Season 6 Recap

Archers Overpower Mud Dogs for Third Title

The St. Louis Archers became the first team in Hardball Stitches history to win three World Series championships and brought their Franchise Temperature up to 153.8*F (67.7*C) in the process. Leading the way on offense was Arodys Esposito and his 0.996 post-season OPS, including a 0.333 batting average. Cy Young winner Derrek Cone also spearheaded the postseason pitching attack with a 2.14 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 46 1/3 innings to earn a 4-1 record. 

 All-Star Weekend: Hosted by Buffalo

  • Chance Bierbrodt won the HR Derby with 32 total dingers, but it was OG Stitches MVP Liam Steinbech who won the prize for tape-measure shot of the night with a 524-foot blast. 
  • The NL beat the AL 5-4 in this year's midsummer classic thanks to a four-run bottom of the sixth where all of the scoring came on back-to-back home runs by Cincy teammates: game MVP Arquimedes Villanueva and Engel Velazquez. 
    • The all-time series stands at NL 3, AL 1 (with two games not recorded) and the aggregate score of those four games is AL 25, NL 25.
  • Team World took care of Team USA by a score of 7-2 in the Futures Game. MVP honors went to Tacoma's AAA 2B Raimel Rivera who was 4-for-5 with 2 2B, 2 RBI and a run scored. 
    • This year and last year's 6-4 win by Team World are the only two editions of this matchup that have been recorded, so the all time series stands at World 2, USA 0, Unrecorded 4 and the aggregate total is World 13, USA 6. 

American League

Division Titles 

  • AL North: Fargo (3rd straight)
  • AL East: Boston (6th straight)
  • AL Central: Montgomery (2nd overall) 
  • AL West: Los Angeles (3rd straight)
Wild Cards
  •  Syracuse (3rd straight)
  • New York Pizza Rats (1st ever playoff appearance) 

National League

Division Titles
  • NL North: Trenton (6th straight)
  • NL East: Cincinnati (2nd straight)
  • NL Central: San Antonio (4th straight)
  • NL West:  Fresno (3rd overall)
Wild Cards
  • St. Louis (2nd straight)
  • Tucson (1st ever WC, 3rd straight playoff appearance) 

League Leaders {Overall leaders in bold italics}

Batting
Hits: Bucky Ward  214 in AL, Matthew Corey 214 in NL 
Average: Bucky Ward 0.360 in AL,  Matthew Corey 0.342 in NL 
Home Runs: Mateo Lopez 54 in AL, Ricardo Figueroa 56 in NL
Runs: Mickey Villegas 123 in AL, Vladimir Daniels 143 in NL 
Runs Batted In: Mateo Lopez  140 in AL,  Matthew Corey 158 in NL

Stolen Bases: JR Pagnozzi 61 in AL, Vladimir Daniels 108 in NL

Longest Hit Streak: Bucky Ward  26 in AL, Shin Shoo Ishi 24 in NL 

Pitching
Wins: Vladimir Ordonez 22 in AL, Derrek Cone 24 in NL
Quality Starts: Vladimir Ordonez 26 in AL, Derrek Cone/Allen Maysonet/Louie Vizquel/Magglio Mieses 26 in NL
Saves: Jose Rios 45 in AL, Shelley Rivers 45 in NL
ERA: Vladimir Ordonez 2.31 in AL, Derrek Cone 2.38 in NL
Strikeouts: Vladimir Ordonez  283 in AL, Rolando Candelaria/Darwin Solis 228 in NL

OAV: Vladimir Ordonez 0.199 in AL, Bernard Moran 0.188 in NL
WHIP: Vladimir Ordonez 1.02 in AL,  Bernard Moran 0.99 in NL

Fielding
Plus Plays: Clint Good 32 in AL, Santo Sanchez 24 in NL 
CS%: Tim Linden 43% in AL, Tyler Stull/Vernon Cunningham 37% in NL
C ERA: Benny Lee 3.54 in AL, Vernon Cunningham 3.36 in NL

Awards

Noteworthy Games

  1. Dustan Nevin vs Vancouver: 4-for-6, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R in 20-8 win {84.75 Game Score}
  2. Chris Gutierrez vs Arizona: 4-for-5, 2 HR, 2B, 7 RBI, 2 R, SB in 12-4 win {83.75 Game Score}
  3. Wayne Wolf vs Philadelphia: 4-for-5, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R, BB, CS in 9-8 win {82.25 Game Score}
  4. Brett Duda vs Buffalo: 4-for-6, 2 HR, 2B, 7 RBI, 2 R in 17-8 win {82.00 Game Score}
  5. Benji Richardson vs Philadelphia: 4-for-5, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R, in 13-4 win {82.00 Game Score}
  6. Bart Mitchell vs Boise: 2-for-4, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, K in 11-10 win {76.75 Game Score}
  7. Kendrys Fernandez vs Durham: 3-for-5, HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, K in 15-6 win {76.75 Game Score}
  8. Juan Carlos Nunez vs San Antonio: 4-for-4, Cycle, RBI, R in 2-0 win {76.75 Game Score}
  9. Bucky Ward vs Baltimore: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 7 RBI, 2 R, K in 13-4 win {75.00 Game Score}

Minor Leagues

AAA
  • World Series: Portland def. Cincinnati 4-3 for its 1st AAA championship
  • Best Record: Nashville (97-47)
  • Worst Record: Arizona (3-141)
AA
  • World Series: Charlotte def. Boston 4-2 for its 1st AA championship
  • Best Record: Texas (110-34)
  • Worst Record: New York Necromancers (10-134)
High A 
  • World Series: Charlotte def. Boston 4-0 for its 2nd High A championship
  • Best Record: Charlotte (133-11)
  • Worst Record: St. Louis (12-132)
Low A
  • World Series: Charlotte def. Texas 4-3 for its 1st Low A championship
  • Best Record: Charlotte (111-33)
  • Worst Record: St. Louis (12-132)
Rookie
  • World Series: Nashville def. Texas for its 2nd Rookie League championship 
  • Best Record: Nashville (63-13)
  • Worst Record: St. Louis (10-66)



Season 7 Draft Lottery

Now that we’ve ironed out the kinks in the MWR / Draft Lottery process, this should be a pretty quick exercise for the Season 7 Draft Order. As a reminder, this is a three-step process: establish draft odds, run the lottery and then enforce the 55-win MWR where necessary.

Step One: Establish Draft Odds

These are entirely based on the final standings this year, with the bottom sixteen teams having the following chances at the top pick for Season 7:

Step Two: Run The Lottery

The ping-pong balls fell the following way this time around:

Step Three: Enforce the MWR

This year everyone met the 55-win threshold (some just barely, but it still counts!) which means that the order above is the order for the top half of Round 1 next year 😀 For clarity, here is the Draft Order with relocations and Comp Picks accounted for:

1) Charlotte
2) Arizona
3) Colorado Springs
4) Durham
5) Tacoma
6) Nashville
7) Former Vancouver
8) Texas
9) Helena: Comp Pick for Ed Standridge
10) Mexico City
11) Portland
12) Louisville
13) Buffalo
14) Florida
15) Former NY Necromancers: Comp Pick for Slim Carpenter
16) Former NY Necromancers
17) Philadelphia
18) San Antonio
19) Rochester
20) Helena
21) Boise
22) Los Angeles
23) New Orleans
24) Baltimore
25) Montgomery
26) NY Pizza Rats
27) Tucson
28) Fresno
29) Syracuse
30) Scranton
31) St. Louis
32) Trenton
33) Cincinnati
34) Fargo






S6 Third Quarter Power Rankings

 As the Hardball Stitches calendar reaches mid-August, it's time to take a look at how everyone is stacking up against one another...especially now that what our global friends would likely refer to as the "promotion" and "relegation" races are coming into sharper focus. As a reminder, these posts have three main sections - the Power Rankings, the Expected Wins comparisons and the "Relegation Race" aka MWR watch. Let's see how things are going: 

***EDITOR'S NOTE: THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ARTICLE WAS DELAYED, BUT THE SCREENSHOT BELOW WAS TAKEN AFTER GAME #123, WHICH IS THE EXACT THREE-QUARTER MARK OF THE SEASON***

Power Rankings



Expected Win Percentage

  • St. Louis: 0.664 Expected Win% (0.618 Actual) 
  • Fargo: 0.660 Expected Win% (0.637 Actual) 
  • Tucson: 0.616 Expected Win% (0.573 Actual) 
  • Cincinnati: 0.615 Expected Win% (0.639 Actual) 
  • Boston: 0.614 Expected Win% (0.600 Actual) 
  • Baltimore: 0.603 Expected Win% (0.593 Actual)
  • Syracuse: 0.591 Expected Win% (0.600 Actual) 
  • Fresno: 0.565 Expected Win% (0.566 Actual) 
  • Montgomery: 0.563 Expected Win% (0.556 Actual) 
  • Boise: 0.554 Expected Win% (0.517 Actual) 
  • Trenton: 0.548 Expected Win% (0.594 Actual)
  • New York: 0.547 Expected Win% (0.556 Actual) 
  • San Antonio: 0.544 Expected Win% (0.528 Actual) 
  • Los Angeles: 0.521 Expected Win% (0.548 Actual) 
  • Helena: 0.515 Expected Win% (0.514 Actual)
  • Buffalo: 0.502 Expected Win% (0.486 Actual)
  • New Orleans: 0.496 Expected Win% (0.519 Actual) 
  • New York Necromancers: 0.491 Expected Win% (0.465 Actual)
  • Florida: 0.483 Expected Win% (0.462 Actual) 
  • Durham: 0.482 Expected Win% (0.452 Actual) 
  • Philadelphia: 0.479 Expected Win% (0.489 Actual)
  • Louisville: 0.478 Expected Win% (0.459 Actual) 
  • Portland: 0.464 Expected Win% (0.459 Actual) 
  • Mexico City: 0.457 Expected Win% (0.396 Actual) 
  • Texas: 0.453 Expected Win% (0.407 Actual) 
  • Rochester: 0.444 Expected Win% (0.510 Actual) 
  • Charlotte: 0.402 Expected Win% (0.375 Actual) 
  • Tacoma: 0.402 Expected Win% (0.341 Actual) 
  • Vancouver: 0.364 Expected Win% (0.385 Actual) 
  • Nashville: 0.344 Expected Win% (0.420 Actual) 
  • Colorado Springs: 0.310 Expected Win% (0.378 Actual) 
  • Arizona: 0.297 Expected Win% (0.350 Actual) 

MWR Update

Everyone is on pace to win 55 games 😀

Arizona (48) &  Colorado Springs (50) have Expected Win%'s that translate to fewer than 55 wins, but are currently outperforming their Win %'s. 

S6 First Quarter Power Rankings

  We are just over 25% of the way through Season 6 here in Hardball Stitches, so it's time to make our first check of the Quarterly Power Rankings to see where everyone stands as the league prepares to look towards the future and get their draft boards ready. In keeping with mini's tradition, this post will feature three sections: first, the power rankings (which are based on hitting and pitching statistics). Second will be a look the Expected Win Percentages/a comparison with the current win percentages and finally (and hopefully shortly) a look at teams who are on MWR watch for this season. 


Expected Wins
  • Fargo: 0.720 Expected Win% (0.786 Actual) 
  • St. Louis: 0.695 Expected Win% (0.644 Actual)
  • Baltimore 0.682 Expected Win% (0.690 Actual)
  • Cincinnati 0.638 Expected Win% (0.622 Actual)  
  • Los Angeles 0.627 Expected Win% (0.571 Actual) 
  • Tucson 0.597 Expected Win% (0.578 Actual) 
  • Trenton 0.569 Expected Win% (0.667 Actual)
  • Syracuse 0.565 Expected Win% (0.643 Actual) 
  • Trenton 0.564 Expected Win% (0.667 Actual)
  • Helena 0.559 Expected Win% (0.556 Actual)  
  • Montgomery 0.551 Expected Win% (0.500 Actual)
  • Buffalo 0.546 Expected Win% (0.533 Actual) 
  • Portland 0.527 Expected Win% (0.548 Actual)
  • Boise 0.519 Expected Win% (0.467 Actual) 
  • Louisville 0.513 Expected Win% (0.429 Actual) 
  • San Antonio 0.512 Expected Win% (0.511 Actual)
  • Durham 0.496 Expected Win% (0.452 Actual) 
  • Boston 0.491 Expected Win% (0.452 Actual) 
  • New Orleans 0.490 Expected Win% (0.548 Actual) 
  • Philadelphia 0.485 Expected Win% (0.524 Actual)
  • Fresno 0.473 Expected Win% (0.511 Actual) 
  • Charlotte 0.466 Expected Win% (0.400 Actual) 
  • New York 0.463 Expected Win% (0.452 Actual)
  • Mexico City 0.459 Expected Win% (0.444 Actual) 
  • Tacoma 0.459 Expected Win% (0.381 Actual)
  • Rochester 0.451 Expected Win% (0.444 Actual) 
  • New York 0.423 Expected Win% (0.400 Actual)
  • Florida 0.423 Expected Win% (0.356 Actual) 
  • Colorado Springs 0.422 Expected Win% (0.489 Actual)  
  • Texas 0.391 Expected Win% (0.310 Actual) 
  • Vancouver 0.348 Expected Win% (0.357 Actual) 
  • Nashville 0.270 Expected Win% (0.378 Actual) 
  • Arizona 0.249 Expected Win% (0.357 Actual) 
The Dreaded List
  • Texas: 0.310 Win% = 50 win pace


Season 6 Hall of Fame Voting

 For the first time in Hardball Stitches history, we have a player on the HOF Nominations page. PaleHose72 suggested that we vote him in on the basis of being the initial nominee in Stitches history, which I would be 100% on board with 😀 However, I also want to use his candidacy to illustrate the HOF process that I've used in a couple of other worlds that has had pretty good success. 

That process relies on a number of statistics and also a Hall of Fame Committee. In short, we track the statistics and then, as a committee, use those to come up with up to three "Hall of Fame Locks" for the season that the world then pools their votes around to make sure we get at least a few people elected each year. To start with, I want to do a quick rundown of the stats that mini and I have been tracking that will be useful for evaluating HOF candidacy: 

  1. Hall of Fame Monitor Score - My personal favorite of all of Bill James' Hall of Fame metrics, which assigns point values to certain statistical milestones both for individual seasons and overall careers. A score of 100 is a player who "should" be in the Hall while a score of 130 is your "no-brainer, should probably be elected on the first ballot" type. Conversely, a score of 70 could get in but represents a borderline case. I've also seen players with scores in the 50s get in if they have some sort of special circumstance or specific feat they accomplished as well. 
  2. Wins Above Replacement - The general concept is fairly self-explanatory to those who pay attention to SABR metrics, but there are a couple of quick things that are worth noting in this space. First and foremost, the method of calculating WAR that Mini and I have developed is as customized to Hardball as possible (i.e., calibrated to an HBD run environment, incorporating HBD park factors, etc.) Secondly, Around The Horn will probably be our best reference point for what makes a Hall of Fame player in terms of WAR...I have been a member since Season 1 and also tracking WAR for the blog there the whole time. With one exception (a pitcher who was a no-brainer HOFer before the merger that created Around The Horn) everyone who has been elected to the Hall there had at least 43.9 WAR for their careers. 
  3. Hall of Fame Standards Test - Another Bill James metric, this one is on a 0-100 scale with a hard cap at 100 but in MLB Babe Ruth is only a 79 and the highest score in history is Christy Matthewson at 84. {NOTE: Babe Ruth the hitter was a 79, Babe Ruth the pitcher would combine to bring his total score over 100} I don't have any HBD reference for this, but the linked explainer says an "average Hall of Famer" would score 50 so I'd imagine that I would have a hard time voting for anyone who did not score at least 40 points. 
  4. Importance Score: This 2021 article by Mike Petrellio, ranking the best ever free-agent signings, is the origin of the metric I've come to call "Importance Score." It combines WAR per year with bonus points for winning WS Rings and individual awards, and since there are typically three camps in HOF voting (personal performance, "the ring is the thing", other hardware) this has always felt like the perfect blend of those three things. As a result, this has become my go-to HOF gauge when I have all of the pieces needed to calculate it (I've found that a score of 10.0 or higher is HOF quality and the highest score I've seen is 36.8, but that was a 9x Cy Young who also had multiple rings.) 
Typically if a player meets the standard on one of the above, they meet the standard on the majority if not all of them. The job of the committee in my experience, has been to do a bit of hair-splitting and decide which of those should be considered locks and which should be up for a world vote. 

At long last, let's examine the case of our first nominee: Aaron Cepicky. 
  • HOF Monitor Score: 5 points 
  • Wins Above Replacement: -3.68 through S4, S5 was probably positive but not 3.7 wins so he's almost certainly a net negative for his career 
  • HOF Standards: 21.9 points
    • 2 points for OBP, 19.9 for C defense  
  • Importance Score: Negative WAR, 0 MVP, 0 WS Rings, 0 seasons above 4 WAR = Negative Importance Score 
  • Conclusion: His one and only claim to fame is being the first guy on the ballot. But I'm for it, personally. 

Season 6 Draft Lottery

 After being quite late on the Season 5 Draft Order, the goal of this post is two fold: first, to establish the Draft Order for Season 6 and also to explain the logistics of the MWR using our first two examples. When consulting the committee, I expressed that I was hoping to settle on a rule that was "straightforward, fair, enforcable and also allows teams to rebuild in a reasonable amount of time while still feeling like it is something people would want to avoid." 

 We have come to the conclusion that the penalty for missing the MWR will be "Teams winning fewer than 55 games in a season will pick no higher than 10th in the ensuing Amateur Draft regardless of lottery results. If multiple teams win less than 55 games, the team that comes the closest recieves the 10th pick, 2nd closest gets the 11th pick and so on. Ties will be broken using the highest Expected Win Percentage among tied teams." 

All of this brings us to Step 1: assigning lottery odds. This is done entirely by end-of-season record regardless of whether or not the MWR was achieved. Based on the S5 win totals, we get the following:


Next is Step 2: conducting the actual lottery. The results of the ping-pong ball frenzy are below: 


Step 3: Enforcing the MWR. We had two teams who fell short of the 55 win benchmark in Season 5: Louisville (46 wins) and Boise (54 wins.) Boise was closer to the threshold, so they get the #10 pick and Louisville gets the #11 pick and everyone else gets slotted in according to the ping pong balls. The final result is as follows: 
  1. Tacoma
  2. Philadelphia
  3. Vancouver
  4. Charlotte
  5. Nashville
  6. Arizona
  7. Texas
  8. Helena
  9. Colorado Springs
  10. Boise
  11. Louisville
  12. Chicago {moved to New York in Season 6} 
  13. Durham
  14. Baltimore
  15. Portland
  16. Los Angeles

Season 5 Draft Lottery

 At long last: the Draft Lottery has run! After many real-life delays and then several technical glitches, we finally have our Season 5 Amateur Draft Order. A few points of order and clarification on the logistics of how we got here. First of all, Bob and I returned to the original post made by minihouston explaining how this lottery is supposed to work, outlined in the following post from Season 2: 



In short: Compensation picks stay where they are, and the top six picks are semi-protected from the lottery (meaning they can pick no worse than six spots lower than their intended slot.) So, now we get down to the business of figuring out what the Draft Spreadsheet says the order is supposed to be so we can figure out what tweaks need to be made to adhere to the rules outlined above. Here's the screenrecording of the sheet generating the order: 


Based on these two data points, here's how the first round and Supplemental Round finally shake out: 

  1. Charlotte 
  2. Helena
  3. Arizona
  4. Boise
  5. Durham
  6. Vancouver
  7. Tacoma
  8. Colorado Springs
  9. Louisville
  10. Philadelphia
  11. Portland
  12. Rochester
  13. Los Angeles
  14. Chicago
  15. Cincinnati
  16. Helena (via Type D Compensation for Kevin Braden) **2nd pick**
  17. New York 
  18. Texas
  19. Mexico City
  20. Nashville
  21. Buffalo
  22. Kansas City
  23. New Orleans
  24. Texas **2nd pick**
  25. Fresno
  26. Baltimore
  27. Tucson
  28. San Antonio 
  29. Tacoma **2nd pick**
  30. Syracuse
  31. Trenton
  32. Trenton **2nd pick**
  33. Boston
  34. Texas **3rd pick**
  35. Charlotte **2nd pick**
  36. Tacoma  **3rd pick**
  37. New York **2nd pick**
  38. Texas **4th pick**
  39. Tucson **2nd pick**
  40. Trenton **3rd pick**
  41. Tucson **3rd pick**
  42. Tucson **4th pick**
  43. Charlotte **3rd pick**
  44. Durham **2nd pick**
  45. Colorado Springs **2nd pick**
  46. Philadelphia **2nd pick**
  47. Portland **2nd pick**
  48. Los Angeles **2nd pick**
  49. New York **3rd pick**
  50. Texas **5th pick**
  51. Nashville **2nd pick**
  52. New Orleans **2nd pick**
  53. Fresno **2nd pick**
  54. Baltimore **2nd pick**
  55. Fargo
  56. Charlotte **4th pick**
  57. Fargo **2nd pick**

Season 5 First Quarter Power Rankings

 We are just over 25% of the way through Season 5 here in Hardball Stitches, so it's time to make our first check of the Quarterly Power Rankings to see where everyone stands as the league prepares to look towards the future and get their draft boards ready. In keeping with mini's tradition, this post will feature three sections: first, the power rankings (which are based on hitting and pitching statistics). Second will be a look the Expected Win Percentages/a comparison with the current win percentages and finally (and hopefully shortly) a look at teams who are on MWR watch for this season. 

Who is Under/Over Performing? Referencing Expected Win Percentages

  • Boston 0.760 ExpWin% (0.756 Actual) **AL EAST LEADER**
  • St. Louis 0.742 ExpWin% (0.683 Actual) **NL EAST LEADER**
  • Montgomery 0.727 ExpWin% (0.683 Actual) **AL SOUTH LEADER**
  • Fresno 0.647 ExpWin% (0.571 Actual) 
  • Trenton 0.641 ExpWin% (0.683 Actual)  **NL NORTH LEADER**
  • Tucson 0.622 ExpWin% (0.595 Actual) **NL WEST LEADER**
  • Fargo 0.581 ExpWin% (0.537 Actual) **AL NORTH LEADER**
  • Kansas City 0.580 ExpWin% (0.634 Actual) **NL WC2**
  • Syracuse 0.537 ExpWin% (0.537 Actual)
  • New York 0.526 ExpWin% (0.537 Actual) **AL WC2**
  • New Orleans 0.522 ExpWin% (0.585 Actual) **AL WC1**
  • Rochester 0.517 ExpWin% (0.463 Actual) 
  • Durham 0.506 ExpWin% (0.512 Actual)
  • Cincinnati 0.500 ExpWin% (0.610 Actual) **NL WC1**
  • Texas 0.498 ExpWin% (0.537 Actual)
  • Helena 0.495 ExpWin% (0.537 Actual) 
  • Buffalo 0.487 ExpWin% (0.439 Actual) 
  • Portland 0.481 ExpWin% (0.463 Actual)
  • Colorado Springs 0.475 ExpWin (0.500 Actual) 
  • Baltimore 0.475 ExpWin% (0.488 Actual)
  • Philadelphia 0.473 ExpWin% (0.488 Actual)
  • Mexico City 0.461 ExpWin% (0.463 Actual) **NL SOUTH LEADER**
  • Los Angeles 0.458 ExpWin% (0.463 Actual) **AL WEST LEADER**
  • Tacoma 0.449 ExpWin% (0.463 Actual)
  • San Antonio 0.449 ExpWin% (0.415 Actual) 
  • Arizona 0.420 ExpWin% (0.341 Actual)
  • Boise 0.387 ExpWin% (0.381 Actual) 
  • Louisville 0.373 ExpWin% (0.293 Actual) 
  • Charlotte 0.325 ExpWin% (0.366 Actual) 
  • Chicago 0.325 ExpWin% (0.317 Actual)
  • Nashville 0.297 ExpWin% (0.317 Actual)  
  • Vancouver 0.220 ExpWin% (0.317 Actual) 

The Dreaded List

  • Louisville: 0.293 Win% = 47 win pace
  • Vancouver: 0.317 Win% = 51 win pace
  • Nashville: 0.317 Win% = 51 win pace
  • Chicago: 0.317 Win% = 51 win pace

Season 4 Recap


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)
AA
  • 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


Name That Player (and help a friend!)

  Hello Hive Mind!

The blog is returning with a new feature: interactive feedback. Before we get to the interactive portion, a little background is needed. IRL, I am a Special Education teacher tasked with teaching executive functioning skills to middle schoolers with ADHD. Being a former ADHD middle school boy myself, I know those kinds of lessons can be rather boring sometimes...and then when I was reading a WIS box score at lunch one day it hit me: I can use this site to my advantage to sneak executive functioning skills into things they view as just a big game. 

The premise: They get to start a franchise in the sport of their choice from scratch and be owner/GM/all other things (except players.) I will then use the Dream Team feature of WIS to make their dreams a reality and make them carry out the tasks of the various roles as we go and "accidentally" practice the executive functioning skills along the way. I started by having them choose a name and location for their teams, then asked them to pick their ideal starting lineups using any combination of players they wanted. 

Most of them understood the assignment, chose real athletes and I'll be able to set their teams up over the holiday break. A few got a little confused...and one student in particular fielded a baseball team that gave me a few good laughs and finally brings us to the interactive portion of today's post. The lineup and justifications for the student's selections are as follows: 

  • Catcher-Helen Keller "because she'd offer good support"
  • First Base- Taiki Shuttle (the horse) "because he's also a good runner" 
  • Second Base- Hatsune Miku (the Japanese musical artist) "because they're a good runner" 
  • Third Base-Big Papi ("A legend") 
  • Shortstop-Stone Cold Steve Austin ("because he tackles the other team") 
  • Outfield-Fredrick Douglas ("he would like it")
  • Outfield-{her Middle School English Teacher} ("he's probably good") 
  • Outfield-Dr. Gregory House ("to insult the other team") 
  • Pitcher-Tractor Supply Manager...Just One Guy (no reason given) 
  • Pitcher-Myself ("I was good at pitching") NOTE: she's a small caucasian female, currently in 9th grade
The interactive piece is that I need the help of this community to brainstorm actual players I can put into WIS' Dream Team in order to simulate games for this most glorious and entertaining of squads. My goal is to match personalities as closely as possible to the provided descriptions (ie Miku would ideally be an Asian player known for speed etc.) Let the brainstorming begin, and send me your thoughts via Trade Chat, Sitemail or simply post in World Chat 😀

Heat Check: Season 3 Edition

This is the third installment in the Heat Check series, where we check in on how successful franchises have been using a thermometer as our reference scale. The short version of how this is calculated is that teams earn points for winning seasons and postseason success and teams with losing records stay the same...and then everyone goes a little backwards between the last out of the World Series and the first long toss of Spring Training because even virtual baseball players deserve some time off and get a little rusty.  The longer version, including the formulas and the inspiration for this series, can be found here. Without further ado, let's see how everyone is doing with two seasons of data to work with: 

Boiling Hot (Above 212*F/100*C or better)

Steamy (Above 100*F/37.8*C)

  • Trenton: Started S2 @ 86.3*, won 106 games + Division Title + Pennant, starts S3 @ 102*F
  • Syracuse: Started S2 @ 75.7* won 111 games, Division Title + WS Ring, starts S3 @ 101.5*F  

Warm (Above Room Temperature, aka 72*F/?*C)

  • St. Louis: Started S2 @ 95.4*, won 111 games + Division Title, starts S3 @ 96.7*F
  • Texas: started S2 @ 83.6*F, won 84 games + made playoffs, starts S3 @ 80.5*F
  • Boston: Started S2 @ 75.7*F, won 119 games + Division Title, starts S3 @ 78.8*F (214 wins all time) 
  • New Orleans: Started S2 @ 75.7*, won 106 games + Division Title, starts S3 @ 78.8*F (202 wins all time)

Cool (Below Room Temperature, aka 72*F/?*C)

  • Fresno: Started S2 @ 70*, won 83 games & made playoffs, starts S3 @ 71.1*F
  • Indianapolis: Started @ 70*, won 97 games + made playoffs, starts S3 @ 70.8*F
  • Buffalo: Started @ 70*, won 91 games + made playoffs, starts S3 @ 68.1*F (181 wins all time)
  • Chicago (NL): Started S2 @ 70*, won 88 games & missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 68.1*F (173 wins all time)
  • Mexico City: Started S2 @ 65.4*, won 88 games & made playoffs, starts S3 @ 67*F
  • Salt Lake City: Started S2 @ 73*F, won 81 games + made playoffs, starts S3 @ 66.3*F (169 wins all time)
  • Scottsdale: Starts S2 @ 73*, won 74 games & missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 66.3*F (163 wins all time)
  • Charlotte: Started S2 @ 73*, won 67 games & missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 66.3*F (155 wins all time)
  • Montgomery: Started S2 @ 65.4*, won 88 games + made playoffs, starts S3 @ 64.0*F (168 wins all time)
  • San Antonio: Started S2 @ 65.4*, won 86 games & missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 64.0*F (162 wins all time)
  • Durham: Started @ 65.4*F, won 83 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 64.0*F (159 wins all time)
  • Tacoma: Started S2 @ 70*, won 78 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 63.6*F (166 wins all time)
  • Baltimore: Started S2 @ 70*, won 70 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 63.6*F (162 wins all time)
  • Tucson: Started S2 @ 65.4*F, won 80 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (157 wins all time)
  • Fargo: Started S2 @ 65.4*F, won 80 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (155 wins all time) 
  • New York: Started S2, won 77 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (148 wins all time)
  • Arizona: Started S2 @ 65.4*F, won 66 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (143 wins all time)
  • Rochester: Started @ 65.4*F, won 65 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (138 wins all time)
  • Helena: Started @ 65.4*F, won 65 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (136 wins all time); Vancouver: Started S2 @ 65.4*F,  won 65 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (136 wins all time)
  • Philadelphia: Started S2 @ 65.4*F, won 61 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (134 wins all time) & Louisville: Started S2 @ 65.4*F, won 67 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (134 wins all time)
  • Colorado Springs: Started S2 @ 65.4*F, won 58 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (129 wins all time) 
  • Cincinnati: Started @ 65.4*F, won 62 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (122 wins all time)
  • Los Angeles: Started @ 65.4*F, won 61 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (117 wins all time)
  • Nashville: Started @ 65.4*F, won 57 games + missed playoffs, starts S3 @ 59.4*F (114 wins all time) 

Freezing Cold (Below 32*F/0*C)

Absolutely Frigid (Below 0*F/-17.8*C)


    S4 Initial Power Rankings

    Richard Castle - contributing reporter




    Ladies and gentlemen, baseball romantics, and those of you who read these rankings purely out of spite—welcome back. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Long enough that I half-expected to return and find the league replaced by robots, scandals, or a shocking midseason plot twist involving identical twins. But no—Hardball Stitches is alive, dramatic as ever, and finally ready to unveil the very first power rankings of Season 4.

    Now, early-season rankings are a bit like first chapters: wildly misleading, full of red herrings, and guaranteed to break someone’s heart by page ten. But that’s the fun of it. New contenders rise from the shadows, old favorites stumble out of the gate, and at least one team inevitably insists, “We’re better than our record.” Sure, and I’m a quiet, subtle writer who hates attention.

    But enough preamble. The scene is set, the suspects are assembled, and the plot is already thickening faster than a New York cheesecake. So grab your magnifying glass—or your popcorn. Season 4’s story begins now, and trust me… you’re going to want to read every word.
    • Best Record
      • Fargo Mud Dogs
    • 2nd Best
      • Baltimore IronBirds & Trenton Thunderbolts
    • 3rd Best
      • Boston Act As If Afflects
    • 4th Best
      • St Louis Archers
    • 5th Best
      • Syracuse Firebirds & Texas Toast




    But for now, let's talk about expected wins - or, in other words, how teams SHOULD be playing. Are some squads punching above their weight class? Are others underperforming like a blockbuster flop? Time to separate reality from illusion. 

    .736 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)
    .679 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL Wildcard 1) & Baltimore IronBirds (AL-E Champ)
    .675 - Fargo Mud Dogs (AL-N Champ)
    .629 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)
    .609 - Texas Toast (AL-S Champ)
    .600 - Chicago Northsiders (NL Wildcard 1)
    .583 - Buffalo Bomb Squad & Montgomery Fightins
    .541 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL Wildcard 2)
    .540 - Tucson Road Runners (NL-W Champ)
    .536 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL Wildcard 2)
    .512 - Cincinnati Redlegs
    .495 - Fresno Romans
    .493 - Mexico City Luchadors
    .491 - New Orleans Voodoo
    .489 - Tacoma Armada 
    .485 - Vancouver Blue Heron
    .477 - New York Pizza Rats
    .467 - Colorado Springs Ranchers
    .463 - Durham Corgis
    .462 - Indianapolis Speedsters 
    .458 - Nashville Hot (NL-S Champ)
    .426 - Philadelphia Hooligans
    .411 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills
    .398 - Los Angeles Labradors (AL-W Champ)
    .391 - Scottsdale Sazeracs
    .378 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers
    .362 - Helena Highlanders
    .352 - Salt Lake City Trappers
    .324 - Arizona Canyon Kings
    .316 - Charlotte Intimidators 


    The dreaded list
     
    Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %
    Salt Lake City Trappers       45 W                57 W
    Arizona Canyon Kings        53 W                53 W

    Labels:

    S4 The Six-Tier Mirage: Dispatches from the International Frontier

    Eli Cash - contributing reporter

    I was sitting in a hotel bar in Santo Domingo when the first whispers came through the ceiling fan — the kind of whispers that smell like ambition and motor oil. Six tiers. Six layers of the economic afterlife. A new system to measure what a team can spend on hope, or at least the version of hope that throws ninety-seven and can hit a curveball in the dark. The bartender told me the tiers were supposed to make things “fair.” I told him fairness is a rumor spread by accountants.

    Tier One rides tall — these are the desert kings, the oil scions, the men who believe the world was built so they could sign it. Their checkbooks glint like machetes in the sun. They don’t scout — they summon. You can almost hear the laughter of the gods when they announce a $5 million bonus for a kid who hasn’t yet learned to shave. I envy them in the way one might envy a thunderstorm: destructive, inevitable, and somehow poetic.

    • Indianapolis 

      • Tier Two is not so rich in blood or gold, but they still carry a certain nobility — like the second son of a forgotten dynasty, sipping flat champagne in the shadow of empire. These teams still dream big, but they have to dream clever. They talk about “market inefficiencies” as if that’s a kind of faith. I’ve seen their scouts sleeping in airports, translating potential into per diem receipts. There’s a sadness in it, but also a kind of quiet art.

    • Charlotte
    • Salt Lake City
    • Fresno

      • Tier Three lives in the gray — what I call the philosophical middle class of baseball. They can afford to gamble, but only on a horse that’s already half-broken. These are the teams who find poetry in the waiver wire, who believe every $600,000 shortstop from Caracas might just be the key to eternal life. I respect their delusion. I share it.

    • Tacoma
    • Philadelphia
    • Helena
    • Baltimore
    • Arizona
    • Durham
    • Vancouver

      • Tier Four is where the mirage starts to fade. They wander the same desert as the rest, but their canteens are dry. You’ll hear their GMs talk about “development focus,” “internal growth,” and “strategic restraint.” I’ve used all those phrases myself, usually right before my editor stops returning calls. They don’t buy players — they rent dreams. Sometimes the dreams come due. Usually they don’t.

    • Cincinnati
    • Rochester
    • Scottsdale
    • Colorado Springs
    • Texas

      • Tier Five… well, these are the haunted ones. They’re the teams whose fax machines still hum with regret. They know the numbers, the limitations, the futility of their chase, and yet they show up at the market anyway — like a man showing up to a duel with a pocketknife and a poem. I admire their courage, though it often looks like confusion. Somewhere deep down, they must believe that destiny still accepts credit.

    • Chicago
    • Boston
    • Tucson
    • Trenton
    • Nashville
    • Los Angeles
    • Montgomery
    • New York
    • Louisville

      • And then there’s Tier Six. The forgotten pilgrims. The ones who watch the whole show from the cheap seats of history. Their budgets are smaller than the tip line at Tier One’s team dinner. Yet somehow, they persist — the monks of the market, trading faith instead of funds. Maybe they’ll find a kid out there who doesn’t care about money, just the smell of leather and red dirt. Maybe they won’t. Either way, they’ll tell themselves it’s noble.

    • Buffalo
    • San Antonio
    • New Orleans
    • Mexico City
    • Fargo
    • St Louis
    • Syracuse

      • Because that’s the trick, isn’t it? The market isn’t about money — it’s about mythology. Every team believes it’s building a legend. Every scout believes he’s found a ghost. Every general manager thinks he’s outsmarted gravity. But in the end, they all wake up in the same heat, under the same sky, staring at the same mirage that keeps the whole thing moving.

      I left the bar that night and walked out into the alley behind the stadium. A kid was throwing a ball against a rusted fence — barefoot, balanced on dreams alone. I asked him what tier he thought he belonged to. He shrugged and said, “The one that signs me.”

      Maybe that’s the only truth there is. The tiers are just scaffolding. The rest is dust and destiny.

      Labels:

      S4 Draft Order

      Amy Amanda 'Triple A' Allen - contributing reporter

      Alright Hardball Stitches fans, we have an updated draft order for Season 4 as it stands today. Current Round 1 and Comp Round as of the recent Type A/B signings. We've noted teams who have more than 2 picks. 7 of the 18 Type As were compensated with 1st round picks, 

      1. Arizona
      2. Baltimore
      3. Charlotte
      4. Louisville
      5. Scottsdale
      6. Cincinnati
      7. Colorado Springs - Type D
      8. Durham
      9. Nashville
      10. Vancouver
      11. Philadelphia
      12. Los Angeles
      13. Rochester
      14. Colorado Springs (2nd pick)
      15. New York
      16. Helena
      17. Salt Lake City
      18. Tacoma
      19. Buffalo
      20. Tacoma via Mexico City - Deven Bickerton (2nd pick)
      21. Chicago
      22. Mexico City via Montgomery - Allie Walls
      23. Texas
      24. Tacoma - Type D (3rd pick)
      25. Indianapolis
      26. Tucson
      27. San Antonio
      28. Charlotte via Fesno - Howard Quinn (2nd pick)
      29. Boston
      30. Texas via New Orleans - Jose Rios (2nd pick)
      31. Charlotte via Fargo - Benji Richardson (3rd pick)
      32. Syracuse
      33. Charlotte via Trenton - Vincete DeSoto (4th pick)
      34. Baltimore via St Louis - Joe Winston (2nd pick)
      35. Charlotte - A (5th pick)
      36. Arizona - A (2nd pick)
      37. Baltimore - A (3rd pick)
      38. Tacoma - A  (4th pick)
      39. Mexico City - A (2nd pick)
      40. Texas - A (3rd pick)
      41. Tucson - A (2nd pick)
      42. Fresno - A
      43. Boston - A (2nd pick)
      44. Trenton - A
      45. St Louis - A
      46. Charlotte - A (6th pick)
      47. Mexico City - A (3rd pick)
      48. Texas - A (4th pick)
      49. Boston - A (3rd pick)
      50. St Louis - A (2nd pick)
      51. Boston - A (4th pick)
      52. St Louis - A (3rd pick)
      53. Durham - B (2nd pick)
      54. Nashville - B (2nd pick)
      55. Charlotte - B (7th pick)
      56. Vancouver - B (2nd pick)
      57. Baltimore - B (4th pick)
      58. Los Angeles - B (2nd pick)
      59. Colorado Springs - B (3rd pick)
      60. Tacoma - B (5th pick)
      61. Chicago - B (2nd pick)
      62. Indianapolis - B (2nd pick)
      63. New Orleans - B
      64. Fargo - B
      65. Nashville - B (3rd pick)
      66. Indianapolis - B (3rd pick)
      67. New Orleans - B (2nd pick)
      68. Fargo - B (2nd pick)
      Remaining Type A/B players in Free Agency (I could be missing some)
      • LF Gerald Ledee - B - Scottsdale
      • 3B Leo Gwynn - B - Trenton
      • SS Feliple Tabata - B - Rochester
      • LF Al Ruffin - B - Cincinnati
      • RF Brendan Craig - B - Vancouver

      The Ball That Shouldn’t Have Risen

       Jack Torrance - contributing reporter


      It begins, as all miracles and nightmares do — quietly.

      The baseballs are spinning. A cyclone of white leather, red seams, and blind hope. Inside the glass, they crash and ricochet, each one desperate to be the one. The audience breathes in unison, like a congregation watching a storm crawl toward their church.

      The lights flicker. The air hums.

      Then something happens.
      A tremor.
      A sound that isn’t mechanical, not quite.

      And from the churning storm — a single ball begins to rise.

      Slowly. Too slowly.

      The studio is frozen. Cameras fix on it, lenses wide and trembling. A murmur ripples through the crowd, that low, uncertain murmur that always comes before revelation.

      The ball spins, turns, reveals a mark — faint, almost hesitant — Arizona Canyon Kings.


      For a heartbeat, no one reacts. The odds said 3.90%. The math said almost impossible.
      But the machine — the machine never lies.

      Then the eruption comes. Cheers, disbelief, the stunned laughter of a team that just watched the laws of probability bend in their favor. Arizona rises from the desert dust, crowned in the glow of the first overall pick.

      Across the stage, Baltimore blinks twice, still unsure if it’s real.
      Their odds were lower — 2.7%, almost nothing — yet they’ve clawed up to the No. 2 pick. A miracle, or maybe just another trick of the glass. Either way, the Ironbirds are soaring tonight, and everyone knows it.

      The rest fall into place, one by one — a roll call of the faithful, the broken, the nearly blessed.

      1. Arizona Canyon Kings

      2. Baltimore Ironbirds

      3. Charlotte Intimidators

      4. Louisville Bourbon Chasers

      5. Scottsdale Sazeracs

      6. Cincinnati Redlegs

      7. Durham Corgis

      8. Nashville Hot

      9. Vancouver Seawolves

      10. Philadelphia Hooligans

      11. Los Angeles Labradors

      12. Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

      13. Colorado Springs Ranchers

      14. New York Pizza Rats

      15. Helena Highlanders

      16. Salt Lake City Trappers

      Somewhere in the back row, a man from Durham rubs his temples. They had hope — always do — but the machine had other plans. Charlotte and Louisville trade polite smiles that don’t reach their eyes. New York sits still, the kind of stillness that smells like resentment.

      The studio lights burn too bright now. The chrome glistens, the glass gleams, and for a strange moment, the entire stage feels alive — breathing, pulsing, feeding on every gasp, every cheer, every broken sigh.

      Someone whispers, “It chose Arizona,” and the phrase lingers like frost on the tongue.

      The host smiles again — that same hotel-lobby smile — and declares the lottery complete. Cameras flash. Confetti falls. The crowd exhales.

      But the machine keeps humming.
      It always hums.
      Because even when the lights go out, it remembers who it lifted up…
      and who it left behind.

      Labels: ,

      Before the Ball Rises

      Jack Torrance - contributing reporter

      They say the baseballs are sleeping now. Resting in their transparent chamber, each one identical — polished, numbered, waiting. But we know better. We know they feel the tension, the electric hum that creeps through the studio like static on old wallpaper.

      It’s Draft Lottery Night in Hardball Stitches, Season 4. Sixteen teams. Sixteen chances. One truth: somebody’s luck is about to change, and somebody’s dream will dissolve under bright lights.

      The stage glows sterile and silver, all glass and steel and reflection — the kind of place where destiny doesn’t whisper, it hums through the floorboards. On the monitor above, the league’s insignia spins like an eye that never blinks: HARDBALL STITCHES — SEASON 4 DRAFT LOTTERY

      There’s applause, of course. Polite. Nervous. Manufactured.
      But underneath the surface, you can feel it — the quiet, desperate heartbeat of sixteen front offices waiting for salvation. The contenders stand still in their rows, each team clutching its little share of probability, its fraction of fate.

      Durham. Charlotte. Nashville. Cincinnati. Louisville. Scottsdale. Vancouver. Arizona. Baltimore. Philadelphia. Los Angeles. Rochester. Colorado Springs. New York. Helena. Salt Lake City.

      Sixteen names, strung like rosary beads. Each one has whispered their prayers to the same cold machine.

      Behind the glass, the lottery drum waits — immaculate, mirrored, heartless. A glint of chrome catches the overhead spotlight, and for an instant it looks alive. There’s something almost holy about it. Or maybe hungry.

      The host smiles the kind of smile that belongs in hotel portraits and fever dreams.
      He says the words everyone’s been waiting for: “It’s time to begin the draw.”

      A mechanical hiss. The first baseball trembles. They begin to spin — a white blur, a storm of motion, all hope and chaos compressed into one transparent sphere.

      Around the room, tension crackles like lightning over snow. Some stare straight ahead. Some can’t bear to look. The numbers blur together — 16 chances to be rewritten, 16 doors that lead to entirely different futures.

      You can hear the soft clink of baseballs colliding — the rhythm of fate, the soft percussion of anxiety.

      And then… silence.

      One will rise.
      One will break the symmetry.
      One will wear the crown of the Season 4 Draft.

      But not yet. Not yet.

      For now, they spin.
      And every GM in the room is thinking the same thing — the same, desperate line, scratched somewhere deep inside the skull:

      “All work and no luck makes for a long, cold season.”

      Labels: ,

      Talking Dog Baseball Owner Furious He Was Forced to Pay Player Fairly

      “This is not the lucha way,” says El Señor Perro after unprecedented act of basic decency

      MEXICO CITY — Outraged at being forced to engage in what he called “the most dishonorable act in baseball history,” El Señor Perro, the diamond-mask-wearing lucha wrestler and owner of the Mexico City Luchadores, held a fiery press conference Monday to denounce what he called “a dark day for villainy.”

      The cause of his distress: paying star right fielder Deven Bickerton the contract he actually deserved.

      “I cannot believe what these other owners have done,” growled El Señor Perro, adjusting the gold and diamond-studded mask that has made him both a baseball legend and a four-time interspecies lucha champion. “They used underhanded tricks so vile, so sneaky, so beautiful… that I had no choice but to act like some sort of ethical businessman. Dios mío.”

      According to league sources, the Fresno Romans’ owner—known only as “Musketeer22,” though widely suspected to be shadowy WhatIfSports mogul WISBob—manipulated the free agent market so aggressively that Perro was boxed into actually matching the market rate for Bickerton’s services.

      “I had the whole scam ready,” said Perro, shaking his paw in frustration. “Deferred payments until the year 2087, loyalty bonuses that disappear when you look at them too hard, an extra line of fine print that says he has to mow my lawn in the offseason. It was perfect. And then Musketeer22 comes in with this 21st-century capitalism crap and ruins everything.”

      Around the league, other owners expressed sympathy for Perro’s plight. “It’s disgusting,” said San Antonio 'Yo-yo Bros' owner FW ‘The Account Adjuster’ Kikeonga. “He’s supposed to be the bad guy. If the villain has to play fair, what are the rest of us supposed to do? Pay taxes?”

      Despite his outrage, Perro admitted to having “deep respect” for the scheme. “I wish I had thought of it first,” he said, briefly removing his championship lucha belt from the podium to wipe away a single dramatic tear. “Musketeer22 is a true artist. I am but a humble dog with a gold mask.”

      When asked whether he’d retaliate, El Señor Perro confirmed he plans to challenge Musketeer22 to a best-of-three falls match at next weekend’s “Brawl at the Ballpark” exhibition.

      “Winner takes free agency,” he barked, before dramatically leaping off the stage and powerbombing a nearby mascot through a folding table.

      S3 Recap

      Jack Torrance - Contributing Reporter

      Winner Winner....Chicken Dinner 

      Is a Dynasty in the mist of being formed? That's TWO World Series rings in 3 years, let's hold that though until we see what St Louis does next year. 

      Playoff Hitting Stats: .260 avg, .708 ops, 12 HR, 79 RBI, 79 R, 35 SB
      Playoff Pitching Stats: 11-5, 4/8 saves, 147 IP, 1.19 WHIP, 2.33 ERA, 55 bb, 118 k. 
      Outstanding Position Player: Koji Katou (RF) - .323 avg, 1.024 ops, 20 H, 9 R, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 1 SB
      Outstanding Pitcher: Derrek Cone (SP) - 2.33 era, .188 oav, 0.91 whip, 37 k, 10 bb, 3-1, 0/0 sv in 6 appearances totaling 38.2 innings. 

      Congrats again and let's get ready for the start of Season 4! 

      Major League

      All-Star Weekend

      The National League took an early lead and didn't look back over the American League in a high scoring outing, 14-10
      All Star Game Player of Game - 2B Jeff Gray (Indianapolis) drove in 4 runs
      Home Run Derby Champ - Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - 10-11-8
      Longest HR - 526' - Ellis Curtis (Colorado Springs)
      Futures Game Player of the Game: Jesus Palmeiro (Charlotte)

      American League 

      Division Titles
      AL North: Syracuse Firebirds (3 straight)
      AL East: Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (3 straight)
      AL South: New Orleans Voodoo (3 straight)
      AL West:  Salt Lake City Trappers (3 straight)
      Wildcards: Fargo Mud Dogs & Texas Toast

      League Leaders
      Batting
      Hits: Adrian Sexson (Fargo) - 229
      Average: Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - .345
      Home Runs: Benito Gonzales (Montgomery) - 54
      Runs: Andy Barker (Syracuse) - 154
      Runs Batted In: Benito Gonzales (Montgomery) - 156
      Stolen Bases: Adrian Sexson (Fargo) - 68
      Longest Hit Streak: Sammy Little (Baltimore) - 26

      Pitching
      Wins: Laynce Johnson (Boston) - 26
      Quality Starts: Vladimir Ordonez (Baltimore) - 27
      Saves: Jose Rios (Texas) - 40
      ERA: Vladimir Ordonez (Baltimore) - 2.46
      Strikeout: Vladimir Ordonez (Baltimore) - 234
      OAV: Vladimir Ordonez (Baltimore) - .185
      WHIP: Vladimir Ordonez (Baltimore) - 0.97

      Fielding
      Plus Plays: Avisail Nunez (Montgomery) - 30
      CS%: Anthony Parkers (Arizona) - 39%
      C ERA: Matty Lopez (Motgomery) - 3.62

      Awards
      MVP: 

      1. Andy Barker (Syracuse) - 17 votes
      2. Juan Mota (Tacoma) - 7 votes
      3. Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - 5 votes
      4. Adrian Sexson (Fargo) - 2 votes
      5. Randy Uribe (Fargo) - 1 vote

      Cy Young: 

      1. Laynce Johnson (Boston) - 14 votes
      2. Vladimir Ordonez (Baltimore) - 11 votes
      3. Ned Gaillard (Augusta) - 4 votes
      4. Everth Urena (Fargo) - 2 votes
      5. Kury Spivey (Boston) - 1 vote
      Rookie of the Year: 
      1. Rickie Quinn (New Orleans) - 14 votes
      2. Henderson May (Los Angeles) - 9 votes
      3. Steve Holt (Salt Lake City) - 5 votes
      4. Chance Bierbrodt (Philadelphia) - 3 votes
      5. Dolf Hillenbrand (Philadelphia) - 1 vote

      Fireman of the Year: Jose Rios (Texas)

      National League

      Division Titles
      NL North: Trenton Thunderbolts (3 straight)
      NL East: St Louis Archers (3 straight)
      NL South: San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo
      NL West: Fresno Romans (2nd straight)
      Wildcards: Tucson Road Runners & Indianapolis Speedsters

      League Leaders
      Batting
      Hits: Matthew Corey (Tucson) - 211
      Average: Matthew Corey (Tucson) - .335
      Home Runs: Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 55
      Runs: Matthew Corey (Tucson) - 146
      Runs Batted In: Koji Katou (St Louis) - 147
      Stolen Bases: Vladimir Daniels (Tucson) - 107
      Longest Hit Streak: Sammy Kelly (Trenton) - 21

      Pitching
      Wins: Lyle Merrick (Indianapolis) & Andrelton Adkinson (Trenton) - 21
      Quality Starts: Derrek Cone (St Louis) - 29
      Saves: Matt Rhodes (Helena) - 42
      ERA: George Avery (Colorado Springs) - 2.16
      Strikeout: Harry DaSilva (Buffalo) - 251
      OAV: Bernard Moran (Chicago) - .191
      WHIP: Derrek Cone (St Louis) & Bernard Moran (Chicago) & George Avery (Colorado Springs) - 1.01

      Fielding
      Plus Plays: Jorge Alberto (Mexico City) - 29

      Awards
      MVP:

      1. Matthew Corey (Tucson) - 18 votes (ROOKIE)
      2. Harry Feliz (San Antonio) - 6 votes
      3. Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 4 votes
      4. Len Priest (St Louis) - 3 votes
      5. Rajai Johnstone (Buffalo) - 1 vote
      Cy Young:
      1. Andrelton Adkinson (Trenton) - 14 votes
      2. Magglio Mieses (Trenton) - 11 votes
      3. Lyle Merrick (Indianapolis) - 4 votes
      4. Allen Maysonet (Tucson) - 2 votes
      5. Vic Mesa (Tucson) - 1 vote
      Rookie of the Year:
      1. Matthew Corey (Tucson) - 21 votes (MVP)
      2. Evan Goldberg (Cincinnati) - 5 votes
      3. Vladimir Daniels (Tucson) - 3 votes
      4. Jumbo Nakano (Rochester) - 2 votes
      5. Dorian Barker (Tucson) - 1 vote
      Fireman of the Year: Matt Rhodes (Helena)

      Minor League

      AAA: 
      NL #4 Buffalo over AL #4 Bostom, 4-2
      Best Record: Cincinnati - 94-50
      Worst Record: St Louis - 26-118

      AA: 
      AL #2 Texas over NL #4 Trenton over , 4-3
      Best Record: Cincinnati - 99-45
      Worst Record: Rochester - 39-105

      A+: 
      NL #1 Indianapolis over AL #2 Boston, 4-1
      Best Record: Indianapolis - 96-48
      Worst Record: Colorado Springs - 44-100

      A-: 
      NL #3 Chicago over AL #5 Syracuse, 4-3
      Best Record: Charlotte - 103-41
      Worst Record: Arizona - 25-119

      Rookie: 
      AL #2 Louisville over NL #6 Mexico City, 4-0
      Best Record: New York - 58-18
      Worst Record: Philadelphia - 15-61
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