1- San Diego Wiley Coyotes (25-11)- The San Diego Pepes are off to a fantastic start in their quest to dethrone the division champion Tragedy Twins who have won the NL West for the last seven seasons. 'Best Pitcher in the Universe' Pepe Sosa is off to his usual start, currently 6-0 with a 1.03 ERA. But, equally important to the Coyotes early season surge has been the breakout season of 1B Danys Castilla. So far this season he is setting career highs in AVG (.333), OPB (.398) and SLG (.603) while leading the team in hits, home runs and RBI.
2- Little Rock Mockingbirds (24-12)- After 12 seasons in Memphis (including a Cinderella run to the World Series in Season 10), baseball fans in Tennessee were crushed when the league office approved the franchise's request to relocate to Ray Winder Field in Little Rock. On the other hand, fans in Arkansas were elated to have ML baseball back since their beloved Travelers moved to Charlotte eight seasons ago. So far, so good for the move, as the Mockingbirds are on pace to enjoying the best regular season in franchise history. The team's hitters have seemed to relish in the move away from pitcher friendly Auto Zone Park. The team is second in the NL in runs scored. The pitching has held up as well though, also ranking second in the NL in fewest runs allowed.
3- Detroit Immortals (24-12)- This may be the season that Immortals fans have long been waiting for. Despite winning the division the last two seasons, this franchise hasn't had a winning record in 16 seasons. Despite the team's success so far, many analysts wonder if the team's pitching will be able to keep up this level of success for the entire season. Currently the team is very average offensively but is excelling both on the mound and with the glove. Detroit ranks 3rd in the AL in fielding and leads the AL in fewest runs allowed by a large margin. Sophomore SP Benny Reynoso has been the team's early season catalyst. After a solid, but not spectacular rookie season, Reynoso has been dominant so far in Season 22 going 4-2 in his seven starts with a 1.96 ERA.
4- Chicago Gray Stockings (23-13)- After making the playoffs for ten consecutive seasons, including back-to-back NL Pennants, the Sox missed the playoffs in both Seasons 19 and 20. The front office decided it was time to tear down the team and start over. Apparently the players didn't get the memo and the team proceeded to win the Season 21 World Series in shocking fashion. The front office though, continued the rebuild, letting a number of key players walk away during the offseason, and loading up the roster with past-their-prime vets. Once again, the players (so far) haven't seemed to get the memo, and picked up right where they left off last season. And they're winning in typical Chicago style, with pitching and defense. The Gray Sox currently lead the NL in fewest runs allowed, fewest errors, fewest '-' plays and most '+' plays.
5- Philadelphia Stomp (23-13)- The reigning AL Champs are determined to finally win the WS after two unsuccessful trips to the Fall Classic. This year's team feature all of the same core players as last season, with no much in the way of turnover. For a team that has won at least 90 games in 8 of the last 11 seasons (including 95+ wins in the last three) the move to go with what you've got is understandable. This squad is has been considered a championship level squad for the last few seasons that just has been unable to get the breaks. With a loaded pitching rotation (as usual) its been 5th year veteran SP Jimmie Pulido who has paced the pitching staff while on his quest to prove that last season's break out performance was no fluke. Jimmie is currently 6-0 in 7 starts with a 2.06 ERA.
6- Monterrey Gringos (23-13)- For Mexican baseball fans, its been a long time since they've had a team they could really get behind. Its been 12 seasons since Monterrey has had a winning record. It was Season 9, and the team featured HoFers Kazuhiro Takada, Terrell Quinn and Frank Mays. Playing in home run friendly Estadio Monterrey with 3 prodigious power hitters, the Venom faithful referred to their lineup as 'Fila del Asesino' and the team was one of the most watched in the league. While maybe not to the level of Takada, Quinn and Mays (at least not yet) this year's squad has ignited fans imaginations once again with a lineup bristling with young sluggers. The team is 2nd in the AL in runs scored and 1st in home runs. Sophomore LF Melky Cordero and sophomore 2B Dustan Bailey are 2nd and 3rd in the AL in home runs with 12 and 13. DH Derek Cox, has 9 home runs, but he has the potential to become one of the most feared offensive forces in the league. Things seem to be going right in Monterrey, finally, and the AL South should be a great three team race to watch down the stretch.
7- Vancouver Tragedy Twins (22-14)- For the last seven or so seasons, the Twins have been one of the NL's powerhouses. They've won the division for seven consecutive seasons, won 2 NL Pennants and World Series. This season the team will have to deal with the loss of SP Harold Paquette, who signed in Charlotte, and was a key piece in winning the franchise's championship. While no single pitcher has stepped in to assume Paquette's leadership role, veteran Johnny Lucasiewicz and younger starters Abraham Walker and Elijah Darling have provided stability in the rotation. The three have a combined record of 11-4 with an 3.52 ERA in their 22 starts.
8- New Orleans Jazz (22-14)- The franchise that has come to dominate the AL South in recent memory, winning the division in 8 of the last 11 seasons, will have their work cut out for them this season. A resurgent Monterrey team and the Charlotte Dukies (who have won the division 2 of the last 3 seasons) are both capable of winning the division this season and this race should go all the way down to the final games of the season. In a move considered by many to be the steal of the offseason, the Jazz inked former MVP OF Randall Bryant. So far, he has been a big disappointment in the Big Easy. He is hitting barely above .250 with very little power. Despite Bryant's struggles, the Jazz have been very good this season with a team that boasts one of the most top-to-bottom balanced rosters in the league.
9- Salem Volcanoes (22-14)- The new management's plan of pairing up Victor Delgado with another All Star level pitcher has worked out in Salem, but not in the way that was envisioned. Delgado has been terrible so far this season, with a record of 2-3 record and a 6.58 ERA in his 7 starts. Clearly that is not up to the level of performance that the league has become accustomed to seeing from the 8-time All Star. His recently signed wingman however, Esteban Hernandez, continues on the tear he started in last season's playoffs. He is leading the AL in innings pitched and is 7-0 with a 3.03 ERA in his eight starts. When Delgado turns it around this season (and you know he will) this team could become very good, very quickly.
10- Atlanta Soda Poppers (20-16)- The Poppers have been one of the most enigmatic teams in the NL over the last 4-5 seasons. They're certainly not in the cellar anymore as they were before, but they seem to be unable to take the next step into the upper echelon on regular playoff teams. They seemed to be so close entering last season. They were coming off of back-to-back 90-win seasons and playoff appearances. Then last year, the team regressed mightily, finishing in 4th place with a very disappointing 77 wins. So far, this team seems to want to prove that last season was a fluke, and is on pace for another 90-win season. The early anchor for the Poppers has been SP Thurman Olerud. The southpaw is 5-2 with a 2.76 ERA and could be on his way to his 2nd All Star appearance.
11- Charlotte Dukies (20-16)- The Dukies, like their rivals the Jazz and Gringos, find themselves to be in the toughest division in the league so far this season. After being one of the losingest franchises in the league for many seasons, this squad has really turned it around after moving to Charlotte. The Dukies have been very consistent over the last five seasons, including making it into the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. The Dukies hope that this will be the year they are able to make a deep postseason run. Veteran Harold Paquette was brought in to give the rotation a boost. In his second full ML season, Lou Beech seems be reveling in his move from SS to 3B. Relieved of the defensive pressures of playing in the middle of the IF, Beech has been stellar in the field and continues to improve at the dish (.301 AVG, 7 HR, 22 RBI).
12- Richmond Rebellion (20-16)- For the last five seasons, the Rebellion have comfortable won the NL South by an average of 15 games. Largely considered the pre-season favorite this season, Richmond finds themselves tied for second place and having to battle tooth-and-nail with three other teams. Three time, and reigning MVP, Ted Westomoreland is still pacing the team offensively with a .309 AVG, 10 HR and 32 RBI. He is on pace to hit career home run #400 either late this season at the age of 30, or very early next season at the age of 31. Is it too early to start talking about the possibility of #677 and maybe a new HR King?
13- St. Louis Redbirds (19-17)- The Redbirds have quietly assembled what is probably the best 1-2-3 pithing combo in the league in Phil Leonard, Carter Maybin and Lonny Sanchez. While Sanchez is struggling so far this season, Maybe and Leonard have been very good. The two are a combined 9-4 with a 2.89 ERA. The offense has been above league average in the AL as well. The real problem so far for the Birds this season is that after Leonard and Maybin, nearly every other pitcher on the roster have been terrible. Still, if Sanchez turns it around and Leonard and Maybin keep it up this is exactly the kind of team that is constructed to make noise in the playoffs... if they can get there.
14- Anaheim Pepper Pickers (19-17)- Anaheim was one of the toughest teams to figure out going into this season. This franchise has been one of the AL's traditional powers but has been slowly eroding over the last four seasons. With new management coming in, this team had question marks written all over it. They've had a solid, though not spectacular, start to the season but questions still remain if this squad is potent enough to get into the playoffs in a top heavy AL. Many critics have questioned Anaheim lifers Cristobal Roque (.257 AVG, 7 HR, 23 RBI) and Ryan Bradford's (.239 AVG, 8 HR, 26 RBI) motivation as well. They are struggling in the early going and some have said they lack the focus to lead this team going forward. Time will tell if they turn it around and keep the Pepper Pickers in the divisional and Wild Card races.
15- Milwaukee Titans (19-17)- Similar to the Gray Sox, this traditional NL power is undergoing a rebuild this season, only the players don't seem to see it that way. The Titans are currently leading the NL North over three underachieving squads. Former Baltimore Rev Billy Ray Howington continues to prove that he was more than just a product of a powerhouse lineup supporting him when he was with the Rev. At the age of 36, as he winds down an excellent big league career, good 'ol Billy Ray has been excellent this season with a 1.98 ERA in his 41 innings of work.
16- Los Angeles White Sox (19-17)
17- Jackson Swamp Hogs (18-18)
18- Cleveland Lake Shores (18-18)
19- Baltimore Revolution (17-19)
20- Montreal Robinsons (17-19)
