SBL Notebook, Week 17

It's tempting to declare this a no-harm no-foul week, but the truth of the matter is, there was a LOT of harm inflicted in Week 17 -- almost all of it administered by the National division and absorbed by the American division, whose constituents were left in a mood most foul. The Nationals, who decisively won the first interleague interlude (Weeks 7-10), began the second four-week IL period with their most dominant performance yet, walloping the Americans by a 28-8 count. Leading the NL onslaught were the ever-mercurial Whiteskins, the division cellar dwellers who, oddly enough, posted the only 6-0 record for the week, riding some outsized offense (49 TB, 44 RBI, 7 SBs) and lights-out pitching (2.35 ERA, 1.27 K-ratio). The no-harm no-foul part of the equation applies to the NL race -- because no team in the division went worse than 4-2, there was very little change in the standings, with the Godfathers maintaining their one-game lead over the Inmates, and the Derelicts, DamianUnited and the Cherry Valley Bombers bunched in third through fifth places, separated by only three games. The other division race, however, grew only more one-sided, because the Zero's, Best Team In Ball for nearly a month now, were the lone AL entry to survive the week with their dignity fully intact, losing only to JP in a 5-1 run that inflated their lead to 11 games over the Bammers -- whose 2-4 mark represented the best the rest of the division could muster. Elsewhere it was total mass humiliation -- the other four AL teams getting their collective clocks cleaned to the tune of a combined 1-23. Sheesh. . . . The NL was just too good everywhere you looked, mashing 55 HRs (a robust 9.2 per team) to the AL's puny 35; averaging an impressive 37 RBIs (to the AL's 28) and 33 TBs (to 28) per team; and posting four ERAs of 3.35 or better, no BR stat higher than 1.25 and no K-rate lower than .85. No NL team was less than good, and if they had been playing amongst themselves, it might've been downright cannibalistic. But facing the overmatched AL, it was simply a bloodbath. Better luck next week, Junior Circuit.

Week 17 standings

AMERICAN DIVISION
Team, LW...................W....L....PCT....GB
Zero's (5-1)..................72...34....679....--
Bammers (2-4)..............61...45....575....11
Moaners (1-5)...............59...47....557....13
Badgers (0-6)................50...56....472....22
Barristers (0-6)..............31...75....292....41
Puny Pontiffs (0-6)..........20...86....189....52
NATIONAL DIVISION
Team, LW...................W....L....PCT....GB
Godfathers (4-2)...........64...42....604....--
Inmates (4-2)...............63...43....594.....1
Derelicts (5-1)..............59...47....557.....5
DamianUnited (5-1)........56...50....528.....8
Bombers (4-2)...............56...50....528.....8
Whiteskins (6-0)............45...61....425....19

PaulO's Note: Week 17

Some notes (somebody must be on vacation) ... Some quirks from the puny pod. All three clubs round off to a 1.17 BR pitching stat. Odds of that must be long. To be exact: For the Jurists, 1.1679; for the Vatican, 1.1707; for the Z's, 1.1748. ... For the second week (not) running, the Holy See stole zero bags. Taking seriously that Seventh Commandment in papal lands. ... Z's offense fell of steeply from recent weeks, but rallied to get to mediocrity in the Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday "weekend" of the new and loathed sked. ... The revivied Bristow offense, led by Dustin Ackley (who knew?) is not awful, aside from the two dingers. Valencia has helped at 3B, too. ... Not that the D-Popes have had some bad luck, but they drafted this Presley guy (from Tupelo, Miss?) on Thursday and by the next day he was on the DL. Also, SDrew broke something or other (those Drew boys must not have gotten enough iron in their diets), reducing the club to Alcides Escobar at SS (who hits in the 9 hole for the Royals for a reason), but he is losing time to the backup DPope 3B, MAviles, who is just back from Triple A and sucks pretty hard, too. Also, Kirk Gibson down in AZ apparently thinks a 3B with pop like Ryan Roberts isn't something he really needs, and Roberts played only five games. Mauer went dead again, till Wednesday, when he hit his first homer of the season! And it took the SBL draft's No. 15 pick only till July 27 to get it! ...The Z's were helped by Eric Hosmer (6 runs, 8 BI, 13-for-29 with 1 walk, 4 doubles, 1 big fly and 1 steal) and by Li'l Dustin Pedroia (8 runs, 3 BI, 14-for-27, 2 walks, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 dinger, 2 bags). ... Oh, and the papacy got their first "save" since Week 12 (hmm, Jonathan PAPEL-bon?), which seems like a pretty low save total for a worldwide religious organization. Thanks, Mitchell Boggs, for showing up, three months later.

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This from a man recently recouping in the United States after time abroad. The SBL Blog thanks him for making time while he lounges somewhere in the LBC, drinking caffiene-free soda (during the day).

Bammers Lookin' To Deal

A (really) quick note from the owner of the Bammers:

"I have pitching, looking for bats.
Felix Hernandez, masterson, haren, norris, zimmerman can be had."

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Looks like the Bams, two weeks removed from their place atop the American Division, are hitting panic button after going 0-7 last week. Crisis-management team assemble!

2011 SBL Rosters (Updated)

BADGERS
C: Posey (27), Y.Molina (274)
1B: Pujols (1), Huff (170)
2B: Phillips (53), Barney (300)
SS: Reyes (40), Brignac (222)
3B: Moustakas (S), Betemit (S)
OF: B.Upton (118), Quentin (144), A.Torres (145), Wells (157), Morrison (209), A.Soriano (S)
SP: Cahill (92), J.Sanchez (105), J.Chacin (183), Shields (248), Bumgarner (taxi 1)
Taxi: B. Anderson (131), Britton (T-24)
RP: Feliz (66), M.Rivera (79), Melancon (S), D.Hernandez (S)
DL: 3B A.Rodriguez (14), OF Craig (S)

PONTIFFS
C: Mauer (15), Martin (171)
1B: Hafner (S), Wallace (S)
2B: Cano (2), Kennedy (S)
SS: S.Drew (106), Al.Escobar (289)
3B: Aviles (S), R.Roberts (T)
OF: Ethier (54), Markakis (133), G.Jones (210), Beltran (223), Morse (S), Presley (S)
SP: Verlander (41), Scherzer (93), Latos (119), E.Jackson (262), Carrasco (S)
Taxi: Danks (146), Porcello (T-23)
RP: R.Soriano (197), Clippard (236), Boggs (S), Lyon (T)
DL: OF G.Sizemore (132)

BARRISTERS
C: V.Martinez (55), Hundley (276)
1B: Loney (172), Helton (S)
2B: B.Roberts (147), Ackley (S)
SS: H.Ramirez (3), Theriot (250)
3B: Wright (16), Valencia (S)
OF: Hart (81), Hunter (120), Swisher (134), Pagan (185), Damon (S), Ludwick (S)
SP: Halladay (29), Cl.Lee (42), Greinke (121), Nolasco (198), Pineiro (T-22)
Taxi: Myers (224), T.Wood (T-3)
RP: B.Wilson (68), Nathan (94), Meek (277), Santos (S)
DL: 3B Blake (S)

GODFATHERS
C: Napoli (238), Lucroy (S)
1B: B.Butler (108), Lind (122)
2B: A.Hill (109), S.Rodriguez (265)
SS: Desmond (148), E.Aybar (212)
3B: Longoria (4), Headley (264)
OF: Hamilton (17), J.Upton (43), Heyward (56), Bourn (160), Francoeur (S), Cuddyer (S)
SP: Lincecum (30), Hanson (69), Cain (82), Beckett (225), Cueto (S)
Taxi: Garza (173), Peavy (T-4)
RP: C.Perez (95), Lidge (186), F.Francisco (199), Farnsworth (S)

DAMIANUNITED
C: Montero (187), Olivo (279)
1B: Dunn (31), D.Ortiz (123)
2B: K.Johnson (70), C.Guillen (S)
SS: Tulowitzki (5), Pennington (266)
3B: M.Reynolds (110), Figgins (213)
OF: Holliday (18), I.Suzuki (97), Prado (253), Boesch (S), D.Brown (S), N.Cruz (T)
SP: Weaver (57), D.Hudson (161), C.Wilson (239), Worley (S), Karstens (S)
Taxi: Dempster (T), Narveson (S)
RP: F.Cordero (96), Bailey (149), Capps (200), Adams (S)
DL: SP J.Johnson (44)

INMATES
C: Buck (175), Saltalamacchia (241)
1B: Konerko (58), G.Sanchez (214)
2B: R.Weeks (45), Utley (162)
SS: A.Gonzalez (111), Furcal (S)
3B: McGehee (98), Wigginton (S)
OF: C.Gonzalez (6), Kemp (19), Choo (32), Bourjos (280), Byrd (293), Patterson (S)
SP: Morrow (150), Stauffer (201), E.Santana (240), Ogando (S), Vogelsong (S)
Taxi: Buchholz (124), Pineda (T-6)
RP: Marmol (71), Street (84), F.Rodriguez (85), Parnell (S)

BAMMERS
C. McCann (59), Torrealba (281)
1B: Votto (7), Freeman (215)
2B: N.Walker (151), Espinosa (242)
SS: A.Ramirez (112), M.Izturis (S)
3B: R.Zimmerman (20), Polanco (255)
OF: McCutchen (46), Stubbs (73), Rasmus (138), Ad.Jones (176), Thames (S), Reddick (S)
SP: F.Hernandez (33), Hamels (72), Haren (86), J.Garcia (163), Masterson (S)
Taxi: J.Zimmerman (189), Norris (S)
RP: Kimbrel (99), Putz (125), Sale (228), Bard (S)

MOANERS
C: K.Suzuki (100), Avila (S)
1B: Teixeira (8), Trumbo (S)
2B: Kinsler (34), Infante (217)
SS: Rollins (47), Scutaro (177)
3B: Youkilis (21), Freese (282)
OF: C.Young (60), V.Guerrero (126), Victorino (152), S.Smith (256),Fuld (S), Brantley (S)
SP: Carpenter (74), Liriano (113), W.Rodriguez (139), Jurrjens (T-17), Humber (S)
Taxi: Zambrano (243), Lohse (S)
RP: Soria (61), Valverde (87), Walden (S), Bastardo (S)
DL: RP Aardsma (216)

DERELICTS
C: Wieters (127), Posada (205)
1B: Ad.Gonzalez (9), Fielder (22)
2B: Kendrick (140), Turner (S)
SS: S.Castro (155), Peralta (231)
3B: M.Young (114), P.Alvarez (T)
OF: Bruce (35), Pence (48), Stanton (62), Ibanez (218), Willingham (270), Snider (S)
SP: Jimenez (49), Price (75), Romero (191), Collmenter (S), Luebke (S)
Taxi: Marcum (153), Tomlin (S)
RP: Storen (101), League (204), Rauch (244), Papelbon (T)
DL: OF Kubel (257), SP Oswalt (88)

BOMBERS
C: Pierzynski (297), C. Santana (T)
1B: M.Cabrera (10), C.Pena (S)
2B: Uggla (23), O.Hudson (232)
SS: Jeter (115), Hardy (S)
3B: Beltre (50), Rolen (192)
OF: Werth (36), Ellsbury (89), B.Abreu (128), A.Gordon (258), Berkman (S), Joyce (S)
SP: Kershaw (37), C.Lewis (141), Hellickson (154), G.Gonzalez (179), Baker (S)
Taxi: McClellan (10), Matsuzaka (15)
RP: Axford (76), Thornton (102), McGee (192), Isringhausen (S)
DL: 1B I.Davis (219)

WHITESKINS
C: Arencibia (233), Ruiz (Tr)
1B: Howard (24), Moreland (220)
2B: Beckham (155), J.Weeks (S)
SS: Andrus (64), Lowrie (S)
3B: Sandoval (116), C.Jones (259)
OF: Crawford (11), Granderson (142), Zobrist (167), Ca.Lee (180), Del.Young (T), Da.Murphy (S)
SP: Sabathia (51), Billingsley (129), Kuroda (181), A.Burnett (T-14), T.Hudson (T)
Taxi: Carmona (285), Colon (S)
RP: Bell (38), Fuentes (246), Salas (S), Guerra (S)
DL: RP Broxton (90)

ZERO'S
C: Iannetta (182), Soto (S)
1B: Morneau (65), Hosmer (S)
2B: Pedroia (26), Uribe (273)
SS: Y.Escobar (78), As.Cabrera (247)
3B: A.Ramirez (78), Encarnacion (221)
OF: Braun (12), J.Bautista (13), Gardner (91), A.Jackson (143), R. Davis (S), C.Ross (S)
SP: Lester (39), Gallardo (52), Kennedy (234), An.Sanchez (T-12), Beachy (S)
Taxi: Bedard (169), Hughes (156)
RP: Nunez (104), Uehara (117), Hanrahan (168), Gregg (195)

SBL Notebook, Week 16

What just happened? Here we had this nice little race going in the American division, we looked away for just a few seconds, and the Zero's turned around and hijacked the damn thing. The Z's kept on partying like it was 1999 on the offensive side of things, the Bammers were betrayed by their normally resolute pitching, and just like that, we saw a 7-0/0-7 swing that inflated the Zero's lead over the second-place Bammers from one game to eight. The Z's, almost alone among SBL teams, seemingly did not get the memo about this being the Era of the Pitcher, as they continue to mash like McGwire and Sosa and Bonds at their roid-ragin' peak. The Zero's slugged 11 home runs this week, to go with the 13 they launched last week and the 16 they pounded the week before that. They've also averaged 38 RBIs, 37 runs and, for good measure, 8 SBs in that three-week stretch. This isn't supposed to be happening in this diminished day and age, so we can only speculate that perhaps there is no PED testing in the United Arab Emirates, current home base for the Z's. Or maybe the UAE has been sucked into some giant time-warp vortex thing, causing the Z's hitters -- most notably Jose Bautista, Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia -- to believe and behave as though it’s 2001, not 2011. It took the Z's a little while to get going -- they were 7-12 after three weeks, at which point they already trailed the Bammers by 11 games -- but there's been no stopping them since during a 60-21 roll over the last 13 weeks that has carried them to the best record in ball (67-33), by an ever-widening margin. They’re 13-0 the last two weeks and 28-4 over the last five, during which time they’ve turned a nine-game deficit into an eight-game lead over the Bams . . . While the rise of the Zero's from near-worst to first in the AL (and the corresponding slide of the Bammers, who started 18-1) serves as a bracing reminder to avoid putting too much stock in early-season results, it is not the only rags-to-riches tale at work in the SBL this year. The National division has witnessed a similar recovery by the Cherry Valley Bombers, who broke last out of the gate at 3-16 through three weeks, but have steadily risen from the depths of despair to legit contention in the NL race. A league-high 15 HRs and league-low 1.14 ERA did the trick for them this week in a 6-1 performance (only the bad luck of having to face the Zero's prevented them from going 7-0) that lifted them above .500 for the first time all season, and to within eight games of the new NL front-runners, the Godfathers. (Side note: That makes 56 home runs in the last four weeks for the power-mad Bombers.) The G-Daddies also went 6-1 (losing only to the CVBs) and evicted the Inmates from the penthouse, where the Mental Defectives had resided since Week 11. The ’Mates trail by one game, then it’s five more back to the Derelicts and another two to the Bombers, who jumped over DamianUnited into fourth place. . . . And while we're on the subject of the CVBs’ rise to respectability, take a snapshot of this week's standings. The Bombers' ascension to 52-48 means that only three of our 12 teams currently sport losing records, and that's something you rarely see this far into the season, or at any point in any season. Speaks well for competitive balance, particularly in the NL, where any of five teams could win the division crown. Well done, everyone!

Week 16 standings

AMERICAN DIVISION
Team, LW..................W....L....PCT....GB
Zero's (7-0).................67...33....670....--
Bammers (0-7).............59...41....590.....8
Moaners (5-2)..............58...42....580.....9
Badgers (1-6)..............50...50....500....17
Barristers (2-5)............31...69....310....36
Pontiffs (5-2)..............20...80....200....47
NATIONAL DIVISION
Team, LW..................W....L....PCT....GB
Godfathers (6-1)..........60...40....600....--
Inmates (3-4)..............59...41....590.....1
Derelicts (2-5).............54...46....540.....6
Bombers (6-1).............52...48....520.....8
DamianUnited (2-5).......51...49....510.....9
Whiteskins (3-4)..........39...61....390....21