Week 01 of the fantasy season is complete!  Despite technical problems with the ESPN Fantasy Baseball website, the League’s eight teams fought several close battles.  In the end, the three most heavily favored teams earned victories.  The Lannisters also won a critical early contest against the Possums.

RK Possums vs.  JK Lannisters

The week’s most interesting match paired the second and third place teams from last season.  Rick started out with strong hitting.  Khris Davis had five total home runs for the long week.  Joey Gallo started strong as well with four home runs.  The pair combined for 21 RBI, nearly half of the Possums’ total.  The rest of the Possums put up good offensive numbers as well, but the team had some trouble getting on base.  This left an opening for the Lannisters.  Despite a slow start, the perennial contenders put together good power numbers.  The addition of Tim Tebow seemed to spark the team.  Mike Trout had five home runs and 12 RBI, mostly against hapless Rangers’ pitching.  Bryce Harper and Matt Chapman added three more home runs each.  Rick was able to win steals, but the Lannisters posted better numbers in the other three categories.  This put a lot of pressure on the Possums’ pitching staff.

Rick relied on three starts from Max Scherzer and two from his other three best pitchers (Kluber, Bauer, and Verlander).  This paid off with the league’s highest strikeout total.  Scherzer struck out 28 in just 19 innings.  However, the crew had trouble earning quality starts.  They posted a good ERA and WHIP, but the Lannisters were able to counter these numbers with good starts of their own.  Jacob deGrom was outstanding.  deGrom, Gerrit Cole, and Stephen Strasburg combined for 60 strikeouts in six starts.  This wasn’t enough to beat the Possums, but their efforts carried ERA and WHIP.  Jeff led the league in ERA and was second in WHIP.  Despite a good start from Scherzer on Sunday, the Lannisters were able to escape with a narrow victory.

HP PhoeGnomes vs.  LK Armadillos

The defending champion Armadillos opened the season against the PhoeGnomes.  Despite being a heavy favorite, the Armadillos struggled early in the week.  Their offense came alive in the end, though, and they led the league in home runs.  Gary Sanchez had three in one game and four for the week.  J. D. Martinez, Domingo Santana, and Trevor Story added three apiece.  Santana was strong on the bases as well, with three steals.  This gave the Armadillos a five category sweep.  Heather enjoyed a monster week from Cody Bellinger, who hit five home runs.  However, he was traded mid-week and his replacement Paul Goldschmidt also added a homer.  This wasn’t enough to help the PhoeGnomes, but the team posted respectable totals and several categories changed throughout the week.

Losing all five hitting categories meant Heather’s best hope was to tie behind great pitching.  The staff was up to the challenge and managed to win everything but saves.  Blake Snell was strong, and started to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke.  Madison Bumgarner was strong over two starts and looks like he may be back to his old form.  Mike Clevinger was strong in his only start before falling to injury.  Heather had the best WHIP in the league and her ERA was second, just behind the Lannisters.  The only point of concern was Chris Sale, who struggled over two starts and looks like he may be hiding an injury or some kind of arm problem.  The Armadillos’ starters didn’t post great numbers, but Masahiro Tanaka and Patrick Corbin had good weeks.  The Armadillos were able to earn the win thanks to their bullpen.  Edwin Diaz and Brad Hand had four saves each.  This was enough to outdo a strong week from the PhoeGnomes’ Josh Hader.  Flipping this single category gave the Armadillos the narrow victory.  Heather can take pride in leading for most of the week and falling just short at the end.

KG Goofballs vs.  KK Thunderwolves

The week’s best performance probably came from the Goofballs, who did enough to defeat the Thunderwolves.  Kevin put up league-leading numbers on offense – he topped the league in RBI, OBP, and SLG.  Leading the way was Javier Baez, who hit four home runs, had eight RBI, and added two steals.  Anthony Rendon added three more homers and a total of nine Goofballs had at least one home run.  Freddie Freeman didn’t have a home run but he did draw ten walks and had a 0.568 OBP.  Kyle enjoyed a good week from Ryan Braun (three home runs, 11 RBI), Gleyber Torres, and Rhys Hoskins.  Unfortunately, he caught Kevin on a hot week and was only able to capture steals.

Kevin was able to secure victory thanks to a good pitching week.  Marcus Stroman and Jose Berrios were strong in their four combined starts.  The re-emergence of Stroman would be a huge addition for the Goofballs, who consistently uncover bounce-back players.  Jon Gray struck out ten in his only start for the week.  With the exception of German Marquez, Kyle’s starters struggled to throw many innings.  Fortunately for the Thunderwolves, they managed to take strikeouts anyway and won saves behind a nice week from Kirby Yates.  Eventually the Goofballs’ overall quality won the day, and Kevin secured another season opening win.  Kyle showed some improvement on offense, and will need to have better starting pitching to contend in the future.

CP Legion vs.  SM Lasershow

The week’s final match saw the Legion edge out the Lasershow.  Both teams struggled with pitching and posted two of the top three worst ERAs in the league, along with the worst two WHIP figures.  Both teams struggled to get quality starts and saves, but the Legion were able to take the rate stats thanks to good weeks from lesser names like Tyler Glassnow.  Robbie Ray struggled with ERA but did average a strikeout per inning.   Sean had a great week from Kyle Freeland who struck out 15 in 11.2 IP.  This easily secured strikeouts.  However, meltdowns from Zack Godley and Rick Porcello sealed other categories for the Legion.

The Legion were more consistent on offense.  Paul Goldschmidt added four home runs in part-time duty.  Willson Contreras added three of his own.  Christian Yelich did all he could for the Lasershow with five home runs and 11 RBI for the week.  It wasn’t enough, though, and the Legion won all the categories but steals.  This total gave the Legion a solid win to open the year.

Next Week

Week 02 features two good match-ups.  The Possums will try to rebound against the Goofballs, who want to build on a Week 01 victory.  Both the Legion and Armadillos will try to stay unbeaten in their early-season meeting.  Both the Lasershow and Thunderwolves will try to get things rolling and earn their first wins.  Finally, the PhoeGnomes face another tough team when they battle the Lannisters.

 

2019-08-01
LK Hyun-Jin Ryu
LK Noah Syndergaard
– for –
CP 2020 Round #02 Pick
CP 2020 Round #04 Pick
CP 2020 Round #06 Pick
CP 2020 Round #08 Pick
CP 2021 Round #03 Pick
CP 2021 Round #09 Pick

2019-08-01
LK Craig Kimbrel
– for –
KG 2020 Round #02 Pick

2019-06-05
LK Max Fried
LK Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
– for –
SM 2020 Round #09 Pick
SM 2020 Round #14 Pick

2019-03-23
HP Yoan Moncada
HP Nick Castellanos
HP 2020 Round #01 Pick
– for –
CP Cody Bellinger

2019-03-09
SM 2020 Round #04 Pick
– for – 
KG David Price

2018-11-18
HP Nolan Arenado
HP Wilson Contreras
– for –
CP Ken Giles
CP Yoan Moncada
CP Blake Snell
CP 2019 Round #01 Pick
CP 2020 Round #01 Pick

2019-02-12
JK 2019 Pick
– for –
CP 2019 Pick
Both owners know the terms of the trade.  The trade automatically occurs if certain conditions are met.

Note:  Trade was not triggered.

The 2018 season reached its conclusion and a new champion was crowned.  After twenty five weeks of play, the Armadillos captured the title by the slimmest of margins.  The victory erases the pain of 2017 and ends the Lannisters’ three year reign on top.  The Armadillos’ path to victory was dramatic and left the Possums heartbroken.  Rick finished in second place after an outstanding season.  The Lannisters ended up in third place, but the margin between the top three teams was the closest in league history.

RK Possums (16-5-3) vs.  HP PhoeGnomes (5-17-2)

Entering the week both the Possums and Armadillos could clinch a share of the title with a win.  Rick faced the PhoeGnomes, and seemed to be a clear favorite.  Heather was at the bottom of the league and Rick’s pitching neutralized Heather’s biggest strength.  Both teams started slowly but as the week progressed, the Possums appeared to have the advantage.  They were close in all of the hitting categories and had steals locked down.  They also had a good lead in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts.  Rick had our starters lined up for Saturday, and the group delivered good performances.  Justin Verlander struck out ten over six innings.  Miles Mikolas didn’t allow an earned run over eight innings.  Anibal Sanchez was strong and didn’t allow a run.  Corey Kluber was marginal, but not a disaster.  The Possums only picked up one win despite these solid starts.

The PhoeGnomes got a good start from Steven Matz, but Trevor Cahill picked up an unlikely victory after entering a game in the second inning.  (Note:  Cahill was in a starter slot and Heather counted this as one of her starts for the week.)  Aroldis Chapman picked up a save, and Heather tied the critical wins and saves categories.  With no more starters set to go on Sunday, both teams looked to be deadlocked.  Rick had ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts.  The teams were tied in wins.  These two categories would remain tied for the rest of the weekend, and ultimately doom the Possums to a tie for the week.  Sergio Romo had a save for the Possums on the bench on Saturday, but Rick had better options in his starting lineup.  Still, just knowing that the save that would have turned the week existed will haunt the Possums all off-season.

Despite the two tied categories, Rick was optimistic before accounting for hitting.  On Sunday, the Possums rallied around their offense and took an early lead in home runs.  Heather remained in control of RBI and SLG.  However, The Possums only needed a tie in home runs to secure the week.  Cesar Hernandez, Xander Bogaerts, and Charlie Blackmon each had a home run and things looked good for the Possums.  However, Nolan Arenado exploded for the PhoeGnomes and added two home runs of his own.  This flipped the category and earned Heather an implausible tie for the week.  The Possums did everything they could, but Heather’s careful management came through.  The shocking tie left the Possums vulnerable, but the Armadillos still had to win for Rick to lose out on a share of the title.

LK Armadillos (17-6-1) vs.  JK Lannisters (14-4-6)

The Possums’ tie meant that the Armadillos could win the title outright with a victory.  A tie would yield a tie between Larry and Rick, and a Lannister win would cause a tie between the Possums and Lannisters.  With everything on the line, the Armadillos’ offense finally came back to life.  They led the league in home runs, RBI, and SLG.  Trevor Story and Giancarlo Stanton had three home runs each.  Gary Sanchez rallied for two of his own.  The Lannisters were not competitive in power, but they did have the league’s best OBP.  Mookie Betts ended a phenomenal season with a 0.600 OBP for the week.  The offensive onslaught meant that the Lannisters needed a pitching sweep to stay alive.

Jeff’s team responded with excellent performances.  The Lannisters easily led the league in ERA and WHIP.  Jacob deGrom ended his season with a fine start but Stephen Strasburg  (and several other pitchers) struggled to reach many innings pitched.  Jon Lester and Walker Buehler had good starts, but didn’t strike out as many batters as usual.  This left strikeouts as the only category in question.  The Lannisters dominated saves, ERA, and WHIP.  The two teams tied in wins thanks to clutch Sunday starts from both clubs.  Eventually, the week came down to a Craig Kimbrel tune-up outing.  After a disastrous third of an inning earlier in the week, Kimbrel responded and struck out three batters.  This was enough to win the category by one strikeout and claim the title for the Armadillos.  The loss dropped the Lannisters to third place and also knocked the Possums into second.  The Possums and Lannisters were both within two strikeouts of the championship.

Kimbrel’s effort capped off a stunning final few weeks of the season.  The Lannisters rallied to re-enter the playoff picture only to be denied.  The Possums and Armadillos both suffered shocking upsets.  The Goofballs, Lasershow, Lannisters, Legion, PhoeGnomes, and Thunderwolves all applied relentless pressure to the leaders and forced them to earn every category for weeks at a time.  The Armadillos were able to rally at the right time.  For the Possums, one fewer PhoeGnomes’ home run or two Lannisters’ strikeouts would have earned Rick a share of the title.  The same goes for one more win or save.  Rick’s pitching was the most dominant and consistent the league has seen, but they came up just short at the very end.

After 229 moves and one of the most competitive and stressful seasons in league history, the Armadillos earned the title.  If there is any silver lining for the Possums it is that they have the first pick in the 2019 draft thanks to a draft-day trade last year.  They also have several other picks due in various rounds.  Rick should be able to add some impact players and remain competitive.

SM Lasershow (7-12-6) vs.  KK Thunderwolves (9-14-1)

The Lasershow finished their season with a tie against the Thunderwolves.  Kyle hoped to win ten matches for the first time in several seasons but he came up short against Sean’s improved club.  Both teams were competitive forces this season and each has reason to be optimistic for the future.  Each team has a ways to go to compete with the League’s elite, but they are trending in the right direction.

KG Capital City Goofballs (5-14-5) vs.  CP Legion (9-10-5)

The Legion ended their season with a victory over the Goofballs.  Chris made it back to 0.500 after a slow start and played a key role in the spectacular end of the season.  The Goofballs are happy to put 2018 behind them and start preparing for the draft.   With the second overall pick, Kevin will have a variety of interesting ways to go.  Chris ends the year in fourth place and will evaluate what he needs to do to re-enter the league’s elite

Final Thoughts

Thanks to everyone for making this a great season.  This was the closest and most competitive end to the season ever.  Congratulations to the Armadillos for winning the title, and to the Possums for pushing them to the absolute brink.  The rosters will remain open for the next couple of weeks, so if there are any players you want to add, feel free to do so.  I’m going to send out an email with some rules questions and clean-up, then it will be time to think about freezes and preparing for the 2019 season!

Two stunning upsets have left the league’s standings in chaos entering the final week.  Both the Lasershow and Legion shocked the Possums and Armadillos with robust performances.

CP Legion (8-10-5) vs.  RK Possums (16-4-3)

The week’s closest match saw the Possums lose a heartbreaking 5-4-1 decisions to the Legion. Chris relied on good hitting and solid pitching to win by the thinnest possible margin.  Blake Snell probably clinched the Cy Young award with two strong starts.  He did not allow an earned run and struck out 16 in 11.2 innings pitched.  He also earned two wins.  Hyun-Jin Ryu had a clutch win on Sunday to tie the hotly-contested wins category.  Rick dominated strikeouts and WHIP, but Chris had the better ERA.  Both teams pitched the same number of innings, but Chris had one extra save.  Both of these small differences shifted the week late, and the Possums were not able to counter on offense despite leading the league in steals.  Chris delivered the Possums just their fifth loss of the season.

LK Armadillos (17-5-1) vs.  SM Lasershow (6-12-5)

The Possums’ loss gave the Armadillos a chance to eliminate the Lannisters and guarantee themselves at least a share of the title with a victory.  Unfortunately for Larry, the improved Lasershow had other ideas.  Sean led the league in OBP and SLG thanks to great weeks from Christian Yelich and Tommy Pham.  The pair combined for three home runs and two steals.  Kyle Freeland had a pair of nice starts as well.  The Armadillos were not competitive after a series of injuries and offensive slumps.  The Armadillos deployed an absurdly high number of position players (25) and pitchers (12).  This means that only three players on the roster didn’t see action (though the number is higher in reality since some of these players were added and cut within the week).  The Armadillos tried everything they could to get good match-ups, but they couldn’t counter the Lasershow.  Sean’s team has shown a great deal of improvement late in the season.

JK Lannisters (13-4-6) vs.  HP PhoeGnomes (5-16-2)

The Lannisters took care of business with a strong performance against the PhoeGnomes.  The Lannisters led the league in home runs and RBI.  Mike Trout contributed four home runs and Manny Machado was hot for the week.  On pitching the PhoeGnomes were never competitive after bad starts form key rotation members.  The dominant win kept the Lannisters alive to the final week.  The loss also dooms the PhoeGnomes to last place, but Heather still has a chance to end the season on a high note versus the Possums

KK Thunderwolves (9-13-1) vs.  KG Capital City Goofballs (4-14-5)

Kevin and Kyle had a close match this week that Kevin eventually won.  Kyle Hendricks was the Goofballs’ star of the week with two starts, two wins, and 13 strikeouts.  Will Smith had two saves.  Freddie Freeman was also solid on offense with two home runs.  Kyle had a good week from Wil Myers, but the team faced criticism for not starting “Kevin Kramer” and refusing to trade him to the Lannisters for a package including a “Ricky”, “Jeff”, and “Kyle”.

Standings Chaos

The stunning upsets mean that three teams still have a chance to win the title.  There are nine different outcomes for the Possums and Armadillos.  Since the Lannisters face the Armadillos, their chances correlate to the Armadillos win/loss/tie scenarios.

• Possums Win / Armadillos win

The Possums and Armadillos share the title.  The Possums have the fewest losses but the Armadillos have more wins.  Since the records are not the same, the head-to-head tiebreaker does not apply.

• Possums Win / Lannisters win

The Possums win the title outright.  The Lannisters finish in second.

• Possums Win / Armadillos and Lannisters tie

The Possums win the title outright.  The Armadillos finish in second.

• Possums Lose / Armadillos win

The Armadillos win the title outright.  The Possums finish in second.

• Possums Lose / Lannisters win

The Lannisters win the title outright.  The Possums and Armadillos tie for second.

• Possums Lose / Armadillos and Lannisters tie

The Armadillos win the title outright.  The Lannisters and Possums tie for second.

• Possums Tie / Armadillos win

The Armadillos win the title outright.  The Possums finish in second.

• Possums Tie / Armadillos and Lannisters tie

The Possums and Armadillos share the title.

• Possums tie / Lannisters win

The Possums and Lannisters share the title.  The teams would have different records, so the head-to-head tie-breaker does not apply.

There are several interesting things to note here.  The Armadillos will end the year with at least a tie for the most wins.  The Lannisters will at least tie for the fewest losses.  Each team has a way to win the title outright:

• Rick: Possums win and Armadillos lose or tie
• Larry: Armadillos win and Possums lose or tie + Armadillos tie and Possums lose
• Jeff: Lannisters win and Possums lose

Rick and Larry will tie if both teams win or both teams tie, but not if both teams lose since the Lannisters would then win.  Rick and Jeff can tie if the Possums tie and the Lannisters win.  In both cases, Rick owns the in-season head-to-head tie-breaker, but the teams’ records are not the same so they don’t come into play for the official results (although the ESPN site still uses them to sort the rankings).  The shared titles are most likely if the Possums tie, because either the Lannisters or Armadillos could then force a tie.

The Possums appear to have the easier path since they play the last-place PhoeGnomes.  However, Heather will not end the year without a fight.  The Armadillos face a much more perilous task since the Lannisters have been so difficult to beat this year.  Jeff’s team has more ties plus wins (20) than any other team (Rick is second with 19).  The week is also challenging because teams rest starters and position players during the playoff reset period.  The Possums and Armadillos may regret not voting to end the season after Week 24 if some of the exotic outcomes happen.

The rest of the standings are almost set.  The Legion will end the year in fourth place after their heroic effort against the Possums.  The win is another legendary moment for the Legion, who always seem to be in the middle of something.  Kevin avoided last place but will have to live with seventh.  Heather will finish last, but can still try to knock of the Possums and debate draft picks.  The Lasershow and Thunderwolves are tied for fifth, and Sean could end his year on a high note.  Kyle could double his win total from last year and reach at least ten wins for the first time since 2015.  There’s at least a small something at stake in every match, so make the final week count!

 

KK Thunderwolves (9-12-1) vs.  RK Possums (15-4-3)

The Possums needed a win to retain a share of first place.  The Thunderwolves declared their intention to challenge the leaders, and followed through with a good effort.  Rick’s totals were too much, but the match was closer than the score indicated.  Neither team posted good offensive numbers.  Going into Sunday Rick had a lead in steals, but Kyle was close in the other four categories.  Rick had a mini-surge that was good enough to sweep all five categories.  Khris Davis and Joey Gallo each had two home runs.  Xander Bogaerts and Mallex Smith added two steals.  Kyle didn’t have any players with multiple home runs and only three players with more than 10 at-bats with a SLG over 0.500.

Rick had an okay week for pitching, but the totals weren’t great.  Max Scherzer and Corey Kluber struggled in their two starts.  J.A. Happ was solid, though, and Anibal Sanchez had a nice start.  Kyle had room to pick up some categories, but he was doomed by a terrible relief appearance.  Trevor Hildenberger had a 135.00 ERA and 15.00 WHIP for the week after a dreadful third of an inning.  Rick picked up strikeouts, saves, and wins, along with the rate categories.  Although the final score was 10-0, things could have turned out differently for the Thunderwolves if they had a little better luck.  For his part, Rick was able to survive a down week and get a win when he needed one.

KG Capital City Goofballs (4-13-5) vs.  LK Armadillos (16-5-1)

The Armadillos matched the Possums with a workmanlike win against the Goofballs.  Much like the Possums, the Armadillos didn’t have their best numbers but did enough to win.  The Armadillos had a good week from Trevor Story and Robinson Cano, but Kevin countered with a great outing from Juan Soto.  He had four home runs, three steals, and eight RBI.  This was enough to give Kevin wins in SLG and OBP.  Larry took home runs and RBI.

Unfortunately for Kevin, his pitching let him down, just as it has much of the season.  The team didn’t have any spectacular meltdowns but also just one good start from Masahiro Tanaka.  The Armadillos countered with a great start from Mike Foltynewicz.  Craig Kimbrel added three saves to Jose Leclerc’s two, giving the Armadillos another category.  This was enough for a smooth win.  Neither team posted huge totals, but like the Possums, the Armadillos did just enough to win and advance.

The win leaves the Possums and Armadillos tied at the top of the league.  Nothing has changed since last week:  The Armadillos have the most wins and the Possums have fewest losses.  This presents and un-breakable tie and the possibility of a split title.  The two wins all but eliminate the Lannisters, who also won.  For the Lannisters to stay in the race, the Possums must lose or tie next week against the Legion.  The Armadillos must lose or tie against the Lasershow.

For the title situation to resolve, either the Possums or Armadillos will need a loss or tie in the final week.  The following scenarios are in play:

1. Both teams win out – the title is split since the Armadillos have an extra win but the Possums have fewer losses (head-to-head does not come into play since the records are different)
2. One team wins out and the other suffers a loss or tie – the winning team wins the title
3. Both teams win one game and lose or tie one game – the title is split, just like in scenario #1
4. The Armadillos tie two games while the Possums win one and lose one – The Possums win the title because the teams will have the same record, and Rick wins the head-to-head tie-breaker.

The Lannisters are technically still in the race, but need at least a draw from both teams to be in play in the final week.  Until this happens, there is no need to analyze the multiple bizarre possibilities.  The update from last week still applies.  However, it is still possible for both the Possums and Armadillos to lose the title outright if they do not win at least one of their final two games.

Next week, the schedule probably favors the Armadillo.  They face the Lasershow.  Rick meets the Legion.  However, Sean’s play late this season has improved and he is more of a threat.  Despite the improved play, the Legion are still the more dangerous team.  Things change in the final week, where the Possums face the PhoeGnomes and the Armadillos meet the Lannisters.

SM Lasershow (6-11-5) vs.  JK Lannisters (12-4-6)

Jeff managed to stay alive with a narrow win against the Lasershow.  The Lannisters had great pitching and put up the best aggregate stat line in the league.  Stephen Strasburg and Jacob deGrom were dominant and Wade Davis and Pedro Stop picked up relief wins along with a save each.  Sean had a nice week from Trevor Williams and Cole Hamels but the Lannisters tied his strikeout totals despite throwing 14.2 fewer innings pitched.

On offense, Sean had the better OBP for the week and piled up steals.  Christian Yelich continued his good season, and Jackie Bradley Jr.  added two steals.  Yelich had two home runs to go alone with his steals.  The Lannisters countered with big weeks from Mike Trout and Manny Machado.  Justin Upton and Cole Calhoun rallied for home runs on Sunday, and the Lannisters led the league in the category.  The unexpected boost also gave the Lannisters the edge in SLG.  Flipping this category kept the team’s hopes alive for one more week.  Sean posted good numbers, and his improved play should not be overlooked.

CP Legion (7-10-5) vs.  HP PhoeGnomes (5-15-2)

The week’s final match saw the Legion take care of business against the PhoeGnomes.  Chris posted the best offensive numbers across the board.  He led the league in steals and SLG and was second in home runs and OBP.  Michael Conforto, Jurickson Profar, and Adalberto Mondesi each had two home runs.  Mondesi added five steals and posted a 0.645 SLG for the week.  Mondesi’s speed and power have caused many owners to take notice of the young player’s abilities.  Heather got nice weeks from Nolan Arenado and Matt Olson, but it wasn’t enough to match the Legion.

Heather put up nice pitching numbers in an effort to come back.  Jhoulys Chacin had two good starts, but Chris Sale was limited to just 4.0 innings pitched.  Mike Clevinger had a good start, but Heather suffered from throwing too few innings.  The Legion were a little more efficient and had more saves.  Chris was able to win the categories he needed to get the win.

Next Week

The league is essentially set up in three tiers.  The title will be decided between the Possums and Armadillos, with the Lannisters on the fringe.  In the middle of the pack, the Legion, Thunderwolves, and Lasershow are all within two games of each other.  At the bottom, the PhoeGnomes and Goofballs are separated by just half a game.

The Armadillos meet the Lasershow while the Possums face the Legion.  Both teams will look to spoil the title chances of the leaders.  The Lannisters face the PhoeGnomes in a game they must win or tie to stay in contention.  Finally, the Goofballs and Thunderwolves meet.  Kyle can maintain his hold on the middle ground while the Goofballs are desperate to finish out of last place.

RK Possums (14-4-3) vs.  LK Armadillos (16-4-1)

The week’s most important match saw the Armadillos meet the Possums with a chance to all but clinch the title.  However, the Possums were just a game behind and could enter a tie with a victory.  Despite a good start from the Armadillos, the Possums were able to take control of the match late in the week and earn a solid victory.  This has unleased chaos on the standings and spawned questions about tie-breakers, scenarios, and the exactly what the ESPN site displays.

Before getting into the standings, the Possums deserve credit for a gritty win.  The Armadillos started out hot with good offensive and pitching stats.  Rick suffered a series of meltdowns early and was out of the running in ERA from the start.    However, his bad starts were short and this allowed him to remain competitive in WHIP thanks to some good starts later, along with decent bullpen work.  Max Scherzer had up and down games, and Michael Kopech injured himself.  J.A. Happ Corey Kluber came to the rescue with good outings.  Meanwhile, the Armadillos piled up strikeouts and saves.  As noted before, they won ERA without much opposition.  Carlos Carrasco was stellar with 14 strikeouts and one earned run in his start.  Spot starters like CC Sabathia were okay, but didn’t pick up wins and hurt WHIP.  This left Larry with a 3-1-1 advantage.  In most weeks, this would be a problem for Rick because his pitching is the team’s strength.

Both teams enjoyed offensive success at the top of their lineups.  Trevor Story exploded for five home runs and Alex Bregman added three more.  The rest of the Armadillos struggled for most of the week, though, and the team needed much better performance from its role players.  Rick had a three home run week from Charlie Blackmon but no other player had more than one.  He still tied the Armadillos because he had nine other players with a home run.  Spot starters like free agent pick-up Jason Kipnis added home runs and RBI in bunches.  Rick took RBI with ease and won steals thanks to a monster four-steal week from Mallex Smith.  The Possums also won SLG and OBP without much trouble.  This was enough for a 5-3-2 win.

The win has created anarchy in the standings.  The Armadillos have the most wins in the league but have lost three of four against the Possums.  The Possums and Lannisters have the fewest losses in the league.  Larry has two fewer ties than Rick, and thus one more win along with one more loss.  If you treat the Possums’ two extra ties as a win, they are in a true tie with the Armadillos.  If you value outright wins more, then the Armadillos are in the lead.  Leaving aside both of these facts, the Possums won the head-to-head tiebreaker.  In the past, this has come into play when teams have exactly the same record.  However, that’s not the case this year since the Armadillos currently have the extra win.

The win also resurrects the Lannisters’ slim chances of entering the mix.  Jeff is now 1.5 games behind both teams with one to play against the Armadillos.  If Rick stumbles and the Armadillos suffer a tie or worse in the next two games, the end result would be catastrophic.  The same situation would arise in reverse if the Lannisters snuck into the tie, because Jeff would have fewer losses and more ties than the Possums!  The Lannisters could finish at 15-4-6.  Rick’s best tied finish would be 16-5-4.  Do you value the avoidance of losses or the capture of wins?  The Armadillos could end the year 17-6-2, also leaving them in a “tie” with both teams.  This nightmare three-team scenario is unlikely but within the realm of possibility.  If either team loses two of the last three, the Lannisters could possibly win the title outright with the same or fewer wins than either other team has right now!

The ESPN site only adds to the confusion.  Right now, the site lists the Possums and Armadillo as having 0.750 winning percentages.  This comes from converting ties to wins – 16.5 “wins” for each team in 22 weeks.  This ignores the idea that two ties versus one win isn’t necessarily equivalent.  Again, do you value loss avoidance or playing for the win?  Is a win and a loss really comparable to two ties?  Should the Lannisters get credit for three whole wins thanks to their six ties?  The Possums have three more actual wins than the Lannisters.  Should that count for something?

The three-team scenario is highly unlikely to come to pass.  However, the specter of a tie at the top of the standings is very real.  The best hope is that one of the top two teams loses or ties and renders the problem irrelevant.  However, if the Possums are the team to lose, this boosts the Lannisters chances of sneaking into the mix since they have one more head-to-head against the Armadillos in the last week of the season.  Jeff has a soft schedule with matches against the PhoeGnomes and Lasershow, so it’s very possible he could win out.  This week, the Armadillos and Possums face the Goofballs and Thunderwolves respectively.  Kyle’s team has played well this year and the Goofballs will never give up.  In week 24, Larry faces Sean while Rick battles Chris.  The Lannisters’ best hope is for a tie from either Kevin or Sean plus a Possums loss against Chris or Kyle paired with a tie somewhere, possibly in the crazy last week versus the PhoeGnomes.

The Armadillos and Possums can both eliminate the Lannisters by winning at least two more weeks.  It’s likely that the final winner will need to either win out or at least avoid a loss.  Rick probably has the edge if he can survive his week against the Legion.  However, losses or ties will be devastating to either team.  The final three weeks promise to be chaotic.  There is no margin for error from either of the two leaders.  Rick managed to get back in the race with his win, but the hard work is far from other.  The Armadillos will seek redemption and hope to avoid a split title.

JK Lannisters (11-4-6) vs.  KG Capital City Goofballs (4-12-5)

The Lannisters won a dominant week against the Goofballs thanks to a two home run and 12 walk week from Bryce Harper.  Despite struggles from Rich Hill and Carlos Rodon, the pitching staff did enough to capture all five categories.  The Goofballs had a nice week from Randal Grichuk, but pitching issues from Dylan Bundy and Brad Boxberger left the team in a deep hole.  The Lannisters’ win keeps them on the fringe of contention.

CP Legion (7-9-5)  vs.  KK Thunderwolves (8-12-1)

Kyle won a solid week against the Legion.  Adrian Beltre supplied three home runs and Rhys Hoskins added another trio.  Chris enjoyed nice weeks from Michael Conforto and Paul Goldschmidt.  It wasn’t enough to overcome Kyle’s good pitching.  German Marquez threw a great game and had 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched.  Kyle cruised to a 7-2-1 win.

HP PhoeGnomes (5-14-2) vs.  SM Lasershow (5-11-5)

The week’s final match saw the Lasershow continue to display a solid all-around attack.  The team explode on offense and led the league in home runs by a wide margin.  They also won SLG comfortably.  Leading the way was Francisco Lindor – he had five home runs, along with three from Scooter Gennett and Johan Camargo.  Sean’s team has improved a lot this year.  They have shown an ability to at least be competitive each week.  When things click, they are capable of pulling out big wins like this.

Next Week

The hunt for the title continues as the Possums face the Thunderwolves.  The Armadillos meet the Goofballs.  Larry has the advantage this week with Kyle’s recent good play.  Jeff faces Sean and can’t look past the Lasershow – they must win to stay in the hunt.  Finally, Chris and Heather meet in their final grudge match of the year.

CP Legion (7-8-5) vs.  LK Armadillos (15-4-1)

With only two teams left in contention, two battles took center stage for the week.   The first contest paired the Armadillos and Legion.  The two bitter rivals have run on different paths this season.  The Armadillos entered tied for first place while the Legion have run in the middle of the pack. This week saw the Armadillos move into first place with a decisive victory.  The team had the best two-way week of any team.  On offense, Larry led the league in RBI, tied for first in home runs, and was second in SLG.  Tyler White had a monster week with three home runs and 10 RBI.  Alex Bregman was close behind with three home runs and nine RBI.  The Astros’ performance has to sting for the Legion.  Chris tried to counter with a nice week from Michael Conforto, but the Legion’s highest RBI total was just four.  Jose Ramirez had a steal, and it was enough for Chris to take the category.  However, the team was not competitive in any other offensive stat.  Larry took a 4-1 lead into pitching.

The Legion had good saves and strikeout totals.  The team finished in second place for the league in each.  Luis Severino had 10 strikeouts in just 6.0 innings pitched.  Lucas Giolito and Robbie Ray were also strong in their single starts.  Unfortunately, Jared Hughes has a disastrous relief appearance and Sean Newcomb struggled in his start.  This left the Legion with a poor ERA and WHIP.  The Armadillos threw about the same number of innings but had more success picking up wins.  The team also had the better ERA and WHIP thanks to a dominant week from Carlos Carrasco.  Carrasco struck out 11, allowed just six baserunners, and didn’t allow a run in his start.  This was more than enough for the Armadillos to win the two rate categories and pick up an easy win for the week.  Although the score was close up through the weekend, the outcome was never truly in doubt thanks to the pitching performance.  The win kept the Armadillos in first place, pending the results of the Lannisters /  Possums battle.

RK Possums (14-3-3) vs.  JK Lannisters (10-4-6)

After a frustrating season, the Lannisters finally saw success against the Possums.  The Lannisters relied on a strong offensive attack paired with decent pitching to earn a win and cost the Possums a share of the lead.  Five different Lannisters had two home runs for the week.  Manny Machado led the team in RBI with six.  Michael Brantley added two steals in part time work.  The Possums enjoyed a three home run week from Aaron Hicks and Eugenio Suarez had six RBI.  Jonathan Villar had three steals and Rick easily won the category.  However, the team struggled to find much power.  Suarez and Hicks were the only Possums’ regulars with a SLG over 0.425.  In contrast, the Lannisters had five regulars with higher SLGs.  The Lannisters took four categories with relative ease.

On pitching, the Possums suffered through a rare down week.  Outside of Corey Kluber, no pitcher threw more than 5.1 innings.  Mike Fiers, Rick Porcello, and even Max Scherzer had terrible starts and the aggregate team ERA was 4.50.  The Lannisters threw fewer innings but had a good start from Jacob deGrom.  The bullpen was outstanding and did not allow an earned run.  The Lannisters took wins and the rate stats and coasted to a surprisingly easy victory against the league’s top team.  The down week came at a bad time for the Possums, but the team can rebound.  The Possums and Armadillos meet in the biggest week of the season next.  There is more analysis of this match below.

KG Capital City Goofballs (4-12-4) vs.  SM Lasershow (5-11-4)

Kevin’s sad season continued with yet another tie against the Lasershow.  Kevin had great offensive numbers, probably the best in the league.  However, Sean put up the best pitching for the week.  This led to a deadlocked 4-4-2 tie.  Sean’s pitching led the league in strikeouts and ERA.  It was third in WHIP and tied for first in wins.  Eduardo Rodriguez had a great start with 12 strikeouts over 5.2 innings.  Cole Hamels and Zach Wheeler were also solid.  Kevin struggled in rate stats but found two relief victories and managed a tie in wins.  The two teams’ bullpens both struggled and tied in saves.  Overall, Sean took three categories and tied the other two.

On offense, the roles were reversed.  Kevin had a great week Anthony Rizzo and a host of other players.  Only two goofballs had SLGs under 0.450 and three were over 0.690.  Ian Desmond had two steals.  The Lasershow weren’t competitive in the rate stats thanks to the Goofballs’ power.  However, the Lasershow ran wild and led the league in steals.  Francisco Lindor had three for himself and five other players had at least one steal.  This was enough for Sean to win the category and secure the tie for the week.  Both teams were close to the win, and the Lasershow have shown some improved play in recent weeks.  The Goofballs’ bullpen bailed out the team.  Both teams could be dangerous for the league leaders down the stretch.

KK Thunderwolves (7-12-1) vs.  HP PhoeGnomes (5-13-2)

The week’s final match saw the Thunderwolves come alive against the PhoeGnomes.  Kyle posted great numbers on both sides of the ball.  His offense tied for the league lead in home runs and RBI.  He was also near the top in SLG.  Gleyber Torres was the best of the Thunderwolves.  He had three home runs, 10 RBI, and a 0.947 SLG.  Eight other Thunderwolves’ players also had home runs.  Heather enjoyed a nice week from Ronald Acuna, but he had little backup.  Kyle swept all five categories.

On pitching, Kyle also displayed strong stats.  He was near the top in strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP.  Clay Bucholz was dominant in two starts and Aaron Nola struck out 19 over 12.2 innings pitched.  German Marquez had a great start and the bullpen was solid.  Heather didn’t have a chance after a Bud Norris injury and a disastrous Jake Arrieta outing.  Heather tied wins and saves, but Kyle’s overall body of work was too much.  The Thunderwolves improved on their respectable record and have shown real progress lately.  The PhoeGnomes are still searching for answers.

Next Week

Next week features only one match that matters for the standings.  The Armadillos and Possums meet in a massive battle for first place.  Right now, the Armadillos are in the lead by one game.  If the Armadillos win, they will be two games up with three to play.  If the Possums win, they will be tied in the standings but own a 3-1 head-to-head advantage and thus claim the tie-breaker for the title.  A tied leaves the Possums with the tie-breaker edge 2-1-1, but still one game back.

Both teams have equal final schedules.  The Armadillos face the Goofballs and Lasershow, against whom they are heavy favorites.  Meanwhile, the Possums face the Thunderwolves and Legion.  The Possums are still favored, but Chris and Kyle have played closer to the middle of the pack and are more of a threat.  The Armadillos have the advantage here.

However, the final week sees the Possums face the PhoeGnomes and the Armadillos face the Lannisters.  This match is heavily skewed toward Rick, since the Lannisters are still dangerous despite their injuries.  If the Armadillos and Possums are tied after this week, with Rick holding the tie-breaker, they probably have an advantage the rest of the way.  However, if the Armadillos win, they can almost guarantee themselves at least a share of the title.  Everything is one line!

SM Lasershow (5-10-4) vs.  RK Possums (13-3-3)

The Possums were able to hold off a game Lasershow squad to remain tied for first place.  Sean tried to battle Rick on the Possum’s own strengths.  Sean dominated ERA and WHIP with impressive totals that led the league in a week with lots of good pitching.  Zach Wheeler picked up a win and struck out 14 over 14.0 innings pitched.  He had an ERA of just 0.64.  Despite this great performance, Rick countered with a few more innings pitched and more strikeout efficiency.  The Possums easily won strikeouts and wins, and took saves with the Lasershow were blanked.  The Possums took three categories despite Sean’s best efforts.

On offense, Sean put up another good fight but couldn’t quite match the league leaders.  Travis Shaw and Salvador Perez had two home runs, but the Possums countered with three homers from Khris Davis and two each from Xander Bogaerts, Eugenio Suarez, and Joey Gallo.  This tied Rick for the league lead in the category.  Sean had a good RBI total, but Rick had the edge here as well.  The Possums also had more steals and the better rate stats.  This resulted in a strong 8-2 win for Rick, but the Lasershow put up a good fight.

LK Armadillos (14-4-1) vs.  KK Thunderwolves (7-11-1)

The closest match of the week featured the Armadillos and the Thunderwolves.  Kyle’s team has been improving lately and held the lead for most of the week.  His offense was on fire.  Dansby Swanson had three home runs and eight other players had at least one.  This helped Kyle tie for the league lead in the category.  He also led the league in steals, thanks to two from J.T. Realmuto and several other players.  The Armadillos didn’t hand an answer for home runs, RBI, and steals.  However, they were more competitive in OBP and SLG.  JD Martinez didn’t have any home runs but he had a 0.560 SLG.  Kendry Morales was on fire with four home runs and a 1.200 SLG.  Nick Castellanos was also strong with a home run and a 0.750 SLG.  It appears that the Armadillos had just enough power to edge out two categories.

Both teams had good pitching.  The Armadillos got a strong start from Clayton Kershaw.  Several other players had strong starts and the bullpen didn’t allow and earned run.  Edwin Diaz had three saves.  Both teams threw about the same number of innings, but Larry had a few more strikeouts.  However, Kyle struck back with five wins including two from Chas Anderson.  Unfortunately for the Thunderwolves, the team’s bullpen let them down.  Cody Allen and Kirby Yates had horrible ERAs.  This gave Larry just enough room to take both rate categories on the week’s final day.  Larry earned a close victory and remains in a tie for first place.  Like the Lasershow, the Thunderwolves put up a strong fight and almost earned the upset.

JK Lannisters (9-4-6) vs.  CP Legion (7-7-5)

The week’s biggest grudge match paired the Lannisters and Legion.  After some down weeks, Jeff’s team finally showed some life and took advantage of a poor Legion offensive effort.  Chris struggled near the bottom of all offensive categories.  Meanwhile, the Lannisters enjoyed a three home run week from Manny Machado.  Daniel Murphy added two more.  Ender Inciarte was strong in a single start.  Chris managed to tie in saves and the Lannisters won RBI by one.  However, this was enough for the Lannisters to take a 4-1 lead.

On pitching, both teams were strong.  The Legion led the league in wins with six.  Blake Snell was especially strong in two starts with 19 strikeouts and two wins.  However, other pitchers like Zach Eflin struggled.  This gave the Lannisters room and they enjoyed good starts across the board.  Rich Hill and Walker Buehler didn’t allow an earned run.  This was just enough to win ERA and WHIP.  Thanks to the strong offensive numbers, the Lannisters coasted to a 6-3-1 win.  Although the Lannisters are likely out of the battle for first, they are not yet giving up.

HP PhoeGnomes (5-12-2) vs.  KG Capital City Goofballs (3-12-4)

The week’s final match saw the Goofballs earn a win against the PhoeGnomes.  Both teams have struggled this year and Kevin was desperate for a victory.  His win stemmed from great pitching.  He had the second best ERA and WHIP in the league thanks to a series of strong starts.  Kyle Hendricks was the best with two starts and a 1.29 ERA.  David Price was excellent and didn’t allow an earned run in his single start.  Kevin easily took wins.  However, Heather was more efficient in fewer innings and took strikeouts.  She also took saves thanks to three from Bud Norris.  This gave Kevin a slim 3-2 lead.

On offense, Kevin was superior in most categories.  Javier Baez led the way with three home runs and eight RBI.  Anthony Rizzo had two, as did Kyle Schwarber.  Five players had steals.  This was enough to win several categories.  Heather was able to take OBP but the power just wasn’t there.  Ronald Acuna Jr. had two home runs and a 0.607 SLG.  Nolan Arenado was solid, but it wasn’t enough.  Kevin took four categories and captures a strong 7-3 win.  While the Goofballs have suffered through a miserable season, Kevin can take some solace in picking up the win here.

Next Week

The week’s biggest match features the Possums and Lannisters.  Rick will have to fight hard to hold on to first place.  The Armadillos turn their attention to the Legion in their quest to advance.  The Lasershow and Goofballs meet, as do the Thunderwolves and PhoeGnomes.

RK Possums (10-3-5) vs.  CP Legion (5-6-5)

The Possums remained in first place with the best all-around performance in the league for Week 17.  Rick led the league in strikeouts, WHIP, and ERA.  He tied for first in wins and saves.  The strong pitching effort was led by Corey Kluber, Justin Verlander, and Miles Mikolas.  The trio was dominant, while Trevor Bauer and Max Scherzer contributed good starts.  The Legion were not competitive in pitching after a down week from Robbie Ray and the continued struggles of Luis Severino.  Carlos Martinez landed on the DL, as did Lance McCullers Jr..  Hector Rondon picked up two saves and Julio Teheran got a win, but that was all of the Legion could offer.  Rick claimed a 5-0 sweep.

The Possums also put up solid offensive numbers.  Joey Gallo and Khris Davis each had three home runs.  Evan Gattis led the team with a 0.733 SLG.  Charlie Blackmon was ineffective, but Didi Gregorious made up for it with a nice two home run week.  The Legion tried to stay close, and led the league in steals.  Jose Ramirez captured three and Cody Bellinger added two more.  The team totaled and incredible nine.  They also posted the better OBP thanks to Ramirez and a good week from Paul Goldschmidt and several role players.  Unfortunately for Chris, the Possums had too much of a lead from pitching and the week’s result was never in doubt.  The Possums cruised to an 8-2 win and remain tied for first place.

HP PhoeGnomes (5-9-2) vs.  JK Lannisters (8-2-6)

After a series of close contests, the Lannisters finally caught a break against the PhoeGnomes.  Jeff’s squad led the league in home runs, OBP, and SLG while finishing second in RBI.  The strong offensive base came from a red-hot Nelson Cruz and Jose Abreu.  The pair combined for seven home runs and 14 RBI.  Asdrubal Cabrera had a good week with two home runs and four RBI.  The multi-position player had a 0.680 SLG for the week.  Abreu led the team with a 1.000 SLG and Bryce Harper came in at 0.857.  Heather had a good week from Joc Pederson, who had three home runs.  She also took steals thanks to four from Trea Tuner.  However, this was the only category in which the PhoeGnomes were competitive and the Lannisters took at 4-1 lead into the pitching categories.

Heather’s pitching was never a factor thanks to a nightmare outing from Steven Matz.  He was injured after just 0.2 innings pitched.  He allowed seven earned runs, had a 94.50 ERA and 13.50 WHIP.  Jhoulys Chacin wasn’t a lot better – he allowed eight earned runs in just 4.1 innings pitched.  His 16.62 ERA, when paired with Matz’s debacle, took heather out of contention for the rate stats.  The Lannisters didn’t have the best pitching, and the bullpen didn’t contribute.  However, Heather’s ERA hole was far too deep, and the Lannsiters held on for a 6-3-1 win that wasn’t as close as the score indicated.  Jeff’s team remains firmly in the hunt for the title despite massive injury woes.

SM Lasershow (4-8-4) vs.  LK Armadillos (11-4-1)

The Armadillos barely held on to beat the Lasershow and remain tied for first place.  Neither team had strong offensive numbers.  Both sides struggled to get their SLG over 0.400.  The Lasershow had more home runs thanks to two each from Travis Shaw and Christian Yelich.  Yelich had 12 total hits and a 0.723 SLG.  The Armadillos countered with a big week from Trevor Story, who had three home runs and 10 RBI.  Five different Armadillos had a steal.  This led to a relative split – Sean took three categories to the Armadillos’ two.

The Lasershow had decent pitching and easily beat the Armadillos in ERA.  However, Larry’s team threw more innings and had better strikeouts and saves totals.  Derek Rodriguez was the only player on the Armadillos to throw more than six innings in his start.  Jack Flaherty and Luke Weather were atrocious in two starts, but their low innings totals helped the Armadillos fight back in WHIP.  Sean’s fewer innings pitched meant that his relievers had more influence on WHIP, and a handful of bad outings (including one on Sunday) flipped the critical category.  The Armadillos escaped with a narrow win and maintain their dreams of another title.

KG Capital City Goofballs (3-9-4) vs.  KK Thunderwolves (5-10-1)

The week’s final match was for pride, as the two teams were both at the bottom of the standings.  The Thunderwolves rose to the occasion and dominated the Goofballs to stay out of last place.  In fact, the Thunderwolves posted the second-best week behind the Possums thanks to their strong pitching.  Aaron Nola and James Paxton were great in four total starts.  They threw 28.0 innings pitched, struck out 23, and had a combined 1.93 ERA.  Vince Velasquez had a nice start as well.  The Goofballs weren’t competitive after a Tyler Skaggs implosion.  However, Kevin’s team was more efficient and racked up strikeouts despite giving up more runs.  They also earned more wins, though two of them came from bullpen arms.  This caused a 2-2-1 tie before counting batting.

Kyle put up the best offensive numbers besides the Lannsiters.  He led the league in RBI, was second in SLG, and near the top in home runs and OBP.  The key was Rougned Odor, who had four home runs and 10 RBI.  He had a 0.520 OBP and 1.053 SLG for the week.  Rhys Hoskins had a strong week, and Shin-Soo Choo added two home runs.  Kevin got a big week from Javier Baez, but it wasn’t enough.  Kyle dominated up and down the lineup and took all five categories.  The win keeps Kyle out of last place, and continues the Goofballs’ 2018 misery.  The win shifts Kyle all the way into fifth place, just a game behind the Legion for fourth.  Kevin is now a full game behind both the PhoeGnomes and Lasershow in the quest to stay out of the league’s basement.

Next Week

Week 18 had one monster contest – the Lannisters and Armadillos meet in what is almost a must-win for the Lannisters.  The Possums take on the PhoeGnomes, who struggled mightily last week and have something to prove.  The Legion hope to stay in the first division and battle the fading Goofballs.  Finally, the Thunderwolves hope they can stay hot against the Lasershow.  Both teams have shown improved play lately, and this could be an interesting match.

RK Possums (9-3-3) vs.  KK Thunderwolves (5-9-1)

The Possums remained in a tie for first place thanks to a dominant showing against the Thunderwolves.  Rick had the second best overall showing for the week.  He had good numbers on both offense and pitching.  The Possums were near the top of the league in home runs, RBI, and SLG.  Khris Davis feasted on bad Ranger pitching with five home runs and 13 RBI.  He led the team with a 0.774 SLG.  Eugenio Suarez was close behind with another five home runs and nine RBI.  The team didn’t record a stolen base, and Kyle captured this category with a league-leading eight steals, five of which came from Whit Merrifield.  Rhys Hoskins had a great week, too.  He hit five home runs and had nine RBI.  This secured the category for the Thunderwolves.  Kyle was close in OBP, but Rick held him off and took a 3-2 lead.

On pitching, the Possums continued their solid overall production.  They led the league in wins and WHIP thanks to gems from Matt Scherzer and Trevor Bauer.  The pair struck out 21 in 15.0 innings pitched.  Neither allowed a run and they totaled for just eight baserunners.  This gave the Possums the foundation they needed.  Marco Gonzales and Justin Verlander added serviceable starts and the team nailed down all of the categories they needed for a victory.  Kyle never had a chance after implosions from Nick Kingham and Felix Hernandez.  Rick earned a safe 8-2 win and continued his quest to wrestle the title away from the Lannisters.

LK Armadillos (10-4-1) vs.  KG Capital City Goofballs (3-8-4)

The Armadillos also got the job done with relative ease against the Goofballs, but the result was closer than that of the Possums/Thunderwolves match.  The Armadillos took four of five offensive categories, and none of them were in doubt.  J.D. Martinez had three home runs (and one other that was removed after a postponement).  Alex Bregman and Matt Chapman added two more each.  Stephen Piscotty was strong in part-time duty with a 0.600 SLG.  By contrast, the Goofballs struggled to get anything going on offense.  Brian Dozier had a couple of steals and Kevin won the category, but he found himself in a 4-1 hole before accounting for pitching.

Neither team had good pitching stats.  Injuries have certainly played a part in both teams’ problems, and the ugly results were on display here.  The Armadillos bullpen was able to come through with five saves, but with terrible peripherals.  Craig Kimbrel had an 8.10 ERA along with two saves.  Kevin managed more wins, but they were the only three starts that were any good from his starters.  Several others bombed, and the bullpen also blew up.  The Armadillos were more efficient and had more strikeouts, but neither team had a good ERA.  WHIP also went to the Armadillos.  Kevin had a chance on pitching, but couldn’t get the one or two starts he needed to make the overall match competitive.  The Armadillos are still in a tie for first place, and the Goofballs’ nightmare 2018 continues as they sit a half game behind the Thunderwolves in sole possession of last place.

JK Lannisters (8-2-5) vs.  SM Lasershow (4-8-3)

The Lasershow enjoyed their best stats of 2018 but only managed a tie against the resourceful Lannisters.  Sean had some of the best pitching numbers in the league.  He led the league in ERA and was second in wins.  Trevor Williams and Kyle Freeland were excellent, and did not allow a run in either of their starts.  However, the Lasershow made a strategic decision to start only five pitchers.  This basically forfeited strikeouts to the Lannisters.  Jeff enjoyed clutch Sunday performances from stopgaps Nate Eovaldi and Carlos Rodon.  The pair were sharp and decreased the Lannisters’ WHIP dramatically.  Despite leading for most of the week, Sean lost the category and the Lannsiters narrowly took three pitching categories.  This was critical given the Lasershow’s offensive explosion.

Sean got a monster four home run, eight RBI week from Salvador Perez.  He also got three home runs and 10 RBI from Christian Yelich.  David Peralta was the only Lasershow batter with more than eight at-bats who had a SLG under 0.450.  Sean led the league in home runs, RBI, and SLG.  The Lannisters tried their best to keep up, and led the league in ERA while finishing second in SLG.  They were also tied for second in steals.  Mike Trout was on fire with three home runs, four steals, and seven RBI.  Jose Abreu emerged from a slump with three home runs.  On most weeks, this would have been enough for a win.  The Lasershow were able to win SLG by a small margin after a strong Sunday from Scooter Gennett.

The tie is a good result for the Lasershow against the Lannisters, but Sean has to be somewhat disappointed in the swing in WHIP that cost him the outright win.  The Lannisters once again withstood a monstrous effort and avoided the loss.  With head-to-head battles against both the Possums and Armadillos looming, the tie is almost as good as a win for standings purposes.  The three teams are still almost deadlocked with multiple meetings that will decide the title.

HP PhoeGnomes (5-8-2) vs.  CP Legion (4-6-5)

The week’s final match saw the Legion win an ugly battle against the PhoeGnomes.  Heather’s offense was ice cold with low RBI and steal totals.  The Legion posted solid numbers across the board.  Yasmani Grandal provided great value with four home runs.  Michael Conforto and Paul Goldschmidt each had two home runs of their own.  Adalberto Mondesi had three steals, as did Jose Ramirez.  Chris cleared and easy five category sweep.

Neither team had good pitching stats and both team’s rate numbers were at the bottom of the league.  The list of struggles is a long one for each team.  Shane Bieber, Ross Stripling, and Junior Guerra imploded for the PhoeGnomes.  They undid the good work for Chris Sale, Madison Bumgarner, and Jhoulys Chacin.  These three pitchers allowed just three total runs in their three starts.  The fact that the PhoeGnomes’ team ERA was well over 5.00 shows how bad the others were.  Robbie Ray and Sean Newcomb also allowed only three runs in three starts for the Legion.  Their work was wasted by traumatic outings from Luis Severino, Nick Pivetta, and others.  Heather did manage to win saves, but Chris’s offensives sweep gave him enough cushion to win the battle despite poor pitching.

Next Week

The Lasershow hope to continue their hot streak against the Armadillos.  The week’s most interesting battle pits the Possums against the Legion.  Chris has the type of team that can give Rick trouble.  The Lannisters meet the slumping PhoeGnomes.  Finally, the Goofballs have a chance to climb out of the league’s dungeon against the Thunderwolves.  Kyle’s team has shown improvement this year, and neither team wants to suffer the pain of last place.