan worked. The Hares had good pitching and took four categories without a lot of effort. Zack Wheeler allowed 1 earned run in 2 starts, and George Kirby added a nice effort as well. Chris Bassitt humiliated himself yet again, and one has to wonder how many chances the Armadillos will continue to give him. This implosion guaranteed that the Hares would win both rate categories. However, Larry was able to win saves. The Hares had a lot of relief innings, but none in save situations. However, the first part of the plan worked with a 4-1 lead.

On offense, things tilted more toward the Armadillos. J.T. Realmuto was the Armadillos’ leader with 2 home runs, a steal, and an unthinkable 1.676 OPS. Justin Turner added 10 RBI, and the Armadillos were in control of many categories. The Hares did make things close with good home run, OPS, and steals totals. However, it wasn’t quite enough. The Armadillos managed 10 steals, and the Hares fell 2 home runs or a few OPS points short of a tie.

The win cements the Armadillos’ place at the top of the league, but the Hares effort shows a possible path to victory. With slightly better offense, the results would have been different. Other teams with more offensive firepower might need timely pitching to stop the leaders.

KG Capital City Goofballs (4-6) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (5-4-1)

The Goofballs and PhoeGnomes faced-off in a battle of mid-tier teams. Each team had their bright spots, and the Goofballs earned a nice 7-3 win.

Heather’s pitching was a strong point, and she led he league in ERA and was second in WHIP. No one pitcher really stood out, but every starter had a nice outing and no one on the staff allowed more than 3 earned runs. This wasn’t just a narrow band of production either! The PhoeGnomes had the second and third highest strikeout and IP totals, respectively, in the league. However, Kevin was a little better over the long-haul and led the league in IP and strikeouts. Taijuan Walker was the best of his group of starters with an 8 inning gem. Kevin also had a nice week of relief pitching, and took 3 of 5 categories.

On offnese, the Goofballs were on a roll. The team had great all-around stats and outside of steals, the PhoeGnomes didn’t have much of a chance. Kevin tied for the leauge lead in home runs and was second in RBI. Ozzie Albies had the best week on the team with 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 7 runs, and a steal. He boasted a 1.330 OPS and led the team to victory for the week.

The win moves Kevin closer to 0.500, and Heather is left looking for answers.

CM Skyline Sluggers (2-8) vs. CP Legion (2-7-1)

The week’s final match-up pit the Skyline Sluggers versus the Legion. The Sluggers managed a hard-fought win with a nice all-around performance. Both teams put up decent numbers, but the Sluggers were led by yet another incredible week from Shohei Ohtani. He had another 4 home runs and a steal, and has become a fixture in the weekly recap time after time.

Blake Snell gave the Sluggers an otherworldly pitching performance with 12 strikeouts in just 6.0 IP. The Legion didn’t have a major meltdown outside of Bobby Miller, but they weren’t able to put up good enough numbers to be competitive. The Sluggers won, and are now in 7th place!

This is a nice milestone for the Sluggers, who have climbed out of last place for the first time this late in the season. The loss also serves as a grim talisman for the Legion. For a franchise as proud as Legion, it is time to take drastic action to right the ship.

Players of the Week

The best player of the week has to be Corey Seager. His powerful week was enough to give Kyle the edge in a close battle on offense. Blake Snell was the best pitcher thanks to his absurd strikeout totals.

Next Week

On paper, many of next week’s match-ups appear to be one-sided. The Armadillos face the slumping PhoeGnomes. Their closest competition, the Wolf Spiders, face the equally troubled Hares. The Goofballs face the Sluggers, whose offense might pose issues for Kevin. Finally, the Possums meet the Legion, who must be desperate for a victory.

LK Armadillos (8-1) vs. RK Possums (6-3)

The week’s most important match-up saw the Armadillos face-off with the Possums.  The Armadillos’ hot start makes every match-up critical for teams lower in the standings.  The Possums needed win to try to keep pace.  Despite a valliant effort, Rick was unable to hold on for a win or a tie, and the Armadillos earned yet another win.

Larry’s team posted the best stats across the board in the league.  However, his pitching was in rare form.  The team led the league in ERA and WHIP, never an Armadillos strong suit.  However, the team ceded IP and K to the Possums, who had a pretty good week of their own.  The Possums had a good WHIP and ERA but it wasn’t enough to keep pace.  Logan Gilbert and Chris Bassitt had good starts for the Armadillos, but Rick countered with volume from Mitch Keller and a gem from Jon Gray.  Unfortunately for Rick, neither of his reliever had a chance for a save over the weekend, which led to a 3-3 tie for saves.

On offense, the teams were also close.  Rick had the edge in steals thanks to seven different players picking up at least one each.  He also had a great OPS thanks to solid work from Luis Robert Jr and Fernando Tatis Jr.  However, the Armadillos countered with stronger counting stats.  They won home runs, RBI, and runs.  Jose Ramirez was the key to the victory, with a 10/23 week, 4 home runs, 8 RBI, and 7 runs.  Four other players also had two home runs, including a shocking contribution from the long-forgotten Gary Sanchez.  This was enough to win 3 categories, and a victory for the Armadillos.  The loss is a bitter one for the Possums, who fall another game behind and had a good chance at the tie.  Both teams were evenly matched and had a competitive week, but as we’ve seen so many times this season, the Armadillos had a tiny edge when they needed it. 

KK Wolf Spiders (5-4) vs. CP Legion (2-6-1)

The Wolf Spiders and Legion engaged in a fun battle featuring abysmal pitching and closer offense.  Neither team had pitching worth writing about, but Chris was the better of the two and “won” four categories, despite having and ERA over 4.00 and the second worst WHIP in the league, behind only the Wolf Spiders.  Andrew Abbott had a nice week for the Legion, and his 0 ER over two starts were enough to give Chris the edge.

On offense, the situation was different.  The Legion weren’t able to get a lot going.  Their OPS was at the bottom of the league table.  They managed a respectable RBI total, and a few steals, but not much else.  In contrast, the Wolf Spiders were able to post the most RBI in the league.  They were second in steals and third in runs.  Their OPS was solid, and Nolan Jones had a great week in limited action with 2 home runs and a steal.  Trea Turner continued to improve as well, with a 1.346 OPS.  Thanks to a surplus of steals, the Wolf Spiders were able to sweep the hitting side and take a narrow 6-4 win.

Much like the Possums, the Legion put up a solid week and feel just short of the tie.  For Kyle, the win keeps pace with the Armadillos.  The team will need to find more consistency, because most other teams would have beaten him this week after the numerous pitching meltdowns.

HP PhoeGnomes (4-4-1) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (2-7)

The PhoeGnomes were able to move above 0.500 for the first time in several weeks with a nice win against the Sluggers.  Heather put up excellent pitching numbers, and these were the keys to victory.  The team led the league in IP and was second in strikeouts, saves, ERA, and WHIP.  No one pitcher was above the rest, but four had starts of at least 6.0 IP and giving up 1 earned run or fewer.  Jordan Romano also added three important saves, and took a 4-1 lead.

On offense, neither team did well.  Both squads were at the bottom of the league in most categories.  However, Heather was able to record a good steals total, and score some runs.  For example, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jose Altuve each had tow steals.  However, the had a 0.625 and 0.566 OPS respectively.  This resulted in abysmal rate stats, but some fair counting numbers.  The Sluggers were much the same.  Besides Shohei Ohtani and Isaac Paredes were the only bright spots.  They combined for 5 home runs and Ohtani had 2 steals.  This wasn’t enough, and Heather won a comfortable victory.

The win is critical for Heather, who moves into the conversation of contenders along with the Possums and Wolf Spiders.

JK Hares (5-4) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (4-5)

The week’s final match saw the Hares put up a feeble effort against the Goofballs.  After a decent start to the year, the Hares have fallen back to earth behind abominable hitting and inconsistent pitching.  The Goofballs weren’t great, but they did manage to dominate hitting and take the week.

Leading the way was Francisco Alvarez with 4 home runs.  However, 8 other Goofballs had at least one home run, and the team easily had the best total in the league with 17.  This led to good RBI and runs numbers, too, and clinched the best OPS in the league at 0.9159.  The Hares weren’t able to keep pace, and despite some good pitching, the Goofballs took the victory.

Next Week

Believe it or not the season is nearing the half-way point.  There are also some enormous match-ups to watch.  The most critical is the Possums versus Wolf Spiders.  They both have to hope that the Hares can some how muster enough offense to compete with the Armadillos.  The PhoeGnomes and Goofballs meet in another important battle of mid-tier teams.  Finally, the Legion face the Sluggers as both teams try to build momentum.

This week we have a guest author as The Commissioner continues his move to London! Thank you so much to Chris for the phenomenal write-up! We will be back on track with the normal programming next week.

Week 9 – The Legion and the rest…

LK v CP

After the best all round week in week 8, the Legion looked to carry it on against the league leading Armadillos to show that they still had a chance to make a run for the title. On the flip side, the Armadillos have barely been challenged since a week one loss. They cruised into the week looking to stomp the trash-talking Legion and put them in their place… last.

Last week’s dominant SP for the Legion started the week with the two highest-rated pitching match-ups per ESPN, B Miller(Sea) and B Miller(LAD), plus a red hot Kopech on Monday. Expectations were high. Before either of them took the mound, the Legion watched Stroman pitch a CG 1H shutout, against Tampa, while sitting on the Legion bench. Miller, Miller, and Kopech had no such luck. They combined for a disappointing 7.87 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. This gave the Armadillos a huge advantage out of the gate on the pitching side before they ever threw an inning, but the Armadillos watched in frustration as Gilbert had his worst start of the year on Tuesday. Needless to say, the trash-talking Legion took note.

Neither team had huge offensive numbers early in the week. After the first couple of days, both teams owned a couple of categories with mediocre numbers.

The Armadillos did not stay on the mediocre side for long. A savvy pickup of an old mainstay, Gary Sanchez (Sanchez?), sparked the team. Betts had a great day on Friday with 2HR and a SB to give Larry a comfortable 9-1 lead going into the weekend with multiple categories looking out of reach for the Legion.

The Armadillos’ worst nightmare seem to unfold as the Legion had a miracle weekend to come back and pull off a massive upset against the league-leading Armadillos!

It was a great dream…

The reality is that the Legion could do nothing to even make the week close. The Armadillos put up average stats across the board (except for SB) and still managed to dominate without losing a category.

Larry is no doubt happy but relieved to have a down week out of the way before he has to go head-to-head with Rick next week in a battle of 1st and 2nd. Armadillos MVP: JD Martinez- 1.167 OPS 4R, 3HR, 7RBI.

CM v KK

The defending champions Wolf Spiders who started off the season in a dominating 3-0 fashion found themselves somehow sitting at .500 going into week 9 vs the Sluggers. They badly needed to get back on track. Meanwhile, the Sluggers found themselves wondering how they could possibly be 2-6. Each week they are competitive in every category and somehow find a way to fall short. This week the Sluggers started off much like most weeks. They had a good not great first couple of days. They did enough to be close in every offensive category.

The Wolf Spiders came out throwing. On Tuesday, they started 5 SP and put some serious pressure on the Sluggers. Those arms combined for a crazy 1.89 ERA and 1.11 WHIP while racking up 32 Ks over 33.1 IP.

The Sluggers had an uphill battle. Ohtani looked up the hill and said, “Get on my back.” The superstar launched … HR including his first multi-HR game of the year. The rest of the team did just enough to keep the offensive categories close going into the weekend. As for the pitching, the Sluggers quietly made multiple solid starts and looked like they could challenge those lofty numbers set by the Wolf Spiders early on.

Shockingly, Ohtani did not play a role on the pitching side. Charlie wisely left Ohtani on the bench against the Astros when they blasted him for 10 base runners and 5ER. Charlie’s lone pitching disappointment leading up to the weekend came not as a performance but as the inevitable injury of Sale. So many other league managers have experienced the euphoria/frustration that is Sale. The Wolf Spiders rode those early numbers into the weekend with a 7-3 lead.

Then, came Saturday. The Sluggers combined for 19 for 46 and a 1.164 OPS. Arraez led the way with a 5/5 performance and 5RBI.

It was anyone’s match as late as 6:30 on Sunday. The Sluggers were sitting one HR or RBI away from a win for the week. Alas, it was not meant to be.

The Wolf Spiders had the Sluggers trapped in their web. There would be no more counting numbers added to their weekly stats, and for good measure, the Wolf Spiders’ Seager and Jung tallied a couple more RBI to make the week slant more in their favor and end at 5-3-2. The Wolf Spiders had an excellent overall week and were near the league leaders in almost every category.

The continue to linger just out of reach of the Possums and Armadillos. They will look forward to a match up with the Legion next week.

Wolf Spiders’ MVP: Seager 7R, 2HR, 10RBI, 1.169 OPS (Mikolas was a close 2nd with 8IP 0ER 10K and 0.50WHIP)

HP v JK

The star-studded yet inconsistent PhoeGnomes, who have been hit harder than anyone by injuries this year, welcomed back their emotional leader Jose Altuve to start the week against the Hares.

The Hares, who already had one heartbreaking loss to the PhoeGnomes this year were looking to get a little revenge as they continued their climb toward the league lead.

Early on the PhoeGnomes looked like they were on a mission. Altuve blasted his first HR of the year and Judge had three HR in two days. All told, the PhoeGnomes had 5 HR and 2 SB at the end of day two.

The Hares’ phoned in Memorial Day and started the week with a pedestrian .468 OPS. Coupled with a blown save from their stud RP, Presley, the Hares looked like they were in deep trouble. As the week progressed, Trout and the gang gave us all a little reminder that Jeff is a perennial contender for a reason. One day can close the gap in almost any offensive category. By the end of Wednesday only OPS seemed out of reach on the offensive side. However, the PhoeGnomes put up consistent numbers each day with Castellanos launching two HR on Friday and Kershaw and Valdez pitching like the aces they are supposed to be to give the PhoeGnomes a comfortable 9-1 lead going into the weekend.

The news headlines didn’t look good for Heather as both Altuve and Judge reported lingering injuries that had them in street clothes as the weekend ended. Pair that with a couple of mediocre starts from the PhoeGnomes’ staff to end the week and ….. well, it didn’t matter.

Jeff was more than outmatched this week. The Hares would have only been competitive with the Legion (a phrase no owner wants to hear/read)

PhoeGnomes MVP: Judge 6R, 4HR, 5RBI, and 1.513 OPS.

RK v KG

The last match of the week was a tale of polar opposites. The Possums came into the week rolling over opponent after opponent and sat at a stellar 6-2. The Goofballs on the other hand have been seen at minor league parks scouting for help as the have struggled to a 2-6 record.

Although the Goofballs seem to be at an all-time low, they can never be considered an easy week as long as Kevin (arguably the best waiver wire scout in the league) is making the managerial decisions.

Both teams started the week with mediocre stats starting in their lineup. The Goodballs’ bench had the advantage over the Possums’ bench as they went 11/21 and wracked up two early HR. As for the stats that counted, the Goofballs had a 1 HR edge, and each team had a couple of steals and a save after the first two days of games. This kind of close week has historically made the Goofballs the favorite, yet Rick had to be concerned but confident early on after seeing the Goofballs’ missed opportunities.

The Goofballs’ had to be running out of desks to flip over back in the office after SP Steele left after three perfect innings on Wednesday with what looks like (a season ending) elbow soreness, but it did seem to spark the offense.

Carroll and Freeman both had huge days with a HR each and two steals, but the real story prior to the weekend was the Possums pitching. Every pitcher, starter and reliever, hung zeros and Ks inning after inning. They entered the weekend with a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 46 Ks. The two teams were locked into a fight with a 5-4-1 split going into Saturday. As the weekend started, rumors swirled that the Goofballs were looking at property in Vegas. Pictures started circulating showing multiple tables not flipped over in Vegas.

Kyle Schwarber was asked about his thoughts on his owners actions. His response was elegant, “I really don’t give a s—-, nope. Move on!”

He then went out and had a monster Sunday with a 2HR, 6RBI, and 2R. The Possums had a good day in their own right but could not do enough. The Goofballs pulled away with a 6-3-1 victory.

After an embarrassing loss last week to the Legion that thrust them into last place (Go Legion), the Goofballs claw back out of the trenches. Next week they will look to keep it going against the struggling Hares.

Goofballs’ MVP: Devin Williams (RP) 3IP, 1H, 4K, and 2Saves. Ok, fine! The MVP was Schwarber based on timing. Rookie Corbin Carrol had a great week as well with 2HR, 2SB, 6R, 6RBI, 1.068OPS and a diving catch.

Overall MVP: Commissioner Jeff Kramer – thanks for all you do between your busy RL schedule. I speak for the whole league when I say, ‘We look forward to having you write the wrap up next week.’ 2nd place MVP: Cory Seager!! The Wolf Spiders could not have won without him this week.

Commissioner’s note: Thank you Chris! I really appreciate it and I’m looking forwad to getting back at it next week. 🙂 This was a great write-up and I think everyone will enjoy it!

The first cycle of the season ended with several interesting match-ups this week! Three teams earned dominant victories and two had to settle for a frustrating tie.

JK Hares (4-2) vs. RK Possums (4-2)

The Hares and Possums met in an interesting match of 4-2 teams. In the end, the Possums won with ease, and the Hares are left to consider their teams’ ongoing offensive struggles.

Rick led the league in home runs and RBIs by a wide margin. The team posted a good steals total and a solid OPS. Christopher Morel had an incredible week with 5 home runs, 10 runs, 8 RBI, and a 1.447 OPS over 25 at-bats. Adolis Garcia added 4 more home runs, 9 runs, and 7 RBI. The Hares enjoyed good production from Max Muncy and Mike Trout, but no other players were able to contribute. The Possums won all five categories with ease.

The pitching match-up wasn’t much better for the Hares. Most of the starters struggled, especially when it came to WHIP. The Possums were not that much better, with few starters going more than 5.0 innings. However, they were able to generate more strikeouts and a better pair of rate stats. This was enough to win the week, and the outcome was never really in doubt. The Possums are now in second place just one game back, and the Hares fall to two behind.

CM Skyline Sluggers (2-4) vs. LK Armadillos (5-1)

The Armadillos delivered a complete performance against the Sluggers, dominating on both offense and defense. Cedric Mullins led the way with 2 home runs, 7 RBI, 4 runs, and a steal. Pete Alonso had 3 home runs. Many other players contributed as well, and the team boasted solid, if not dominant, stats.

On pitching, there was controversy. The Armadillos won three categories, mostly thanks to a good start from the Bassitt Hound. Howvever, this was all moot since the Skyline Sluggers started an incredible 10 pitchers! Even if the team had not lost several categories, this would have earned the team a forfeit for the week. It’s important that no team start more than 8 pitchers in a given week unless it’s one of the pre-designated long weeks (typically the first week and the All-Star break).

With the win, the Armadillos retain a hold on first place. The Sluggers drop back, but still have some potential to put together a run.

KK Wolf Spiders (3-3) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (2-4)

The Wolf Spiders needed a win to return to form after some tough losses. The Goofballs were in the same position. Ultimately it was the Wolf Spiders who came out on top, but the match-up was closer than the score indicated.

Kyle benefited from the return of Corey Seager, who was 7/13 with 2 home runs. This is a huge boost to Kyle’s offense. Josh Lowe added 2 home runs and 3 stolen bases, and this was enough to take four categories. Kevin was able to win steals, thansk to Taylor Walls and Corbin Carroll. Kyle Schwarber had 2 home runs and 5 RBI, but went 2 for 15 for the week. To make things even more strange, he walked 9 times. Despite all these walks and 2 home runs, he only scored 5 runs. This was truly a bizarre week for the Goofballs’ offense.

Pitching is where the week was decided. The two teams were quite close throughout the week. Kyle held a miniscule lead going into Sunday. Justin Verlander had a great start on Sunday, which helped to mitigate a poor start earlier in the week. He pitched 8.0 innings with 1 earned run and just 3 hits. This was enough to swing both rate stats, along with IP and strikeouts.

Kevin had scoreless starts from Andrew Heany, Logan Webb, and Justin Steele. All through 6.0 IP and gave up no runs. However, Alex Manoah suffered yet another blow-up, and this ultimately doomed the team thanks to Verlander’s clutch performance.

Kyle now moves back in the right direction toward the top of the standings. The Goofballs have to endure another week of questions, and hope they can avoid falling into irrelevancy.

HP PhoeGnomes (3-3) vs. CP Legion (1-5)

The final match of the week was close, and ended in a tie! Each team was able to win four categories on on either the hitting or pitching side of the scoreboard. Heather was better offensively. Nolan Arenado continued to stay hot with 3 home runs and 8 RBI. Nolan Gorman and Aaron Judge had monster weeks as well. Gorman had 4 home runs and 11 RBI. Judge posted 5 home runs, another 11 RBI, 7 runs, and a steal. This was more than enough to dominate for the week, though the Legion took steals by one.

Pitching favored the Legion. Seth Lugo’s short start inflated the PhoeGnomes ERA and also limited her potential to win IP and strikeouts. The Legion boasted several good starts for the week. Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Bailey Ober each had 6.0 starts with 1 earned run. They totaled 20 strikeouts. This group effort was enough to win four categories. The Phoegnomes were one steal and one save short of a dramatic win.

Players of the Week

This week’s players of the week are Aaron Judge for the PhoeGnomes and Justin Verlander for the Wolf Spiders. Without these players, each team would have suffered a loss this week.

Next Week

This week begins the second cycle for the season! This is the time when teams can start to make headway to the title. Please remember the pitcher limits, and good luck to everyone!

After a chaotic week, the Armadillos now sit at the top of the league! However, other teams are keeping pace while early favorites look for answers. The Hares and Possums took care of business. The PhoeGnomes also picked up a much needed win.

LK Armadillos (4-1) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (2-3)

Two of the league’s most bitter rivals met in an important match-up. The Armadillos have persisted through injuries and pitching woes to move into first place. The Goofballs needed a win to get above 0.500 and begin to make a push. This resulted in a close match that could have gone either way.

The Armadillos were led by their pitching. After some rough weeks, the staff finally put together a complete week and posted respectable numbers across the board. Drew Rasmussen and Eduardo Rodrigez led the way with 15 strikeouts and no earned runs in their two starts over 14.0 innings. Unfortunately Rasmussen was lost for at least 60 days with an injury after the start. Emmanual Clase contributed two saves, as well. The goofballs were able to match the saves total, but were not competitive in the other categories. Hayden Wesneski and Jordan Montgomery had nightmare outings, allowing 13 earned runs over just 10.0 IP.

On offense, the teams deployed an incredible 37 different players. Both squads cycled hitters in and out in search of a winning advantage. The Goofballs had an edge in RBI thanks to Taylor Walls and Freddie Freeman. Unfrotunately for Kevin, Larry was able to gain just a bit more value from his squad as Pete Alonso had a nice 2 home run week, and a herd of players contributed a steal.

Overall, the Goofballs could have had a chance with better pitching. Given the way the match unfolded, Larry had a solid victory after a good showing on Sunday. His team is now at the top of the league, and Kevin is a game below 0.500 and still looking for a winning formula.

CP Legion (1-4) vs. JK Hares (3-2)

Two of the league’s most surprising teams to start the year are the Legion and Hares, but for different reasons. The Hares were not expected to compete this season after bad luck in the draft lottery and a horde of injuries to key players. The Legion were expected to improve after a rebuilding year. Sadly for Legion fans, the team has struggled at the start of the year. Meanwhile the Hares have shown surprising resillience.

The trend continued this week, with the Hares putting together a fine showing on both offense and pitching. The Legion weren’t able to counter, and Jeff cruised to smooth win on Sunday. The Hares easily had the league’s best pitching, and could have piled up more counting stats if they needed to use more starters on the weekend. Leading the way yet again was Spencer Strider, who continues to put up almost unthinkable strikeout numbers. This week he struck out 12 in just 6.2 IP and allowed 1 earned run. Ryan Pressly rebounded from a bad start to contribute to saves. Corbin Burnes, George Kirby, and Shane Bieber combined to not allow a single earned run in their starts. This spelled disaster for the Legion’s troubled pitching unit, and the Hares won every category but IP while using just six starts.

On offense the Hares continued to post adequate numbers. Wander Franco continued his MVP push with 4 steals. Steady Will Smith added 2 home runs. Yordan Alvarez and Juan Soto had solid weeks for the Legion and contributed over 1.000 OPS, but it wasn’t enough to come close to overcoming the pitching shortcomings. Jeff enjoyed a stress-free weekend in route to a win. This puts the Hares in a tie for second place. The Legion are now sitting on just one win, in sole possession of last place.

HP PhoeGnomes (2-3) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (3-2)

The PhoeGnomes and Wolf Spiders were both favorites to win it all this year. However, both teams have been up-and-down to start the year. After hot starts both have cooled to the 0.500 level and the middle of the league. However, both teams have dealt with a heavy dose of bad luck. The Wolf Spiders, in particular, were on the receiving end of bad karma in their shocking Sunday loss to the Hares.

This week fortune favored the little people, and the PhoeGnomes held on for a close victory. Heather’s base was built on the foundation of solid pitching. Kevin Gausman, Clayton Kershaw, Framber Valdez, and Jesus Luzardo all had nice starts for Heather. Lucas Giolito struggled with runs, but also contributed 15 strikeouts. Kyle got a nice start from Justin Verlander, and two from Zac Gallen. However, Sandy Alcantara struggled mightily and the team could only muster one save. Heather swept all five categories, but there was still work to be done on offense.

Kyle countered with a mosnter week from Josh Lowe. He contributed 3 home runs, 9 RBI, and 4 runs. Ronald Acuna Jr had 2 more home runs and 2 steals. He continues to be the best player in fantasy with a season OPS over 1.000, 17 steals, and 8 home runs. This helped the Wolf Spiders to lead runs, home runs, and OPS. However, Heather only needed to win one category to secure the win. She was able to take both RBI and steals. Bobby Witt Jr. contributed 4 steals and ahd a home run. Aaron Judge had a pair of home runs, 7 RBI, and 6 runs. Nolan Arenado showed life for the first time this season with a big 2 home run weekend in just 9 at-bats.

This was enough for the PhoeGnomes to take the week and improve to 0.500. Kyle also fell back to 0.500 and is left searching for answers. Both teams have plenty of time to move back up the league ladder.

RK Possums (3-2) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (2-3)

Last but not least, the Possums and Skyline Sluggers had a battle that was closer than the final score indicated. The Possums had the best pitching in the league thanks to a near no-hitter from Jon Gray. Mitch Keller showed up to work with a monstrous 21 strikeouts in two 8 IP starts with 0 earned runs. Will Smith and Felix Bautista each had 3 saves. This incredible work overshadowed a great week from the Skyline Sluggers. Charlie’s team would have dominated any other pithing staff except the Hares. They relied on Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Sale, and servicable outings from their other starters. The Sluggers won IP, but couldn’t top Rick elsewhere despite putting up a great fight.

Both teams put up okay offensive numbers. The Possums led the league in home runs thanks to a fantasitc 4 home run, 7 RBI, 8 run week from Luis Robert Jr. Jazz Chisholm Jr. added 3 steals and 2 home runs of his own. However, the rest of the team struggled, and failed to produce and OPS over 0.700. Charlie took advantage and won steals and OPS. Marcus Semien was the leader with 3 setals, 2 home runs, 6 RBI, and 7 runs. This wasn’t enough to turn the week, but the Sluggers were competitive to the end. Rick now moves into a tie for second place while the Sluggers fall to two games below 0.500.

Player of the Week

This week’s best player has to be Luis Robert Jr. His effort gave Rick the offensive stats he needed to win the three counting categories on offense. The pitcher for the week is also a Possum – Mitch Keller. It’s hard to have a better week on the mound that Keller did, much to the Skyline Sluggers chagrin.

Next Week

Next weeks concludes the first cycle of games for the league! There is an intriguing match between the Skyline Sluggers and the Armadillos. Charlie’s team has proven to be dangerous, and they want to end the Armadillos’ winning streak. The Possums and Hares battle for sole possession of second place, and maybe a tie for first. The PhoeGnomes will try to keep their rebound going against the Legion. Finally, the Wolf Spiders and Goofballs meet in a match where both teams want to end losing streaks.