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.

Week #05 offered a slew of surprises for the Dirt Mountain League. The Skyline Sluggers and Hares put together solid weeks to capture upset wins over superior opponents. The Armadillos and Possums managed to scratch out ugly wins despite meager overall statistics.

CM Skyline Sluggers (1-3) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (2-2)

The Skyline Sluggers versus the Goofballs was one of the most exciting match-ups of the week. Both Charlie and Kevin have suffered through some bad luck to start the year, and each team needed a win. Both teams produced great stats, but the Skyline Sluggers earned a narrow victory thanks to phenomenal pitching. Not only did Charlie sweep all five categories versus Kevin, but he had the best stats in each category across the entire league! This is almost unheard of, and several of the categories weren’t even close.

Charlie doubled-up Kevin’s strikeout totals with a total of 70 in just 58.2 IP. The Skyline Sluggers had the most saves, and their rate stats were also the best in class. Blake Snell and Shohei Ohtani combined for 26 strikeouts in three starts. Nathan Eovaldi, Yu Darvish, and Alex Cobb didn’t allow an earned run in their three starts. Jason Adam contributed three saves. Kevin’s staff had a good week, too, but couldn’t produce at the level of the Sluggers.

On offense, the Goofballs were better. Their middle infield was excellent with Ozzie Albies and Bo Bichette combining for an OPS over 1.000 across 64 at bats with 3 home runs.Randy Arozarena and Daulton Varsho were also strong, with 4 home runs, 8 RBI, 2 steals, and OPS over 1.110. It looked like Kevin might be able to earn a tie thanks to the strong offensive numbers. However, the Sluggers were able to swing the RBI category thanks to a great week from Sean Murphy. He had 12 RBI by himself, and paired with a huge weekend from Rafael Devers against the Phillies. This was enough for the Skyline Sluggers to secure a hard-fought win.

The Sluggers are now in the middle of the league standings alongside the Goofballs. These two teams were clearly the league’s top two performers, and Kevin will have to hope for better luck in the future.

JK Hares (2-2) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (3-1)

After the Sluggers and Goofballs, the Hares and Wolf Spiders were the next best teams in the league by a wide margin. The defending champs entered the match as a heavy favorite, but the Hares have been competitive after an offensive revamp. Both teams had solid offensive numbers. The Hares led the league in runs and was second in OPS. Will Smith put up solid numbers, and nine different players had a home run. Most surprising was the Hares’ steals total. Smith added as teal, and Wander Franco maanged 2. Franco and Michael Harris each had a critical stal on Sunday to tie the category. However, Kyle was strong on offense as well. The team led the league in home runs and also took RBI. Ronald Acuna Jr. continued to stay red hot. This led to a 2-2-1 tie before pitching.

Both the Hares and Wolf Spiders had good pitching stats. Neither team’s relief pitchers gained an edge, but the Wolf Spiders had excellent strikeout totals. Gerrit Cole and Joe Ryan managed 25 in four starts. The Hares countered with two Spencer Strider starts, and he managed 18 strikeouts on his own. It looked as though the Hares and Wolf Spiders would tie, but then there was drama on Sunday. Gerrit Cole had a mediocre start, and the Hares were able to flip ERA thanks to a shocking Yusei Kikuchi start. The PhoeGnomes had dropped Kikuchi the night before, and there will be more on this later. The Hares won 3-2, and earned a narrow 5-3-2 win for the week.

The shocking result on Sunday put the Hares over 0.500 and drop the Wolf Spiders to the middle of the pack. Kyle’s team would have defeated most other squads, so like the Goofballs, he will have to hope his luck turns around next week. The Hares can rejoice in the win, and know that their luck is level after a rough non-tie last week.

LK Armadillos (3-1) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (2-2)

None of the remaining four teams had weeks they can be proud of. One of the most bizarre results was the Armadillos “win” over the PhoeGnomes. Despite being close for most of the week, the pitching side got away from the PhoeGnomes on Sunday. After deploying a shocking phalanx of five pitchers on Sunday, Heather’s starters doomed the team for the week. Graham Ashcraft had one of the worst starts of the season and allowed 8 earned runs in just 1.2 IP. Trevor Williams and Ryan Feltner were also dreadful, and the Armadillos were able to win ERA and WHIP with ease. The PhoeGnomes let Yusiel Kikuchi go, and his curse sealed their fate. Larry easily won strikeouts and IP thanks to the short starts.

Neither team had good offensive numbers. The teams’ OPS numbers were the second and third worst in the league. Mookie Betts made the difference for the Armadillos with a 2 home run, 8 RBI week. Overall, neither team has a lot to be proud of this week. Having said that – the Armadillos managed another close win to move to the top of the standings. In the end, that is what counts.

RK Possums (2-2) vs. CP Legion (1-3)

The week’s final match saw the Possums defeat the Legion. Like the prior two teams, neither squand had impressive numbers. The lone bright spot for each team was steals – they both tied for the league lead with 7. Cody Bellinger had 5 for the Legion, while Byron Buxton and Francisco Lindor contributed the majority for the Possums. Luis Robert had a very nice week in limited duty for Rick, too. He had a 1.944 OPS with 6 runs and 4 RBI in just three games. Ryan Mountcastle stayed hot as well. This gave Rick four of the five categories and a commanding lead.

Neither team had good pitching. The Legion threw more innings, but, as usual, struggled with saves. Rick won the category with just two, and somehow held on to WHIP. The less said about the pitching side for this match-up the better… Rick picked up a win, and the Legion are back to losing once again.

Player of the Week

The most important player this week goes to Nathan Eovaldi. His strong start gave Charlie the edge he needed in both ERA and WHIP. These two categories made the difference between a win and a loss for the Skyline Sluggers.

Next Week

After numerous shocking results, the sixth match-up of the season promises more of the same. The Wolf Spiders and PhoeGnomes are both coming off losses and desperately need a win. The Goofballs also need a win to keep close to the struggling (but winning) Armadillos.

The most interesting match may be the Possums versus the hot Skyline Sluggers. Charlie can move back to 0.500 with a win, but the Possums are looking to rebound. Finally, the Legion meet the Hares. With Chris’s team struggling, the Hares hope to continue winning. However, Chris is desperate for a win, yet again, and will do anything he can to triumph.

After another exciting week of action, there are no more undefeated teams left in the Dirt Mountain League! There are also no more winless teams, and it seems like every team is in contention.

RK Possums (1-2) vs. KK Wolf Spiders (3-0)

All good things must eventually come to an end. This was the case for defending champ’s undefeated streak to start the season. After three weeks of dominance, the Wolf Spiders were bested by the Possums. In a week with good pitching, Rick’s squad was a step above the rest of the league. He had the lowest ERA in the league by a wide margin. This was paired with second most innings pitched in the league, making the feat that much more impressive. Sonny Gray led the way with 13.0 IP and 15 strikeouts and only one earned run. Kyle also had great pitching, and would have beaten most other teams. Zac Gallen even had 12 strikeouts in just 6.1 IP. This kept Kyle competitive, but Rick led 3-2.

The Possums sealed their victory with a good offensive showing. They led the league in runs, HR, and OPS. They were near the top in steals and were second in RBI to the Wolf Spiders. Byron Buxton led the with with four home runs and 10 RBI. Kyle enjoyed a nice week from Brent Rooker, but the Possums proved too strong. The victory raises their record to 2-2 and drops the Wolf Spiders to 3-1.

CP Legion (0-3) vs. CM Skyline Sluggers (1-2)

After a difficult start to the year, the Legion finally managed their first victory over the Skyline Sluggers. Both teams have struggled on the pitching side to start the year, and are the only two teams with aggregate year ERAs over 4.00. Their WHIP numbers are also near the bottom of the pack. However, when paired against each other, the teams are on equal footing. Neither team put up great pitching stats, but the Legion were able to get just a bit more from their starters and releivers. They finished with good WHIP and ERA numbers. Chris also managed a pair of saves. Charlie got a lot of IP and strikeouts, which is a positive sign, but the team’s abysmal rate stats doomed them to a 2-3 disadvantage.

Both teams had reasons for optimison on offense. Chris had good home runa and RBI totals led by a Cody Belliner and Jeremy Pean’s two home runs each in limited playing time. Charlie was able to win steals behind an amazing week from Shohei Ohtani. He posted two home runs, three runs, four RBI, and an incredible four steals. Unfortunately for the Skyline Sluggers, teh rest of the team didn’t rise to the ocassion. Chris was comfortably for the week and finally has his first win.

JK Hares (2-1) vs. LK Armadillos (2-1)

The Hares and Armadillos continued the league’s pattern of good pitching and merely adequate offense. Neither tam could gain traction hitting. The Hares won home runs and RBIs comfortably, but were not competitive in steals. The Armadillos somehow managed 29 RBI on just 4 home runs, and an OPS that was near the bottom of the league for the week.

On the pitching side things were more interesting. Dylan Cease spoiled a fantastic week for the Hares pitching with a disastrous outing, essentially cancelling-out a near no-hitter from Spencer Strider. The Armadillos suffered a miserable week from Johan Oviedo and Chris Bassit. The Armadillos sent a message by immediately cutting the player affectionaly known as the “Bassit Hound” from their roster. We can only hope that he was sent to a no-kill shelter, or that some other team will adopt him before he takes that cold, lonely walk to the back, from which no dogs ever return.

Despite two saves on Sunday, the Hares were denied a tie by a comback win/save from the Padres’ Josh Hader. After a frustrating week of rainouts, Jeff feels like he deserved a better fate than 5-4-1 loss. The Armadillos will take the win, but must improve their pitching to compete with the 3-1 Wolf Spiders.

KG Capital City Goofballs (1-2) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (2-1)

The week’s final match saw Kevin’s Goofballs right the ship against the PhoeGnomes. Kevin had the second most well-rounded week behind the Possums with good hitting and pitching! The Goofballs had a series of solid starts from seven different players, showing great depth. No one had an individual monster performance, but the group had excellent consistency up and down the rotation. Carlos Estevez and Devin Willaims combined to add five saves. For her part, Heather relied on a series of good strikeout performances. Nestor Cortes and Kevin Gausman totalled 26 in three starts! Cortes had a strange week, giving up 10 earned runs, 7 of which came in his second start. This doomed Heather’s chances to win ERA, but he managed enough strikeouts and IP to give the PhoeGnomes the edge in two categories.

Despite the weird pitching results, Heather was not able to mount a charge on offense. The squad suffered though a down week from Bobby Witt Jur, who was just 4/26. Vladimir Guerrero Jr was only 5/25 with no home runs. When your two superstars have weeks like this, it will be hard to compete. Kevin deployed a whopping 19 players en route to a solid showing across all categories. Kevin wasn’t at the top of the league in any one category, but showed excelleng consistency. Ozzie Albies was probably the best Goofball hitter for the week with a nice 5/17, two home run week.

After a hot start, the PhoeGnomes are now back at .500 with most of the rest of the league. The Goofballs are also even for the year, and can take pride in a solid week.

Players of the Week

Despite the loss, the Skyline Sluggers’ Shohei Ohtani is the player of the week thanks to his incredible four steal performance! On the pitching side, Spencer Strider gets the nod for throwing one of the most dominant starts of the year so far. Sadly for both the Sluggers and Hares, neither effot was enough for the teams. Both will have to hope for better support in the future.

Next Week

The week offers everal intriguing match-ups! Both the PhoeGnomes and Armadillos need to find consistency if they are to compete for the title. They face off in a tough match. The Legion also have a tough draw, as they look for their second win against the hot Possums squad. The Goofballs and Slyline Sluggers face off, and both teams want to build some momentum. Finally, the Hares will face the Wolf Spiders. The Hares’ pitching may be a problem for the Wolf Spiders, and both teams want to rebound from a loss.

After a wild third week, the Dirt Mountain League has a clear front runner! The Wolf Spiders secured their place at the top of the league with a close win over the Legion. The PhoeGnomes suffered their first loss of the year after a massive performace from the Skyline Sluggers. Both the Armadillos and Hares defeated their rivals to improve to 2-1.

KK Wolf Spiders (2-0) vs. CP Legion (0-2)

The Wolf Spiders showed why they are the defending champs with a close win over the Legion. Kyle relied on strong pitching to sweep all five pitching categories with the best stats in the league. Chris wasn’t able to offer much resistance, but the Legion did manage respectable IP and K totals. What makes Kyle’s pitching even more impressive is that his eight starts came from eight different starters!

The Legion fared better on offense led by a standout week from Nico Hoerner. However, Chris needed to win steals to secure a tie. Despite having seven players with a steal, the Legion were unable to match the Wolf Spiders’ total of 9. Of those 9 steals, 5 belonged to Ronald Acuna Jr.

The win leaves the Wolf Spiders alone in first place, but the poor overall offensive showing means there is still room for improvement. Several teams could have beaten the Wolf Spiders this week, so Kyle can’t remain complacent at the top. The Legion must find some pitching help if they want to begin the journey out of last place.

CM Skyling Sluggers (0-2) vs. HP PhoeGnomes (2-0)

After two tough weeks to start the year, the Skyline Sluggers rallied to give the PhoeGnomes their first taste of defeat this year. Charlie led the league in runs an dRBI, and was second in home runs. Hunter Renfroe had a great week with three homers, and Heather couldn’t compete in any category.

The Sluggers also had excellent pitching, led by Jacob deGrom’s two starts with 16 strikeouts over 10 IP. The team’s stats would have been even better without a blowup from reliever AJ Minter. Kevin Gausman’s struggles doomed any hope Heather had for a tie.

This match revealed that the Skyline Sluggers are no longer a doormat team, and that they intend to compete this season. Charlie’s team is vastly improved, and will be a threat to anyone. With better luck in Week #01, they could be 2-1. The PhoeGnomes were an early season pick to contend for the title, so Heather has to hope this week was an aberration. They should be fine, but the week might serve as a wake-up call for any overconfident players.

JK Hares (1-1) vs. KG Capital City Goofballs (1-1)

After a dismal offensive week, the Hares rebounded to bludgeon the Goofballs. A slew of un-drafted pickups powered the Hares to the league lead in home runs. Max Muncy contribted five for the week along with 9 RBI, a steal, and a 1.815 OPS. After shaming himself in Week #02, Mike Trout rebounded to contribute 4 home runs and a 1.318 OPS. The Goofballs were able to take steals, but the team failed to mount a further challenge on offense.

Neither team excelled on the pitching side, but the Goofballs were worse in critical rate stats. Four players gave up 5 or more earned runs for the week. The Hares had similar numbers, but more in the 3-4 earned run range. This gave the team enough quality to win the rate stats and secure the week.

The Hares normally rely on pitching to win, so it was a nice break to have a good offensive performance. They improve to 2-1, but know that they are a long way from competing from the title. The Goofballs fall to 1-2, and (as usual) need pitching help to compete. However, Kevin often makes shrewd pickups, and will definitely work to improve the team.

LK Armadillos (1-1) vs. RK Possums (1-1)

The week’s final match saw the Armadillos defeat their bitter rival, the Possums. The matchup was quite close, and both teams had great pitching performances. The Armaidllos were able to win the rate stats, while the Possums held the advantage in K and IP. Larry led the league in saves, and took a 3-2 lead.

On offense, the Possums tried to rally and had decent numbers. Adolis Garcia had a monster week with 8 runs scored, 4 home runs, and 14 RBI! However, the rest of the team couldn’t match his effort. The Armadillos countered with James Outman’s big week with 4 home runs. J.T. Realmuto had three steals, and the Armadillos cruised to a 4-1 category win, conceding only runs to the Possums.

Like the PhoeGnomes, the Possums will need to look for more offense to get back to 0.500. Perhaps the return of Fernando Tatis Jr will provide some needed inspiration. The Armadillos took care of business, and will be dangerous if they can continue to find solid pitching.

Player of the Week

This week’s player of the week is a tie between Adolis Garcia and Max Muncy! Both players put up absolutely monster numbers, especially since they are not considered superstars.

The pair combined for 15 hits, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 11 walks, and an OPS of ~1750. Congratulations to both players for putting up such insane numbers for their teams!

Next Week

Week #04 offers several promising match-ups. The Legion are absolutely desperate for a win versus the hot Skyline Sluggers. The Armadillos will try to keep winning against the Hares.

The Goofballs will look to bounce-back against the PhoeGnomes in an intriguing match-up that will tell us a lot about where each team stands in the fight for the title. Finally, the Possums will look to hand the Wolf Spiders their first loss of the year.

After the first two weeks of the season, two teams stand undefeated. The defending champion Wolf Spiders and PhoeGnomes are alone at the top of the league.

Four teams are off to 1-1 starts, including the Hares, Armadillos, Possums, and Goofballs.

Two teams are at the bottom with 0-2 records – the Skyline Sluggers and Legion. However, both teams have reason for optimism as they were close in each of their defeats.

Early Category Leaders

There are clear learders in several categories to start the year. The PhoeGnomes, Wolf Spiders, and Armadills have over 92 runs each after just two weeks. By comparison, the Hares lag behind iwth just 67.

The Possums have the most home runs, beating the PhoeGnomes by three with 30 total. They are also tied for the lead with the PhoeGnomes in RBI with 97. As expected, the Armadillos lead the league in steals with 25 and the Hares are last with just 7.

OPS, our best measure of overall offensive performance, varies wildly across the league. The PhoeGnomes are far above the rest of the league at 0.9013. The Hares are in last place with a dismal 0.6379.

On the pitching side, the Hares are faring better. They are close to the league lead in stikeounts, ERA, and WHIP. The Wolf Spiders are near the top as well in all pitching categories expcept for saves. Heather leads that category as well with 10. The Goofballs and Skyline Sluggers lag far behind with just 3 each.

The msot notable theme is that outside of the PhoeGnomes and Wolf Spiders, not team feels complete. The Legion have decent offensive totals, but their pitching is behind only the Skyline Sluggers to start the year. Charlie’s team also has acceptable offensive totals, but poor pitching ratios. However, there is a silver lining for Charlie as the team has great strikeout numbers, especially with the fewest IP in the league.

Other teams in the middle of the pack need to address shortcomings on at least one side of the ledger to remain competitive with the elite teams. The Possums, Armadillos, and Goofballs are all viable contenders if they can add hitting or pitching respectively.

Players of the Week

The Player of the Week for Week #02 is Ronald Acuna! The Wolf Spiders’ superstar lifted Kyle to a win instead of a loss or tie.

Acuna managed an 12/25 hit total with 2 steals, 6 RBI and runs, and a homer. He proudced an incredible 1.232 OPS for the week.

Without Acuna’s standout performance, The Skyline Sluggers would have won steals and probably OPS, which would have been more than enough to flip the week to his side.

The Goat of the Week on offense was the Hare’s Mike Trout. The former superstar managed to go just 4/23 ith no home runs and only 3 runs and RBI.

On the pitching side, the Wolf Spiders were able to overcome a deplorable week from Sandy Alcantara, who gave up 13 earned runs in just 10.0 IP.

Week #03 Preview

The most interesting matchup for Week #03 is the Legion versus the Wolf Spiders. Chris is desperate for a win, and to complete his quest to win the title after an 0-2 start. He has the benefit of facing Kyle’s team a week after the Wolf Spider’s best pitchers each threw two games a piece. This means Kyle will have to rely on his lower-tier starters for counting stats. This might give the Legion the opportunity they need.

Another good match is between the Possums and Armadillos. These two teams have a lone history of rivalry, and both would prefer to be 2-1.

Elsewhere the PhoeGnomes face the Skyline Sluggers. While this match appears to favor Heather, Charlie’s squad has improved and is eager for a win. Finally, the Hares face the Goofballs, in a match that always brings strategy to play.