2009 CDBL Playoff Race Mid-Season Review IF THE PLAYOFFS WERE HELD TODAY - Aaron Division - Point Lomas Friars (56-30) Paige Division - Madison Muckrakers (60-25) Gehrig Division - Anchorage Gold Diggers (51-33) Tiant Division - Half Moon Bay Dragons (62-22) MK Conference Wildcard - DBL Fishbiscuits (54-31) RY Conference Wildcard - Milwaukee Pilots (54-30) #1 League Wildcard - Georgia Pines (53-31) #2 League Wildcard - Dedham Destroyers (54-32) IN THE WILDCARD PLAYOFF HUNT: Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-34) - 1 1/2 games behind league WC Topeka Stingers (50-36) - 4 games behind league WC Springfield Isotopes (49-36) - 4 1/2 games behind league WC Elk Grove Trout (44-40) - 9 games behind league WC Carlsbad Surfers (42-41) - 10 1/2 games behind league WC ************************************************************************************************************** Aaron Division - 1st - Point Lomas Friars (56-30) - The Friars have been getting it done with pitching, posting a 3.07 team ERA, good enough for 2nd best in the league. Tim Lincecum is 10-4 with a 3.09 ERA, Scott Baker is 8-2 with a 3.18 ERA, and Matt Cain and Johan Santana each have 8 wins. Trevor Hoffman has won 6 games in relief with 17 saves, and Andrew Bailey has 7 wins in relief with 12 saves and a 0.96 ERA. Kendry Morales has been the big bat in the middle, hitting .272 with 19 home runs and 64 RBI. Evan Longoria has 16 home runs, 48 runs scored and 53 RBI while Adam Lind is hitting .309 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI. With the team slugging .417, the Friars might want to pick up an impact bat for a deep post-season run. 2nd - Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-34, 3 1/2 games behind) - Michael Young is hitting .327 with 49 runs scored and 44 RBI. Garrett Jones is hitting .290 with 17 home runs and 53 RBI, and Todd Helton is hitting .285 with 45 runs scored. The offense is so evenly distributed, there are 7 players who have 40+ runs and/or RBI. CC Sabathia is 10-5 with a 3.44 ERA, and Mike Pelfrey and JA Happ have each won 8 games. Closer Nick Masset has saved 16 games with a 2.76 ERA. With the offense in high gear, the Mashers may look to pick up some pitching in the stretch run in order to make a run for the playoffs. 3rd - Elk Grove Trout (44-40, 11 games behind) - With 469 runs scored at the break, the Trout have the most prolific offense in the AP Conference. Ryan Braun is hitting .321 with 18 home runs, 61 runs scored and 78 RBI, and Bobby Abreu is hitting .305 with 54 runs scored. Brandon Phillips is hitting .347 with 50 RBI, and Orlando Cabrera is hitting .292 with 17 stolen bases and 55 runs scored. Where the Trout struggle this year is with pitching, sporting a team ERA of 4.84. Wandy Rodriguez is 8-3 with a 3.77 ERA, but the Trout could use some pitching help to make the playoffs. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Dallas SuperSquad, Montreal Voltigeurs, Arkham Investigators ************************************************************************************************************** Paige Division - 1st - Madison Muckrakers (60-25) - With the best record in the AP Conference, Madison is getting it done through pitching. Their 3.05 team ERA is best in the majors. John Danks is 10-3 with a 2.59 ERA, and Josh Johnson is 12-2 with a 2.65 ERA. AJ Burnett is 8-5 with a 3.04 ERA, and Felix Hernandez is 9-3 with a 1.55 ERA. Aaron Hill has smacked 21 home runs with 55 runs scored and 66 RBI, while Denard Span is hitting .334 with 67 runs scored. Franklin Gutierrez is hitting .312 with 15 home runs, 54 runs scored and 62 RBI. With this team it is hard to find any holes in the roster, and are poised to make a strong run in the playoffs. 2nd - DBL Fishbiscuits (54-31, 6 games behind) - Albert Pujols is having an MVP season, hitting .307 with 24 home runs, 73 runs scored an 75 RBI. Chone Figgins is hitting .330 with 20 stolen bases and 68 runs scored, and Matt Holliday is hitting .285 with 15 home runs, 53 runs scored and 64 RBI. Robinson Cano has added 52 RBI and a .287 average. Edwin Jackson has a 14-2 record and a 2.07 ERA at the break, and Chris Carpenter is 12-5. Closer Bob Howry has saved 16 games. The Fishbiscuits will have a tough time overtaking the Muckrakers in the regular season, but there's a good chance they will meet again in the playoffs. 3rd - Springfield Isotopes (49-36, 11 games behind) - Nelson Cruz has had a power year so far, cranking 22 home runs with 63 runs scored and 60 RBI. Dustin Pedroia is hitting .309 with 53 runs scored, and Shane Victorino has 54 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. Carlos Pena has been a power source, hitting 27 home runs with 59 runs scored and 67 RBI. Paul Maholm and Derek Lowe have each won 8 games, and John Lackey is 7-6 with a 3.10 ERA. Closer Ramon Troncoso has been exceptional, saving 20 games with a 1.13 ERA. Being less than 5 games out of the wildcard hunt, Springfield is just a win streak (and perhaps a trade or two) away from vaulting back into playoff contention. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: White Rock Mighty Pugs, Tualatin Thunder, Brookville Bandits ************************************************************************************************************** Gehrig Division - 1st - Anchorage Gold Diggers (51-33) - Anchorage has been leading the Gehrig division race thanks to the efforts of Ben Zobrist. Zobrist is hitting .332 with 26 home runs, 87 runs scored and 60 RBI. Curtis Granderson is hitting .298 with 19 home runs and 56 RBI, while Casey Blake is hitting .280 with 12 home runs, 47 runs scored and 53 RBI. Randy Wells is 9-3 with a 2.95 ERA, and Brad Bergeson is 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA. Closer Matt Thornton has saved 15 games, won another 6 and has a 1.36 ERA. The Gold Diggers are in a tight race for the Gehrig division pennant, so an extra bat or arm may be in order to secure the division. 2nd - Topeka Stingers (50-36, 2 games behind) - Ryan Howard is having another strong season, hitting .293 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI. Scott Podseknik is hitting .308 with 17 stolen bases and 66 runs scored, and Erick Aybar is hitting .314 with 47 runs scored and 45 RBI. Felipe Lopez has contributed 56 runs scored. Dallas Braden is 11-5 with a 3.80 ERA, and Adam Wainwright is 10-2 with a 2.34 ERA. Jeremy Affeldt has saved 9 games with a 2.22 ERA, and closer Jose Valverde has saved 14, but has struggled with a 5.40 ERA. Javier Vazquez is 9-3 with a 2.94 ERA. Just 2 games behind Anchorage, the Stingers are a win streak away from the division lead, a division where only 1 team may make the post-season. 3rd - Carlsbad Surfers (42-41, 8 1/2 games behind) - Matt Reynolds has swung a mighty bat this year, hitting 23 home runs with 70 RBI at the break. Justin Upton is hitting .314 with 19 home runs, 50 runs scored and 50 RBI, while Raul Ibanez has 18 home runs and 46 runs scored. Joey Votto has a .381 on base average, 53 runs scored and 47 RBI. Pitching has been a bit of a disappointment, other than the performance of Zack Greinke (8-6 with a 2.76 ERA). The Surfers would need to majorly improve on their team ERA of 4.45 if they hope to have a shot at the post-season. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Hong Kong Cavaliers, Concord Minutemen, Albuquerque Maul ************************************************************************************************************** Tiant Division - 1st - Half Moon Bay Dragons (62-22) - With the best record in the majors, the Dragons have been doing it through their top rated offense. Mark Teixeira is the favorite for the MVP award, hitting .339 with 27 home runs, 81 runs scored and 70 RBI. Alex Rodriguez is hitting .295 with 20 home runs, 59 runs scored and 64 RBI, while Johnny Damon is hitting .301 with 18 home runs, 72 runs scored and 60 RBI. Maicer Izturis is slashing .359 with 48 runs scored and 56 RBI. Nick Swisher has posted a .359 on base average with 78 runs scored. Jorge Posada and Jimmy Rollins each have over 50 RBI. Brian Bannister is 13-1 with a 2.75 ERA, and Joe Blanton and Ryan Dempster have each won 10 games. Zach Duke is 9-4 with a 3.34 ERA. Closer Darren O'Day has saved 19 games with a 1.99 ERA. With no slowdown in sight, the Dragons have their eyes on the league's best record at the end of the season and championship aspirations. 2nd - Milwaukee Pilots (54-30, 8 games behind) - Ichiro Suzuki has his sights on breaking the batting average record, hitting .395 with 66 runs scored. Carl Crawford is hitting .308 with 24 stolen bases, 62 runs scored and 62 RBI. Ryan Zimmerman has added 15 home runs with 62 RBI, and Adam LaRoche is hitting .322 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI. Carl Pavano is 10-5 with a 3.52 ERA, and Rick Nolasco and Andy Pettitte have each won 8 games. Closer Jonathan Broxton has saved 15 games with a 5-0 record in relief and a 0.76 ERA. The Pilots may not win the division title this year, but should make the playoffs. 3rd - Georgia Pines (53-31, 9 games behind) - Youngster Pablo Sandoval has burst onto the scene, hitting .307 with 14 home runs and 61 RBI as the catcher position. Jason Kubel is hitting .330 with 17 home runs and 56 RBI, while mainstay Derrek Lee is hitting .306 with 13 home runs, 56 runs scored and 61 RBI. Shin Soo-Choo is hitting .321 with 61 runs scored, and Seth Smith is hitting .316 with 60 runs scored. Justin Verlander is 9-4, and closer Mike Adams saved 22 games with a miniscule 0.21 ERA before burning out before the all-star break. Georgia is holding on to a league wildcard spot at the moment, but may need to acquire some additional talent to solidify their hold on a playoff spot. 4th - Dedham Destroyers (54-32, 9 games behind) - Prince Fielder and Torii Hunter have been stellar, each hitting .320+ with 18 home runs, 60+ runs scored and 64 RBI each. Josh Willingham has hit 21 home runs with 66 runs scored and 55 RBI, while Brian Roberts has a .374 on base average with 15 stolen bases and 50 runs scored. Gavin Floyd is 9-1 with a 2.74 ERA, and Cliff Lee is 9-2 with a 3.43 ERA. Neftali Feliz saved 13 games with a 1.67 ERA before burning out, and Daniel Bard has saved 10 games with a 1.19 ERA. Currently holding on to the #2 league wildcard, the Destroyers may look to the trade market to keep their wildcard position within their grasp. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Alphaville Caution, Boston Bulldogs