With everything on the line, the Armadillos and Wolf Spiders met in a battle that could determine the league’s champion for this season. Both teams put up a solid fight, but it was the Wolf Spiders who sustained a devastating offensive attack throughout the week. Kyle paired this with the best pitching in the league, and the result was a decisive win.
Offense
How did Kyle achieve this feat? First, his offense put up the highest totals in the league. He easily led the league in runs, home runs, and RBI. In fact, Kyle’s 21 home runs were more than double any other team besides the Armadillos. Their 62 RBI were double most of the rest of the league.
Leading the way was Corey Seager. The Rangers star had 4 home runs, 6 RBI, and 5 runs. Triston Casas had 9 RBI to lead the team, and Ronald Acuna Jr. added 8 RBI and 3 home runs. Seven Wolf Spiders had OPS totals over 1.000 with at least 15 at-bats. In total 12 Wolf Spiders had a home run; if each player had hit only one homer, this would have been enough to lead the league.
The Armadillos had a good offensive week, but it couldn’t match Kyle’s. Julio Rodriguez was outstanding with 5 home runs for the week. Royce Lewis added 8 RBI. In aggregate, the Armadillos would have beaten many other teams on offense. However, Kyle’s attack was too strong and persistent for the Armadillos to hold up.
Pitching
This mean Larry had to rely on his pitching to try to keep things close. The week started well for the Armadillos, with Merrill Kelly striking out 12 and allowing just 1 earned run on Monday. Things changed on Thursday, though, when Carlos Rodon imploded and allowed 7 earned runs in 3.2 IP.
The Wolf Spiders endured a nightmare start from Lance Lynn. He allowed 8 earned runs in 4.2 IP. Both teams experimented with spot starters, and each paid the price. The Wolf Spiders were able to deploy Gerrit Cole for two starts, and he performed well. He allowed just 1 earned run and struck out 16 in two starts. Zac Gallen then sealed the week with a beautiful complete game, 3-hit shutout with 9 strikeouts.
By Saturday, the Wolf Spiders’ performance had all but assured the team a victory. Kyle was able to cruise to a win, and he now sits 0.5 games ahead of the Armadillos in first place. This marks the first time since Week #05 that the Armadillos are not in first place.
The Aftermath
With the outcome of this titanic clash now decided, the title picture is clear. The Wolf Spiders control their destiny. They need a win and at least a tie in their last two matches to claim the title either outright or via tiebreaker. The Wolf Spiders must lose one or more games, or tie both games for the Armadillos to have a chance.
For Larry to reclaim first place, he must win his last two match-ups and hope the Wolf Spiders lose. The Kraken have a chance to decide the title, as they play both leaders in their final two games. Chris will do everything he can to defeat both squads, and his team post big numbers on the right week.
This week the Wolf Spiders face the Skyline Sluggers. Charlie’s squad is injured and needs some help on both offense and pitching. The team failed to qualify for the ERA and WHIP categories in a humiliating loss to the Hares. Charlie needs to adjust his line and put up a fight against the Wolf Spiders for the championship run to maintain its integrity. Everyone must hope that Charlie embraces the challenge to upset the league leaders, and not simply give up categories by default or have injured players littering his line-up.
A Final Note
With little to play for, other teams deployed their own experimental strategies for the week. The most hilarious must be the Goofballs. Kevin’s squad put up solid offensive numbers, but absolutely obliterated the rest of the league in steals. Corbin Carroll ran wild to score 6 of his own, and four other players had at least two, including… William Contreras?! The team totalled 17, which has to be a league record.
Despite several close calls for both teams, the Armadillos and Wolf Spiders are set to meet in a match-up that will decide the season champion. Rather than break down the week that led us to this point, I want to look at both teams to identify how they reached the top of the standings. From there, I will breakdown the upcoming match, and identify a few key factors that will decide the week, and likely the season.
Incredible Winning Streaks
Both the Armadillos and Wolf Spiders have put together amazing winning streaks at different points in the season. After losing to the Wolf Spiders in Week #01, the Armadillos rolled over the league to win 11 consecutive matches. This is likely a league record.
After the Week #01 loss, Larry was 1.0 game behind the Wolf Spiders. At the end of the winning streak, he was 3.0 games in front. The winning streak came to an end during week #13 at the hands of the Goofballs. The Wolf Spiders won that week, to drop the gap to just 2.0 games.
While the Armadillos were steamrolling the competition, the Wolf Spiders initially stumbled. They lost three weeks in a row from Week #04 to Week #06. However, they were able to rally and built their own 6 game winning streak while the Armadillos were also undefeated.
Kyle’s streak came to an end a week after Larry’s, once again to the Goofballs! Larry won that week, once again ballooning his lead to 3.0 games. It looked like the championship was almost a foregone conclusion.
Instead of giving up, the Wolf Spiders began an inspired rally that has seen them remain undefeated over the last 6 weeks, with 5 wins and a tie. This included a win over the Armadillos, and 3 weeks with scores that were almost too close to call. Since week #08, Kyle is 10-1-1. The result is a 0.5 game lead for the Armadillos, with everything on the line in a final match this week.
Besides the Goofballs, only two other teams were able to beat both the Wolf Spiders and Armadillos this year. These teams might surprise you – it was the Possums and Hares! The Possums’ and Hares’ success against each team will be discussed in more detail later.
Six of the leaders’ 10 total losses came to the Goofballs, Hares, and Possums. They were the only teams (besides the Wolf Spiders) to beat the Armadillos. The PhoeGnomes were able to beat the Wolf Spiders, and the Kraken managed a tie. However this still means that neither the Kraken nor the Skyline Sluggers were able to pick up a win against either team.
Statistical Dominance
How did the Armadillos and Wolf Spiders so thoroughly dominate the league? The answer is clear, with each team being a mirror image of the other. The charts below show each team’s ranking in each category. The lower the score, the better – 1 represents leading a category.
Raw Totals:
Rankings:
The Armadillos have been an offensive juggernaut. They are first or second in every offensive category. In contrast, the Wolf Spiders are more toward the upper-middle of the pack. In fact, the Goofballs have been the second best offensive team by this measure, thanks to their outstanding Rus and OPS totals.
This means that the Armadillos have relied on their offense to carry them throughout the season. However, both the Possum and Goofballs have been able to challenge them. This explains their success versus the Armadillos compared to other teams.
Pitching is a different story. The Wolf Spiders are at the top of the league in every category except Strikeouts. The Possums are close behind. The Hares also have strong Strikeout and WHIP numbers. The Armadillos are more in the lower-middle of the pack here. Kyle has won on the strength of his pitching, while Larry has struggled. This also explains why the Hares have had some success – their totals are strong enough to give them a chance to win on a good week.
What are the totals for all teams? The results are surprising:
The Wolf Spiders have the lowest total in the league. The second-place team is shocking – the Possums! In pure statistical terms, Rick has slightly outperformed Larry week-to-week, and is almost equal with Kyle! The Armadillos and Goofballs fall slightly behind these two teams, with the other four languishing at the back.
What can explain these results? First, grand totals don’t matter week-to-week. You can win a category by one point or ten, and the result is the same. Therefore absolute dominance over a single category might be a net negative if the roster isn’t balanced.
Second, pitching is especially vulnerable to manipulation. For example, teams will often limit starters when they have leads in rate stats, or deploy scrubs when they are desperate for innings. This is all normal behavior, but it does skew pitching stats to some degree. For example, the Hares could have more strikeouts and IP if they wanted, but they often tried to limit damage to rate stats when these categories were already won.
In general, offense is more consistent and linear throughout the season. This gives the Armadillos an advantage, and you see it in the standings. The Wolf Spiders are more variable due to their pitching. However, when you pair up two teams with fundamentally different strengths, the results can vary wildly.
For example, the Wolf Spiders lead the three-week season series with the Armadillos by a total of 22-8 categories. This is largely due to Kyle’s timely hitting paired with better pitching.
The more consistent teams will win the majority of the weekly match-ups. The Possums couldn’t generate enough overall offense to complement their pitching. The Goofballs couldn’t get enough pitching, but when they did, were nearly unbeatable. The Hares had good pitching, but so little offense that they fell in the standings. Only the Armadillos and Wolf Spiders have put things together week after week, and this is why they are battling for the title.
Who Has the Advantage?
Entering this week, the Armadillos are 0.5 games ahead of the Wolf Spiders. This gives them a small advantage in the sense that a win all but seals the title, while a tie maintains their narrow edge.
However, there is a critical area where Kyle holds the edge – tiebreakers!
Thanks to their 2 wins over the Armadillos already, the Wolf Spiders cannot lose a tiebreaker. Even if the teams tie this week, Kyle will still hold the edge. This gives him slightly more margin for error – he is still in contention if he ties for the week, and if he can secure a tied position in the final two weeks, he will win.
So what does this all mean? Here are the two key factors:
If either team wins their last 3 games, that team will be the champion.
If the teams are tied at the end of the season, Kyle will likely be the champion, barring one bizarre scenario where he loses this week but Larry loses the two weeks thereafter.
The result is that both teams control their own destiny. The winner of this week will be in control with only two weeks left to play. After all the hours of draft prep, weeks of line-up management, and hundreds of added and dropped players, it all comes down to one final match. Can Kyle do something that only the Lannisters have done, and win back-to-back titles? Can the Armadillos break through for the first time since 2018? Everything comes down to this week when these two teams battle for the final time.
As the race for the championship reaches its final weeks, the Wolf Spiders stayed in control of their own destiny with one of the most shocking results in the history of the league. How did this happen? And what does it mean for the pennant race?
First, Kyle built a small lead in pitching thanks to superior counting stats. Justin Verlander and Luis Castillo each had strong two-start weeks. Verlander was particularly impressive, striking out 16 without allowing a run. However, J.P. France had a nightmare start, allowing 10 earned runs in 2.1 IP. Heather capitalized with a classic rate stat strategy. She won WHIP and ERA with ease after rebound week from Framber Valdez. This gave Kyle a 3-2 lead.
On offense, things were evenly matched. The Wolf Spiders easily won steals, but Heather took home runs and runs. Aaron Judge netted 4 home runs to lead the charge. However, the Wolf Spiders produced more RBI thanks in large part to Trea Turner, who’s come back to post solid numbers the last few weeks. This left the two teams with a split 2-2 score before OPS. If Heather won OPS, she would tie the week. If Kyle won, he would take the victory for himself.
Going into Sunday, the category was essentially tied. Heather held a tiny advantage – could she hold on? On Sunday, she posted a weak 6 hits in 38 at-bats. This was good for a 0.516 OPS. The Wolf Spiders were just 7 for 32, for a paltry 0.441 OPS.
Now, you may be reading this, and asking – how could Kyle have won the week when Heather held the lead in OPS going into Sunday, and Kyle posted the lower OPS for the day? This seems impossible but it’s not!
Heather’s players had 6 more at-bats for the day. This mean that their total contribution relative to the week was higher than the total contribution of Kyle’s players on Sunday. By virtue of having fewer at-bats for the day, the Wolf Spiders reduced their total OPS by less. This is an absolutely stunning outcome, but it’s even more incredible when looking at the final OPS numbers:
These numbers look dead even. It’s not until the fourth decimal place that any difference is noticeable. Heather’s OPS is actually 0.71439123. Kyle’s is 0.71440162. This is a difference of just 0.00001039. This is equivalent to just one base over the course of the entire week for either team.
Is it possible that this tiniest of margins could swing the course of the season? Kyle remains just 0.5 games behind the Armadillos. Those two teams have one final match next week. If both teams win this week, that will become a winner-take-all affair with just two weeks remaining after that. Kyle may be in a position to battle for the league lead, rather than just a tie, thanks to one base from either team. It’s truly one of the closest, most contested finishes to a week and a season the league has ever seen.
KG Geo Prizms (10-9) vs. LK Armadillos (14-5)
On the opposite side of the offensive spectrum, the Armadillos put up shocking numbers against the Geo Prizms. However, Kevin refused to give up, and managed to post amazing numbers himself. The result was an Armadillos victory, but one that was much closer than anyone would have expected on Monday.
On the first day of the week, the Armadillos did the unthinkable – they posted 10 home runs, 20 RBI, and 17 runs scored. The team had an OPS of 1.744. Every player in the line-up had a hit and a run. All but Ke’Bryan Hayes had an RBI. Pete Alonso was the only other player without a home run, but he had 2 hits. The offensive explosion was unprecedented in league history.
Despite being in a terrible deficit, the Geo Prizms continued to fight back. They clawed their way to the top of runs thanks to Corbin Carroll and Randy Arozarena, who each had 8. They tied for the lead in steals, thanks again to Carroll and Arozarena with 3 each. The teams OPS ended at 1.0613, not far behind the Armadillos 1.0971. While they only won a single category, the produced enough offense to have swept every other team in the league except for the Kraken’s RBI total. In total, nine of the top 10 offensive stats for the week belonged to the two teams.
Although it was remarkable that Kevin had a chance given the Armadillos’ start, pitching sealed the week for the league leaders. Kevin suffered blow-ups from Julio Urias, Zack Littell, and others. The Armadillos got a nice start from Merrill Kelly, who struck out 12 in just 7.0 IP with no earned runs. This, combined with further solid production, secured three categories for the Armadillos, and they cruised to a smooth win. They remain at the top of the league, with the monstrous Wolf Spiders / Armadillos clash looming in two weeks.
RK Possums (10-8-1) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (5-14)
While the top two finishers in the league are a known quantity, the race for third is still in force. The Possums had a chance to move up in the ranks as the Geo Prizms lost. Rick took advantage and earned a strong win versus the Skyline Sluggers. The Possums were led by their pitching. Max Scherzer put up solid numbers, and he joined Kodai Senga and Brandon Woodruff with at least 10 strikeouts in just a single start. The Sluggers failed to have five starts, and were easily swept.
On offense the Possums posted a strangely high home run total (12) but a weak OPS (0.6990). It was a feast or famine week for the hitters, although Adolis Garcia posted a nice 2 home run week. The Possums were able to win two categories and secure an easy win. The Possums are now in sole possession of third place, 1.5 games above the Geo Prizms, and 2.0 above the Hares.
CP Kraken (5-12-2) vs. JK Hares (9-9-1)
The week’s final match paired two of the league’s biggest disappointments – the Hares and Kraken. As I said last week, this was a match-up no one wanted, and thus the review will be brief. The Hares suffered through a hideous pitching week, and like the Possums, had good home run totals (10) and a miserable OPS (0.6948).
With all joking aside, the Kraken did have a nice week overall, and their pitching was near the top of the league. Aaron Nola was the best of the bunch with 14.0 IP, 14 strikeouts, and just 2 earned runs. He paired with a nice start from Logan Gilbert to guarantee a win. It doesn’t change the standings, but it’s always nice to have a victory.
Players of the Week
There aren’t any specific Players of the Week this week, as it would be impossible to determine in the incredible Wolf Spiders / PhoeGnomes match.
Next Week
Next week sees the Wolf Spiders with a relatively tough match against the Geo Prizms. The Armadillos face the last- place Skyline Sluggers. Although all eyes are on the Armadillos / Wolf Spiders next week, neither team can afford to slip up this close to the end. The Possums and Hares play in a relatively meaningless contest for both sides, although the Possums do want to stay in third place. Finally, the Kraken and PhoeGnomes meet in a match where the Kraken want to try to move into 6th place for a better pick in the draft lottery.
After a series of defeats and close calls, the Armadillos made a statement this week against the PhoeGnomes. They led the league in all offensive categories except steals, where they were second. Pete Alonso had 4 home runs and Marcell Ozuna contributed a 1.320 OPS. Mookie Betts had 3 home runs and a team-leading 1.431 OPS. However, the star of the week was Julio Rodriguez. He had 2 home runs, 12 RBI, 7 runs, and a 1.417 OPS over 37 PAs. He also had an impossible 6 steals, accounting for the team’s total output for the week!
Heather didn’t give up in the face of this opposition, though. She was 2nd in OPS for the week, and was near the top in HR, RBI, and steals. Bobby Witt Jr. continued to shine with 3 home runs, 3 steals, and a 1.212 OPS. Unfortunately for Heather, the pitching situation was far worse than offense. Framber Valdez had two horrific starts for 16 hits in 12.2 IP and 9 ER. Kevin Gausman had a meltdown, and soon enough most categories were out of reach.
The Armadillos had strong pitching and led the league in many categories. Eury Perez, Lance Lynn, and Grayson Rodriguez each had great starts. Merrill Kelly allowed quite a few earned runs, but also had 14 strikeouts. This was more than enough for an easy victory for the week. The win puts the Wolf Spiders on notice that they will need to fight until the end if they want to bring down the season-long leaders.
JK Hares (9-8-1) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (12-5-1)
The Wolf Spiders faced the Hares, who took down the Armadillos last week. While they aren’t title contenders this year, the Hares were hoping to disrupt the standings yet again by taking down a top team. Unfortunately, Jeff was denied a tie in an exciting match-up.
The Wolf Spiders were dominant on offense. Corey Seager was the key with 3 home runs, 6 RBI, and 6 runs scored. Kyle easily won all of the offensive categories except for steals. The Hares tried to compete for the category on Sunday and had a clutch 2 steals from Tommy Edman and 1 from Jarren Duran. This initially put the Hares into the lead for the category (and thus a tie for the week) but Kyle struck back with 1 steal each from Austin Riley and Ronald Acuna Jr. This was enough to tie the category.
The Hares were well ahead in pitching for the whole week. Corbin Burnes had a nice start, and Zach Wheeler and Spencer Strider put up big strikeout numbers. The Hares were well ahead in all categories except for saves. The week was headed for a tie until Kyle Finnegan recorded a bizarre save for the Wolf Spiders. Finnegan entered the game after his team gave up a lead. He entered the game with two outs and a runner on, and immediately gave up a home run. He was able to record the final out, though, and record the save despite the bizarre situation.
This was enough to give Kyle the category win and a victory for the week. This could be crucial as a tie would have put the Wolf Spiders a full 1.0 game behind the Armadillos. For now, Kyle keeps pace, and the race for the title may be decided in the head-to-head battle in Week #22.
CM Skyline Sluggers (5-13) vs. KG Geo Prizms (9-9)
While the battle for the title continues, other teams are looking to move up into the middle of the standings as well. Such is the case of the newly-named Geo Prizms, who took on the unpredictable Skyline Sluggers. Neither team posted the best numbers for the week, but it was the Geo Prizms who ultimately came out on top. In an unusual turn of events, Kevin’s pitching led the way to victory. The Geo Prizms won every category except for IP. Freddie Peralta was a one-man show for the week. He had one start for 5.2 IP, allowed just 1 earned run, and had 11 strikeouts. A couple of meltdowns from Miles Mikolas and JP Sears dampened the Geo Prizms’ rate stats. The Skyline Sluggers were even more dire, though. Nothing seemed to work as starter after starter delivered 2 to 4 IP stinkers. Even more durable pitchers like Yu Darvish allowed 8 earned runs in two starts. Overall, the Sluggers somehow won IP, but Keving cruised in the other categories.
The offenses were evenly matched. Rafael Devers had a big 3 home run week for the Sluggers, but teammates Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber each had 2 for the Geo Prizms. This back and forth crossed over multiple categories. Kevin had the edge in runs, but Charlie struck back in RBI and OPS. Ultimately, the stalemate was enough for the Geo Prizms to earn a victory and move into 4th place on the season, ahead of the Hares.
RK Possums (9-8-1) vs. CP Kraken (5-11-2)
The week’s final match saw the Possums challenge the Kraken. Rick wants to finish in the top three, and he made a strong statement against Chris’s squad. On offense, the Possums were behind only the Armadillos and PhoeGnomes in production. Christian Walker was the clear star for the week with 4 home runs, 11 RBI, and 8 runs scored. Fernando Tatis Jr. added 3 steals. The Possums dominated all five categories with little challenge from his opponent.
Neither team had great pitching, which seems to be a theme for the week. The Kraken put up good strikeout totals, thanks to Brady Singer. The rest of the staff also put up good totals, albeit with a lot of earned runs added in. The Possums only needed one category, though, and relied on Max Scherzer to deliver the win. He posted a great pair of starts with just 3 earned runs and 15 strikeouts. This was enough for the Possums to earn a win and stay firmly in 3rd place.
Players of the Week
The players of the week are Julio Rodriguez, who helped the Armadillos to victory. The top pitcher has to be Scherzer, without whom the Possums would not have been able to win.
Next Week
The upcoming week is light on critical matchups. The best pairs the Armadillos with the Geo Prizms. Kevin would love to spoil the title scene. The Wolf Spiders have to face off against the PhoeGnomes. The Possums continue to fight for the bronze medal against the Skyline Sluggers. Finally, the Hares and Legion meet in a match that, frankly, no one wants to see. The two teams will be playing for pride alone.
Greetings fellow Dirt Mountainers! Happy to provide my guest recap for the league this past week. We’re in the home stretch now and the final outcome is looking much more uncertain than it was a month ago. Onto the matchups:
Goofballs (8-9) vs PhoeGnomes (7-9-1)
With both teams extremely unlikely to put together any sort of miracle run to a league championship, this was likely a matchup mostly for pride for both Heather and I.
The Goofballs rode absolutely dominant starting pitching this week, posting a 2.26 ERA and league best 0.87 WHIP with 70 K’s. Julio Urias, Logan Webb, and Freddy Peralta threw a combined 40.1 innings over 6 starts while posting a miniscule 1.39 ERA and 0.77 WHIP. Heather’s SP dug her a big hole early in the week that she wasn’t able to climb out of, as the PhoeGnomes staff posted an ERA north of 5.00 this week. It wasn’t a clean sweep on the pitching side however, as Heather was able to edge out saves 4-3 behind a 3 save week from Kenley Jansen.
On the hitting side, the Goofballs got a monstrous performance from Ozzie Albies, who posted a .983 OPS, 8 runs, 3 HR, 13 RBI and 3 SB for the week. The rest of the Goofballs hitters combined for only 5 additional homers, and that lack of power was reflected in the club’s relatively weak .740 OPS. The Phoegnomes clubbed their way to victories in OPS and HR on the strength of 3 homers apiece from Nick Castellanos and Brian Reynolds. The power advantage the PhoeGnomes enjoyed did not translate to runs and RBI however, as the Goofballs were able to win those 2 categories relatively easily. The margin in steals for the week was 9-5 in favor of the Goofballs, who won that category despite not getting their first SB until Thursday. Goofballs take the hitting categories 3-2 and the week overall 7-3.
Kraken (4-11-2) vs. Skyline Sluggers (5-12)
The 2nd matchup of the week featured the league’s 7th and 8th place teams in a battle to stay out of the league’s basement.
The Kraken posted astounding run production numbers this week, posting league high 14 HR and 46 RBI with a league 2nd best 41 runs scoed. Kyle Tucker, Matt Olson, and Cody Bellinger combined for 9 HR and 27 RBI. MJ Melendez and Joey Meneses both had a pair of homers for Charlie’s Sluggers, but the overall team run production wasn’t enough to provide a serious threat to the Kraken in HR, RBI, or Runs. Charlie’s squad was able to take OPS despite the power disadvantage, and they edged the Kraken 5-4 in SB behind Shohei Ohtani’s 3 SB. 3-2 in favor of the Kraken on the hitting side.
On pitching, Charlie stacked several solid performance to post a very strong 2.05 ERA, but he just didn’t have great volume in innings or K’s posting totals of just 48.1 IP and 43 K’s. Tanner Bibee and Logan Gilbert lead the way for the Kraken, giving up only 2 runs across 21 IP while striking out 23. That volume helped give the Kraken a narrow category win in IP, and relatively comfortable edge in K’s. Chris’ team also notched a narrow victory in WHIP, and comfortable victory in saves, as the Skyline Sluggers bullpen continues to be a weakness, failing to record even one save this week. The Kraken take pitching 4-1 and the week 7-3.
Wolf Spiders (11-5-1) vs. Possums (9-7-1)
This was an absolutely crucial matchup for both teams, as they are the only 2 teams in the league who entered the week with a reasonable chance to catch the Armadillos by season’s end.
Both teams employed a real team effort on the hitting side as the Wolf Spiders used 15 hitters for the week with the Possums mixing and matching a total of 16 hitters.
The results happened to be entirely one-sided however. 8 of Kyle’s 15 hitters recorded at least 4 RBI, with the biggest contribution coming from Austin Riley, who recorded 2 HR and 7 RBI for the week. The aforementioned Riley also scored 9 runs for the week, and the Wolf Spiders had 7 other hitters score at least 3 runs giving them a league high 45 runs scored for the week.
The Possums got strong offensive performances from their duo of young first baseman, Ryan Mountcastle and Christian Walker, with each posting an OPS over 1.100 while also combining for 3 HR and 9 RBI. There wasn’t much else happening on offense for the Possums, as the rest of the club belted only 2 additional homers while knocking in just 18. The power advantage Kyle enjoyed also led to a comfortable victory in OPS. And a 6-4 edge in steals gave the Wolf Spiders a clean sweep on the hitting side.
The pitching categories were extremely tight across the board in this matchup, with both teams posting fairly strong numbers.. Kyle got good volume across the board from his SP, with Bryce Elder being the only Wolf Spider starter to record fewer and 6 IP and 7 K for the week. Sonny Gray and Michael Lorenzen both had very good weeks for the Possums, with the former giving up only 2 runs in 12 IP while striking out 17, and the latter throwing a no-hitter in his only start.
Kyle was able to able to nab victory in IP by only 1/3 of an inning, while also winning K’s by 6, and WHIP by a little over a tenth of a point. Rick scored a victory in ERA, and took saves 3-1, but it wasn’t nearly enough given the Wolf Spiders dominant hitting this week. The Wolf Spiders take the matchup 8-2 and appear to be rounding into the form that made them league champions last year.
Hares (8-8-1) vs. Armadillos (13-4)
The last matchup of the week features Jeff’s Hares vs. Larry’s suddenly vulnerable Armadillos.
On offense, Jeff’s club struggled to generate much power – as they matched the Possums league low 5 HR and 27 RBI for the week. Wander Franco was really the only offensive standout for Jeff, posting 5 runs scored, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, and a 1.350 OPS. The Armadillos started 20 hitters this week, with the biggest standouts being Pete Alonso (4 HR 10 RBI), J.T. Realmuto (2 HR 4 RBI) and Marcell Ozuna. That trio’s contributions easily helped the ‘Dillos outpace the Hares in HR and RBI. The speedy Armadillos also notched another victory in SB like they always do, with Ha-Seong Kim swiping 3 of the club’s 6 bases for the week.
Without a ton of power, the Hares were still able to claw their way to victories in two hitting categories . Jeff’s group got 8 runs scored from Michael Harris II, helping the Hares to win the category by 5. And OPS goes to the Hares as well (.789 to .739). ‘Dillos take the hitting categories 3-2.
Pitching was a relatively one-sided affair here. The Armadillo’s starters struggled to record outs and gave up quite a few runs. Eury Perez, Zach Eflin, and Johan Oviedo giving up 20 ER over 16.2 IP. The Armadillos’ staff struggles gave Jeff’s squad plenty of margin for error. Spencer Strider and Corbin Burnes had uncharacteristically poor starts, but the rest of Jeff’s starters were up to the task, twirling 39 IP while giving up only 6 runs. George Kirby was excellent tossing 9 shutout innings, while Dylan Cease totaled 12.1 IP with only 2 ER allowed across two starts.
Despite being outclassed in the rate stats, the battle for innings and K’s was much closer, with Jeff ultimately prevailing by 5.2 IP and 1 K, respectively. The bullpen favored the Hares as well, with the final save tally being 3-1 Hares. A pitching category sweep gives the Hares a 7-3 victory for the week.
This week:
With only 6 weeks left in the season, it’s starting to look like a 2 team race for the championship. Even though Jeff, Rick, and I aren’t eliminated yet, it seems as though something very bizarre would have to happen for someone other than Kyle or Larry to be hoisting the league title at year’s end.
The sizzling Wolf Spiders, who’ve lost only one matchup since the end of May, look to keep that positive momentum rolling in a matchup with Jeff’s 3rd place Hares. Larry’s struggling Armadillos (2-4 over the last 6 weeks) take on Heather and the PhoeGnomes, while the Goofballs battle the Skyline Sluggers and the Possums meet up with the Kraken.
With the season entering its final seven matchups, every outcome is critical to the chase for the title. After a dominating season, the Armadillos are now facing the same challenge faced by other legendary teams like the Lannisters of old: Every other team will do anything possible to spoil a march to the title. This week, it was the Possums who sought to upset the Armadillos, secure third place, and maybe, just maybe, keep their title hopes alive.
The result was competitive hitting that on most weeks would put each team at the top of the league. The teams tied with 14 home runs, but the Possums proved dominant in runs and especially RBI. Adolis Garcia led the way with 4 home runs, 5 RBI, and 9 runs. His OPS of 1.647 was off the charts. Ryan Mountcastle was also strong, with a 1.301 OPS despite no home runs. The Armadillos had a great week from Mookie Betts, who added his own 3 home runs and a 1.361 OPS. Ha-Seong Kim and Jose Ramirez each added 3 steals. The Armadillos easily won the category. However, the Possums won the overall battle 3-1-1 thanks to better consistency throughout the line-up.
The pitching battle was competitive as well, albeit at lower quality than offense. Neither team distinguished themselves in the rate stats, and each side took one category. The Possums enjoyed 2 saves each from Felix Bautista and Will Smith. This gave Rick the edge in a category that is normally an Armadillos strength. Max Scherzer, Sonny Gray, and Brandon Woodruff all notched at least 8 strikeouts in their starts for the Possums. This, combined with more innings, gave Rick a smooth win for the week.
The loss offers a slim ray of hope for Rick’s title chances. He is still 3.5 games back, but with the win, he’s at least still in the running. The Armadillos are looking vulnerable at the wrong time – offense and pitching don’t seem to be in synch. No one will give them an easy matchup. It also reduces the odds that the Armadillos can beat the Lannisters’ 2013 record of 18 wins on the season, a mark that many hold as the gold standard.
CP Kraken (4-11) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (11-5)
With the Armadillos losing, the Wolf Spiders had a chance to rally and move within one game of the lead. However, he faced the Kraken, who have shown epic highs and the most dreadful of lows. This week was no different – Chris produced the best offensive stats in the league, but paired them with abominable pitching.
The Wolf Spiders tried their best to match the Kraken on offense. Each team had an amazing 17 home runs, a truly strong total for a normal week. Matt Olson and Juan Soto each had 4 home runs for the Kraken, while Yordan Alvarez added 3 more and a 1.226 OPS. Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger had inexplicable steals totals (4 and 5 respectively) to win another category. The Wolf Spiders had 12 players with a homer, and somehow managed to die the category. They couldn’t keep pace in the counting stats, though, and settled for an 0-4-1 record before pitching.
Fortunately for Kyle, the Kraken were a complete disaster on the pitching side. Reid Detmers and Andrew Abbott managed to allow 17 earned runs in just 13 IP. Strikeouts were in short supply. Aaron Nola had a nightmare start. The Wolf Spiders romped their way to wins in all categories with a strong week from Zac Gallen and Gerrit Cole. However, the Kraken got a clutch save from Adbert Alzolay on Sunday to tie the category and thus the match. Each squad was one save or home run away from victory. However, the Wolf Spiders must consider themselves fortunate to have tied, given that their pitching wasn’t great for the week either.
They move to within 1.5 games for the Armadillos, and still have one head-to-head matchup with the leaders for the year. They will need help, but the title is still very much up for grabs.
KG Capital City Goofballs (7-9) vs. JK Hares (8-7-1)
After a difficult season, the Goofballs haven’t lost their will to win, and want to finish on the medal podium. They turned in a solid showing against the Hares. The Goofballs pitching did not let them down, and easily beat the Hares in everything but saves. Steven Matz and Eduardo Rodriguez contributed nice starts. However, the Goofballs lacked saves, and the Hares too advantage to win the category. A horrific start from Dylan Cease doomed the Hares on rate stats, and Kevin took a 4-1 lead.
The Hares tried to muster a showing on offense and won home runs thanks to 3 home runs from Wander Franco, who had a 1.271 OPS. The Goofballs leaned on Corbin Carroll and Freddie Freeman to win steals – they had 4 and 3 respectively. Freeman also added a 1.459 OPS. Several other Goofballs had strong OPS figures in platoon duty, including George Springer (1.215) and Ryan McMahon (1.591). This was enough to win the category, and carry runs and RBI. The Goofballs moved on with a strong win and are once again near 0.500. The Hares continue to be inconsistent, and will look for answers next week.
CM Skyline Sluggers (5-11) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (6-9-1)
The week’s final match saw the Sluggers face off against the PhoeGnomes. Both teams have endured highs and lows this year. This time, it was the PhoeGnomes who enjoyed a win and maintained momentum.
Heather’s offense was strong, with a monster week from Lane Thomas. He had 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 7 runs, and 2 steals. He also had a 1.133 OPS. Jose Altuve added 5 steals, and Bobby Witt Jr contributed 3 more, with 2 home runs. This was enough for a monster 13 steal week that easily led the league. Heather swept the offensive categories with the one exception of runs.
Neither team had great pitching, but Heather did enough to win here as well. Pete Fairbanks and Kenley Jansen paired to win saves, and Kyle Bradish had a nice two-start week with 12 strikeouts. Charlie Morton and Alex Cobb managed to allow 8 earned runs each for the Sluggers, and this doomed the team’s chances for any momentum. Heather cruised to a win.
Players of the Week
This week’s top hitter was Lane Thomas, thanks to his combination of power and speed. No pitcher really stood out this week, so the nod goes to Adbert Alzolay. His clutch save on Sunday secured the tie for the Kraken.
Next Week
Next week starts the final seven matches of the season. Each team has one more match against each other team. The Armadillos will try to rally against the Hares. After a disappointing year, Jeff is going to throw everything possible at the Armadillos to try to keep the race close. The Wolf Spiders face a tough match against the Possums. The Kraken and Skyline Sluggers want to stay out of the cellar, and their match has implications for this battle. Finally, the PhoeGnomes and Goofballs pair up. Each team has some recent success, so the match may be close.
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.
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 3rd 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 3rd 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 3rd 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 3rd 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 4th 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 2nd 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 12th 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 42nd 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!!
Dirt Mountain Baseball League 