2007 CDBL Playoff Race Mid-Season Review IF THE PLAYOFFS WERE HELD TODAY - Aaron Division - Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-32) Paige Division - Tualatin Thunder (41-40) Gehrig Division - Topeka Stingers (47-36) Tiant Division - Milwaukee Pilots (60-25) MK Conference Wildcard - Elk Grove Trout (51-34) RY Conference Wildcard - Alphaville Caution (53-30) #1 League Wildcard - Avila Dragons (47-35) #2 League Wildcard - Arkham Investigators (48-36) IN THE WILDCARD PLAYOFF HUNT: Concord Minutemen (47-37) - 1 game behind League WC Montreal Voltigeurs (48-39) - 1 1/2 games behind League WC Dedham Destroyers (45-37) - 2 games behind League WC Anchorage Gold Diggers (44-38) - 3 games behind League WC Georgia Pines (44-39) - 3 1/2 games behind League WC Albuquerque Maul (43-40) - 4 1/2 games behind League WC Madison Muckrakers (43-42) - Percentage points behind Paige Division Leader Springfield Isotopes (39-45, 3 1/2 games behind Paige Division Leader) ************************************************************************************************************** Aaron Division - 1st - Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-32) (2 All-Stars) - David Ortiz continues his strong play, hitting .297 with 13 home runs and 50 runs scored at the break. Brad Hawpe is slugging .509 with 10 home runs, 40 runs scored and 37 RBI at the break, while Ryan Ludrick is hitting .282 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI with only 195 at bats. Most of the hitters are platoons, which would explain the lack of hitting all-stars this year. Pitching has been the star, with CC Sabathia going 9-5 with a 3.85 ERA, and reliever Rafael Perez going 6-3 with 6 saves and a 2.86 ERA. Closer Casey Janssen is 5-0 with 12 saves. A 2nd half improvement from John Smoltz (5-5, 4.98 ERA) would help solidify the Mashers' hold on the Aaron division. 2nd - Elk Grove Trout (51-34, 2 games behind) (5 All-Stars) - Elk Grove has been one of the better hitting teams in the league. Magglio Ordonez is hitting .336 with 75 runs scored and 60 RBI, and Alex Rios is hitting .322 with 18 home runs, 65 runs scored and 68 RBI. Orlando Cabrera is hitting .324 with 65 runs scored and 19 stolen bases, while Justin Morneau is hitting .297 with 17 home runs and 58 RBI. #1 overall pick Ryan Braun is hitting .321 with 57 RBI. Pitching has been iffy, with a team ERA of 4.86. Jarrod Washburn has benefitted from the run support, going 12-3 with a 4.29 ERA. Closer Jered Burton has been fantastic, going 4-0 with 15 saves and a 0.54 ERA. Acquiring a starter who can keep the ball in the park would greatly improve Elk Grove's chances at the pennant. 3rd - Arkham Investigators (48-36, 4 1/2 games behind) (4 All-Stars) - Edgar Rentera has been an excellent table-setter for the Investigators this year, hitting .327 with 58 runs scored. Aaron Rowand is slugging .517 with 52 RBI, and Alfonso Soriano has 14 home runs, 48 runs scored and 50 RBI. Mark Buehrle is 9-2 with a 3.10 ERA, and Dan Haren is 9-6 with a 3.16 ERA. Lee Gardner has saved 19 games, but his .371 batting average against lefties has driven his ERA to a sky high 4.14. Still, the team ERA of 3.83 is best in the division. The Investigators could also learn to take a walk or two, as their team OBP of 0.319 is worst among any teams still in playoff contention. 4th - Montreal Voltigeurs (48-39, 6 games behind) (4 All-Stars) - The Voltigeurs hitters have been fearsome, scoring a league high 550 runs at the break. Carlos Pena is hitting .322 with 32 home runs, 86 runs scored and 77 RBI, while rookie Hunter Pence is hitting .332 with 20 home runs, 69 runs scored and 77 RBI. BJ Upton is hitting .320 with 27 home runs, 81 runs scored, 69 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Nick Swisher has added 16 home runs, 72 runs scored and 6 1RBI. Manny Ramirez has "merely" hit 17 home runs with 51 runs scored and 52 RBI. What has prevented Montreal from a better record is the pitching. Their 5.16 team ERA is pretty high. Josh Beckett has been service-able, going 8-3 with a 4.25 ERA, and closers Jonathan Papelbon and Matt Capps have saved a combined 19 games with respectable ERAs. Another starter or two could really jumpstart their chances for the post-season. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Point Lomas Friars, Dallas SuperSquad ************************************************************************************************************** Paige Division - 1st - Tualatin Thunder (41-40) (3 All-Stars) - Jim Thome has been willing this team to a winning record, hitting .360 with 33 home runs, 74 runs scored and 73 RBI at the break. Miguel Cabrera is hitting .330 with 20 home runs, 65 runs scored and 53 RHI, while Yuniesky Betancourt is hitting .298 with 60 runs scored. Victor Martinez is hitting .306 at the catcher position, sporting a .509 slugging average, 44 runs scored and 46 RBI. Yovani Gallardo is 7-4 with a 3.71 ERA, but the rest of the pitching staff is atrocious with a team ERA of 5.24, 4th worst in the league. Pitching help is needed if they are to fend off the other teams in the division in the only likely playoff spot for a Paige division team this year. 2nd - Madison Muckrakers (43-42, percentage points behind) (5 All-Stars) - Mere percentage points behind at the break, the Muckrakers are in prime position to take over the division in the 2nd half. David Wright has been stellar, hitting .313 with 21 home runs, 22 stolen bases, 62 runs scored and 56 RBI. Jimmy Rollins has 52 runs scored and 51 RBI, while Travis Hafner has 12 home runs, 48 runs scored and 45 RBI. Orlando Hudson has 11 stolen bases and 58 runs scored, while Nick Markakis is hitting .309 with 12 home runs and 55 runs scored. Young ace Felix Hernandez is 10-6 with a 3.72 ERA, while AJ Burnett is 9-3 with a 3.22 ERA. Aaron Harang has been unlucky in the wins department (5-6) but still has a 3.23 ERA. Closer Francisco Cordero has saved 18 games with a nice 0.89 ERA. The Muckrakers have the 7th best run differential in the league (and 3rd best in the AP Conference) so it may be a matter of team cohesion for them to nab the Paige division pennant in 2007. 3rd - Springfield Isotopes (39-45, 3 1/2 games behind) (2 All-Stars) - Only by being in the Paige division do the rebuilding Isotopes have a shot at the post-season. Ted Lilly has been great, going 12-3 with a 3.03 ERA to start the all-star game, and closer Heath Bell has saved 17 games with a 2.59 ERA. Dustin Pedroia has shown flashes of brilliance, hitting .301 with 61 runs scored, but the rest of the lineup still needs work. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Seattle Decaf, Brookfield Brewers, DBL Fishbiscuits ************************************************************************************************************** Gehrig Division - 1st - Topeka Stingers (47-36) (3 All-Stars) - Ryan Howard has been crushing it this year, hitting .306 with 30 home runs, 62 runs scored and 73 RBI at the break. Veteran Jeff Kent has contributed a .355 on base average and 56 runs scored, while Carlos Guillen and Akinori Iwamura have each scored 49 runs. Rookie Josh Hamilton has shown lots of promise, hitting 20 home runs with 46 runs and 46 RBI at the break. Javier Vazquez is 8-5 with a 3.45 ERA. Closer Brett Myers has saved 11 games with a 1.14 ERA. Acquiring another starter (their team ERA is 4.67) could help cement their status as the top Gehrig division team. 2nd - Concord Minutemen (47-37, 1/2 game behind) (3 All-Stars) - Age is but a number for 35 year old Chipper Jones, who is hitting .384 with 19 home runs, 65 runs scored and 71 RBI. Mark Teixeira is hitting .322 with 25 home runs, 71 runs scored and 65 RBI. Lance Berkman has added a .300 average, 17 home runs and 63 runs scored. Rookie Mark Reynolds is hitting .291 with 52 RBI. Chris Young is only hitting .248 but has 16 home runs and 45 RBI to his name. Johan Santana has a uncharacteristicly high 4.57 ERA, but is still 9-4. Ben Sheets has gone 78-2 with a 3.86 ERA. Trevor Hoffman has 11 saves with a 1.82 ERA, and Joe Beimel and Russ Springer have combined to save another 12. Having Santana and phenom Troy Tulowitzki play up to their true potential will help for the 2nd half. 3rd - Anchorage Gold Diggers (44-38, 2 1/2 games behind) (4 All-Stars) - Curtis Granderson leads the hitters with a .340 batting average and 58 runs scored. Infielder Brian Roberts is hitting .313 with 65 runs scored and 31 stolen bases, while Eric Byrnes has driven in 58 runs with 12 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Jake Peavy has been strong, going 9-4 with a 2.47 ERA. Ian Snell is 8-5 with a 4.30 ERA. Rafael Betancourt has saved 12 games and won another 4 with a low 1.33 ERA. Anchorage has the 4th best team ERA in the league, but may need an extra bat or a good winning streak to jump back into the lead. 4th - Albuquerque Maul (43-40, 4 games behind) (3 All-Stars) - Grady Sizemore has been an elite leadoff hitter, sporting a .401 on base average with 16 home runs, 16 stolen bases and 64 runs scored. Mike Lowell is hitting .284 with 17 home runs, 50 runs scored and 57 RBI. Todd Helton is hitting .306 with 52 RBI. The team's 3.66 ERA is best in the league. Brandon Webb is 9-6 with a 2.85 ERA, and Chien-Ming Wang is 6-5 with a 2.65 ERA. Closer Rafael Soriano has saved 13 games with a 2.38 ERA. Albuquerque has the league's 7th best run differential in the league, but only the 13th best record. Perhaps better play from Jose Reyes (only a .246 batting average) can improve their chances at a playoff spot in the 2nd half. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Hong Kong Cavaliers, Carlsbad Surfers ************************************************************************************************************** Tiant Division - 1st - Milwaukee Pilots (60-25) (7 All-Stars) - Everything is coming up Milwaukee so far, as the Pilots have the best record at the break. Chase Utley is hitting .322 with 75 runs scored and 62 RBI, while Ichiro Suzuki is hitting .372 with 17 stolen bases, 51 runs scored and 58 RBI. Carl Crawford is hitting .345 with 17 stolen bases and 60 runs scored. Jorge Posada has a .315 batting average, 72 runs scored and 54 RBI, while veteran slugger Gary Sheffield has smacked 18 home runs with 15 steals, 67 runs scored and 47 RBI. Jason Bartlett and Ryan Zimmerman have each driven in 50 runs for this potent offense. Joe Blanton is 12-2 with a 3.21 ERA, and the rest of the rotation have each won at least 6 games. Closer Joakim Soria has saved 19 games, won another 4 with a 1.51 ERA, and Jonathan Broxton has gone 6-0 in relief with a 1.84 ERA. The Pilots will be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. 2nd - Alphaville Caution (53-30, 6 games behind) (1 All-Stars) - How unfair is it for the Caution to be in this division this year? The 2nd best record in the majors, but they are 6 games behind in the division and were able to place only one all-star (Hanley Ramirez, hitting .354 with 25 stolen bases, 57 runs scored and 58 RBI). Kevin Youkilis has a .392 on base average, 11 home runs and 56 runs scored, and Randy Winn is hitting .286 with 52 runs scored. Nate McLouth has 14 home runs and 51 RBIs. Dustin McGowan has gone 6-3 with a 2.91 ERA, and Ubaldo Jimenez is 8-4. Hideki Okajima has saved 15 games with a 2.63 ERA. The pennant is pretty much out of reach, but Alphaville is setting themselves up for a potential conference finals matchup with the Pilots to determine who will be the GT representative in this year's world series ... provided there are no round 1 upsets, of course! 3rd - Avila Dragons (47-35, 11 1/2 games behind) (3 All-Stars) - Alex Rodriguez continues his Hall of Fame career, hitting .292 with 28 home runs, 19 stolen bases, 68 runs scored and 58 RBI. Johnny Damon has a .381 on base average and 47 runs scored. Barry Bonds continues to defy father time (how *does* he do that?) with 23 home runs, 54 runs scored and 55 RBI at the break. Brad Penny has been stellar in the rotation, going 11-2 with a 2.80 ERA to start the all-star game. Kason Gabbard is 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA and Daisuke Matsuzaka has won 7 games. Closer Takashi Saito has saved 16 games with a 1.55 ERA. Currently sitting on a playoff spot, Avila may need to acquire a bat or two as Bonds won't be able to keep his 1st half pace. 4th - Dedham Destroyers (45-37, 13 1/2 games behind) (1 All-Stars) - Prince Fielder has emerged on the scene, hitting .282 with 25 home runs, 51 runs scored and 71 RBI. Chone Figgens has swiped 39 bases with a .364 on base average and 54 runs scored. Torii Hunter is slugging .480 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI. Tim Hudson is 7-5 with a 4.24 ERA, while Jeremy Guthrie has won 6. Closer Akinori Otsuka has saved 15 games with a 2.29 ERA. Some 2nd half tweaks may be in order, particular a strong outfielder bat, a new closer to replace the soon to be finished Otsuka and an improved performance from Hudson. 5th - Georgia Pines (44-39, 15 games behind) (2 All-Stars) - Derrek Lee has had a strong year, hitting .304 with 16 home runs, 55 runs scored and 53 RBI. Jeremy Hermida is hitting .313 with 13 home runs and 52 RBI. Carlos Silva is 6-4 with a 3.20 ERA, and Shawn Marcum is also 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA. Closer JJ Putz has saved 18 games with a tiny 1.98 ERA. Their mere +12 run differential shows they are winning a lot of close games, but some additional acquisitions many be in order for them to make the playoffs. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Boston Bulldogs