Season 4 Recap

Archers not stopped, but temporarily contained

Last season we posed the question of whether or not there was a dynasty being formed in St. Louis. This year, I don't think there's any doubt about it: "the d word" is definitely in play...they've been to each of the first four World Series in Hardball Stitches history. Let us not forget, however: the title did not return to the city of arches. Instead, it travelled northward to the Queen City of the Prarie thanks to their Mud Dogs after they took down St. Louis in an entertaining World Series matchup. Now let's dig into the details of what happened last season:

All-Star Weekend: Data not recorded 😥

American League

Division Titles

AL North: Fargo (1st)
AL East: Boston (4th straight)
AL Central: Montgomery (1st)
AL West: Los Angeles (1st)

Wild Cards

Syracuase: 1st WC, 4th playoff appearance
Baltimore: 1st playoff appearance

National League

Division Titles

NL North: Trenton (4th straight)
NL East: St. Louis (4th straight)
NL Central: San Antonio (2nd straight)
NL West: Tucson (1st)

Wild Cards

Fresno: 1st WC, 3rd playoff appearance
Indianapolis {now Kansas City}: 4th straight WC appearance

League Leaders: Data not recorded 😥

Awards

AL MVP: Matt Roberts (LF-Baltimore), 1st career MVP Award

NL MVP: Matthew Corey (1B-Tucson), 2nd straight MVP Award (2nd overall as well)

AL Cy Young: Glenallen Cepicky (SP-Boston), 1st career Cy Young Award

NL Cy Young: Tex Richardson (SP-St. Louis), 1st career Cy Young Award

AL Rookie of the Year: Gerrit Martin (DH-Texas)

NL Rookie of the Year: Chan Iwamura (RP-Cincinnati)

AL Fireman of the Year: Jose Rios (RP-New Orleans), 2nd straight FOY Award (3rd overall)

NL Fireman of the Year: David Gonzales (RP-Cincinnati), 1st career FOY Award

Minor Leagues

AAA

World Series: Philadelphia def. Buffalo 4-2 (1st AAA title)
Best Record: Los Angeles (98-46)
Worst Record: Louisville (30-114)

World Series: Scottsdale {now Boise} def. Texas 4-1 (3rd AA title)
Best Record: Scottsdale (99-45)
Worst Record: Arizona (34-110)

High A

World Series: Fargo def. Charlotte 4-2 (1st HiA title)
Best Record: Fargo (93-51)
Worst Record: Louisville (29-115)

Low A

World Series: Nashville def. Boston 4-0 (1st LoA title)
Best Record: Charlotte (111-33)
Worst Record: Arizona (30-114)

Rookie

World Series: Montgomery def. Nashville 4-2 (1st RL title)
Best Record: Charlotte (65-11)
Worst Record: St. Louis (8-68)

I owe our readers an apology.

Somewhere between deadlines, domestic distractions, and a little too much enthusiasm for the All-Star Weekend festivities, I let the important things slip—namely, the complete data collection for the All-Star recap and the league leader sections of this season review.

In my defense (a weak one, I admit), the lights were bright, the games were loud, the celebrations were plentiful, and for a brief, ill-advised stretch, I convinced myself I could circle back and gather the numbers later. That confidence, like many late-night decisions, proved misplaced.

Personal matters demanded attention. The weekend demanded indulgence. And the spreadsheets, regrettably, were left waiting.

This article reflects the season as it was lived—intense, unpredictable, occasionally chaotic—but it falls short of the statistical completeness you deserve. For that, I take full responsibility and promise that future recaps will show better discipline, fewer distractions, and a much healthier respect for both data and moderation.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be returning to my notes—wide awake, clear-headed, and determined to keep the fun firmly in check next time.

— Jack Torrance, Contributor