by Palanion » Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:47 pm
We’re going to have five fantastic final series this week to fill the playoff spots and positions.
Every race is open, no team will win 100 and the 90s are not likely, and divisional games will be crucial.
EAST:
Mr. BBW (80-67) has a 3-game lead over Modmark (77-70) and a 5-game cushion over Bunze0 (75-72). However, the lead is not safe as those pesky Bears have two series each against Modmark’s War Hammers and Bunze0’s bass turds (and only one series vs. my pitiful squad). In the meantime, Modmark and Bunze0 play against each other in only one series and play against mine twice each.
CENTRAL:
Emart and JoeOC are still tied atop the Central at 79-68. These two squads play two critical series against each other tonight and Thursday night. Emart holds a 10-8 season series advantage (if a tie-breaker is needed).
WEST:
BobBoone (80-67) is the closest to clinching anything with a magic number of 8. Delta Force has a 5-game lead on hackra’s Honeymen (75-72) and is up 7 on Munich_Man’s Sechs Maniacs (73-74). However, much like Mr. BBW, BobBoone must face these two rivals twice each for four of his five final series, and is a combined 17-19 against them so far this season.
HOME FIELD:
Mr. BBW and BobBoone are tied for best record while Emart and JoeOC are one game back.
WILD CARD STANDINGS:
Manager W-L GB
Emart 79-68 --
JoeOC 79-68 --
Modmark 77-70 2
Bunze0 75-72 4
Hackra 75-72 4
George Brett has 17 hits in his last 29 at bats to raise his average to .401. Will Brett have back-to-back .400 seasons? BobBoone’s Force might just need a major Brett surge to hold on to the West lead. Not to diminish the achievement here, because it is simply amazing, but this would be the fourth .400 season in the last three SBDL campaigns -- Babe Ruth hit .407 (2nd to Brett's .415) last season and Ted Williams hit
.401 (yes) two seasons ago.
Ralph Kiner hit five homers in the last nine games to reach 71 home runs and an outside shot at 80. However, Roger Maris has powered up for a run at 80 by hitting NINE homers in the last seven games. Maris, the SBDL 5-time HR champ, now sits at 74 with 15 games left. His last 80-HR campaign was in season 16. He last led the league, with 67 dingers, in season 18.
Since the last update, Pedro Martinez made two starts, won them both, and allowed just three earned runs over 16 innings. His ERA is 1.95. While Pedro will not challenge the record of 1.63 that Babe Adams set in season 8 (will anyone?), he could set the second-best mark, which is currently 1.94 achieved by Pete Alexander in season 5. Barring a total catastrophe in his final four starts, Martinez will crack the ERA top 5 that has just the names of Adams and Alexander.
Eckersley’s poor spell ended and he’s improved his relief ERA to 1.72, which will still be a top 5 all-time in SBDL if he remains in that vicinity. However, he now has company in this pursuit. Mariano Rivera has been a monster over his last 11 appearances. Mo has allowed ZERO runs over 20 2/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.77 on the season. During this stretch he has allowed just 10 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 28.
Randy Johnson’s pursuit of 383 did reach one milestone over the last nine games: By striking out 16 batters over his last two starts, the Big Unit has set the SBDL single-season strikeout record. His current total of 339 beats the previous best of Sandy Koufax, who fanned 336 in season 6. Johnson needs 45 Ks to get past Ryan’s MLB record. Johnson is averaging 11.54 k/9, so using that pace, he must pitch 35 innings over the last four starts. One plus in Johnson’s favor: One start will be against Furball, whose batters he has struck out a combined 29 times in the last two appearances against.
Two new additions to the Stat Race Watch:
If Steve Carlton makes his final four scheduled starts, he will set the league record of GS, which began being counted in season 6, with 42.
If Christy Mathewson averages almost 8 innings in his final four starts, he will surpass Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown’s innings pitched standard of 331 1/3 set in season 5. Mathewson needs exactly 31 innings to get to 331 2/3.