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.

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.”

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 DogsTexas 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

S3 Awards Log

Jack Torrance - Contributing Reporter

Award History
(* indicates Hall of Famer member) - running list of award winners

Franchise Titles

  • 2 Titles
    • St Louis (S1, S3)
  • 1 Title
    • Syracuse (S2)

World Series

S3: #1 NL St Louis v #2 AL New Orleans; 4-2
S2: #2 NL Trenton v #2 AL Syracuse; 1-4
S1: #2 NL St Louis v #5 AL Texas; 4-3

League Championships
  • 2 Championships
    • St Louis (NL - S1, S3)
  • 1 Championship
    • Texas (AL - S1)
    • Trenton (NL - S2)
    • Syracuse (AL - S2)
    • New Orleans (AL - S3)

Division Titles
  • 3 Titles
    • Boston (S1, S2, S3)
    • New Orleans (S1, S2, S3)
    • Salt Lake City (S1, S2, S3)
    • St Louis (S1, S2, S3)
    • Syracuse (S1, S2, S3)
    • Trenton (S1, S2, S3)
  • 2 Titles
    • Fresno (S2, S3)
  • 1 Titles
    • Charlotte (S1)
    • Mexico City (S2)
    • San Antonio (S3)
    • Scottsdale (S1)

Wildcards
  • 3 Wildcard
    • Texas (S1, S2, S3)
    • Indianapolis (S1, S2, S3)
  • 2 Wildcard
    • Buffalo (S1, S2)
  • 1 Wildcard
    • Fargo (S3)
    • Montgomery (S2)
    • Tacoma (S1)
    • Tucson (S3)

Rare Games
Running list of the rare games and seasons they were accomplished in, most recent will be at the top of the list. We've included their Game Score for pitchers and ESPN Rating.

Career Leaders
Bold player indicates active players, we'll track actives until they retire to see how close they get to the overall leaders. At some point these players will be limited to those who have 8+ years experience. Asterisk indicates HoF members. 

Coming in the next season or two.