1 (2)- Vancouver Tragedy Twins (91-47)- All season long the Twins have been the most balanced, consistent team in the NL. Raul Martin (.282 AVG, 28 HR, 84 RBI) continues to improve every season, and this year has heard his name mentioned alongside the term, 'MVP'. This team owes much of its success though, not to a bevy of superstars, but to a roster full of very good players who are all contributing. The Twins are 3rd in the NL in total runs scored, 1st in HR, 1st in team ERA and also lead the NL in highest CS%.
2 (4)- Norfolk Whiskey Jacks (88-50)- No surprises in Norfolk as the Jacks were the favorites to win the Season 18 WS. So far, their regular season hasn't disappointed either. As usual, Hipolito Matos (20-6, 2.93 ERA) is nearly a lock to win yet another AL Cy Young Award. The team also boasts two of the favorites to win the AL MVP race; Patsy Wilkerson (.295 AVG, 28 HR, 93 RBI) and Maicer Almanza (.289 AVG, 33 HR, 112 RBI). The Jacks are now making sure that they put their division on ice, and grab the #1 overall seed in the AL.
3 (2)- Honolulu Rainbow Warriors (87-51)- The Warriors will finish this regular season having the best year in the history of professional baseball in the Aloha State. They (along with Baltimore) are really the only teams that are pushing Norfolk and could possibly catch the Jacks for best regular season record honors. Needless to say, all of this winning in Hawaii has not only given the fans a reason to get really excited this season, but has also sparked some of the players. Honolulu lifer, and fan favorite, Gerald Martin continues to have a Renaissance season, hitting .299 with 28 HR and 123 RBI. Young pitcher Jose Mondesi (12-4, 3.90 ERA) seems to have adjusted to life in the islands and has blossomed into one of the more solid young arms in the AL.
4 (1)- Chicago Gray Stockings (86-52)- The Gray Sox suffered yet another injury to a key player just last week when All Star Esteban Hernandez (12-5, 3.42 ERA) injured his shoulder and was shut down for the rest of the season. Despite the overcrowded training room in Chicago this season, the Sox continue to hold onto their division lead and the #2 seed. Typically a team built around pitching, this year's Sox are 1st in the NL in runs scored. Russ Charleston (.339 AVG, 24 HR, 90 RBI) continues to play well in the last year of his max contract and is currently on pace to win the NL Batting Title. Pedro Franco (17-6, 3.75 ERA) may be the team MVP this season. He is having the best season of his career (including getting his first AS nod), and has really stepped up in wake of the myriad of pitching injuries suffered. Though he certainly won't win the award, his very solid season has had some talking about Pedro as a dark horse Cy Young candidate.
5 (8)- Baltimore Revolution (85-53)- The Rev were another team that was hit by the injury bug early, though they have recovered nicely late in the season. They seem to be peaking at the right time and playing their best ball as the regular season winds down. Right now though, this team if focused on trying to catch Norfolk (no easy task) and win the division, while securing a 1st round bye. After he was awarded a max contract two seasons ago to lure him away from rival Philadelphia, Randy Muelens (16-4, 2.96 ERA) had a very disappointingly mediocre season. He was even booed by the home fans during some of his rockier starts. This season he has rebounded. He is having a stellar season, and if Matos wasn't a lock to win the Cy Young, Randy would be in that conversation.
6 (6)- San Diego Wiley Coyotes (84-54)- The Coyotes were batting the Tragedy Twins all season long for the NL West. It now seems as if the Coyotes will have to settle for the Wild Card. Fans are still very excited though, as it the team. It'll be the first time in more than 10 seasons that this franchise has made the playoffs and thie first time since the team began playing in San Diego. All World pitcher, Pepe Sosa (20-4, 2.15 ERA) has already won the NL Cy Young this season. At the ripe age of 23, Sosa is leading the NL in innings pitched, ERA, strikeouts, opp SLG, OAV and is second in WHIP. He is going to win his 3rd career Cy Young (which will mean that only Damaso Solano will have more in SP history) and he will be the only player ever to have accomplished the Triple Crown of pitching twice in his career. I hope everyone is paying attention. Barring injury, we are seeing the birth of the greatest pitching career in SP history. And this season, for the first time, he'll have the chance to practice his craft on baseball's biggest stage.
7 (7)- Pittsburgh Polar Bears (83-55)- The Bears are having a solid year, even though fans are not used to seeing this team in second place. Despite two MVP candidates; Rafael Cueto (.311 AVG, 22 HR, 85 RBI) and Eugenio Estrella (.305 AVG, 21 HR, 101 RBI) and a team that is fun to watch and 2nd in the NL in runs scored, the story in Pittsburgh lately hasn't been the team. Its been all about Jimmie Brownson. He entered Season 18 as SP's all time wins leader at 296. This season was supposed to be his farewell tour. He was projected to spot start, and come out of the pen some. Maybe pitch 100 or so innings. He would pick up his four wins, be the founding member of the 300 win club and ride off into the sunset a legend. Instead the 37-old future HoFer has been beset by injuries. He has managed to pick up 2 wins this season in the 17 innings he's managed to pitch. But some nerve damage in his pitching arm has ended Season 18 for Jimmie. It has also likely ended his career and his quest for #300.
8 (5)- Richmond Rebellion (83-55)- Richmond is locked in a tight race with Chicago for the 2nd by in the NL. This season, the Rebellion have been a pitching powerhouse, ranked 2nd in the NL in team ERA. Many experts and the team itself contribute that to the acquisition of SP's greatest reliever, Shin Soo Nakamura (40 SV in 45 OPP, 3.07 ERA). At age 36, the 16 year veteran and 10-time All Star is still the top reliever in baseball. After 15 stellar seasons in St. Louis (where they have already announced they will retire his jersey whenever he decides to retire). According to his team mates though, the Japanese lefty has been more than just a guy coming in at the end of the game to close it out; he has been a second pitching coach. That has been the reason for the great success of the Rebellion pitching staff this season. Especially the surprising season of rookie Nate Coleman (11-5, 3.20 ERA). Coleman, a 2nd round draft pick, wasn't expected to do much this season. Under Nakamura's tutelage, he has blossomed and management hopes that he'll be able to continue his success.
9 (13)- Scottsdale Camels (75-63)- After a rough start, the Camels have gotten better and better as the season has went on. Now they are currently in place to get into the playoffs in the last WC spot. This season has been quite an accomplishment for the Camels pitching staff, led by Tony Sosa (14-5, 2.66 ERA). The Camels boast the highest ranked pitching staff in the AL, with the lowest team ERA of 3.67. Given their home park is the most hitter friendly in the league, the pitchers and coaches deserve alot of credit for propelling this team into playoff contention.
10 (10)- Anaheim Hitmen (73-65)- The Hitmen find themselves having a down season, by this franchise's standards, and having to claw to try and get into the playoffs. They are currently 2 games out of the second WC. Cesar Morales (.309 AVG, 32 HR, 88 RBI) having yet another very good season.
11 (9)- Charlotte Dukies (72-66)- The AL North was thought to belong to the Jazz this preseason. But the Dukies have had a very good season, and the Jazz have under performed a bit. As a result, this division race will likely go down to the final days of the season. The scheduling gods seem to know what they're doing too, because the Jazz and Dukies play a 3-game series as the second to last series of the season. Jimmie Cortes (.299 AVG, 22 HR, 61 RBI) is having a monster season, and is proving to be the steal of the Rule 5 Draft. Cortes and team mate Julio Mercado (9-2, 2.45 ERA) are the front runners for the AL RoY Award. They also have a friendly wager involving that award. Loser has to make a $5,000 donation to the charity of the winner's choice.
12 (11)- New Orleans Jazz (72-66)- Expectations in the Big Easy were high this season. So far, both fans and management alike have been disappointed at the up-and-down season the Jazz have been having. Despite that, the Jazz are tied for their division. There is still plenty of time left to turn this season around. If they manage to win the division and make some noise in the playoffs, fans will forget the lackluster start to the season. In the 45 games since he's been acquired from Arizona, veteran Jim Guererro (.352 AVG, 22 HR, 52 RBI) has provided this team with a desperately needed spark. Despite being in New Orleans for less than half of the season, he is already second on the Jazz in home runs. Very savvy trade by the GM.
13 (15)- Minnesota Target (70-68)- The Target appear to be on pace to win the weakest division in SP, the AL North. Despite the team's mediocrity, the franchise does seem to be moving in the right direction. If they hold on, the team will finish above .500 for the first time in seven seasons and make the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons. Davey Quixote (.281 AVG, 23 HR, 75 RBI) continues to build off of last season's breakout production. Though his power is down a bit from last season, management hopes the 24-year old will continue to develop into a star and the team's offensive centerpiece.
14 (17)- Cleveland Lake Shores (70-68)- Season 18 has been a huge disappointment for Lake Shores fans and players alike. After four straight trips to the postseason (including 2 NLCS appearances) the Lake Shores will likely miss the playoffs this season. There isn't any single reason to point to for this team's record, but really just a team wide decline in performance relative to last season. Last season, the Lake Shore offense was well above average, and ranked 6th in the NL in runs scored with a OPS of .754. This season, they are exactly average offensively, ranked 9th in the NL in runs scored with a OPS of .733. Last season, the pitching was ranked 6th in the NL with a team ERA of 3.79. This season they are ranked 8th with a 4.03 ERA. It will be a very interesting offseason in Cleveland.
15 (19)- Philadelphia Stomp (69-69)- The Stomp are also very disappointed in their Season 18 performance. This franchise has made the playoffs, via Wild Card, for 7 of the last 9 seasons including 3 straight. They've also been to the ALCS each of the last three seasons. With a highly touted pitching staff, the expectation was for this team to take the next step forward. They didn't. Though it is still possible for this team to go on a run and slip into a Wild Card spot, it is much more likely that they will miss the playoffs all together. The pitching staff has been very disappointing. It went from a top five pitching staff last season, with a team ERA of 4.27 to a bottom five staff with a team ERA of 4.64. The bright spot in Philly has been Orber Martin (.344 AVG, 47 HR, 113 RBI). In his first full season with the Stomp, he is one of the favorites for the AL MVP. He also has a slim chance of winning a Triple Crown. He is currently 2nd in AVG, 1st in HR and 3rd in RBI.
16 (12)- Iowa City Badgers (68-70)
17 (-)- Atlanta Soda Poppers (67-71)
18 (16)- Milwaukee Titans (67-71)
19 (14)- Scranton Wild (67-71)
20 (18)- Houston Buushwackerz (67-71)
