Standings Summary - Week 9

The Divisional races have lacked excitement for some time but there is still great action for the handful of teams fighting for a playoff spot.  This week in the National league, the North Valley Bears, in desperate need of a big week, struggled to stay above .500 yet again and tumbled from the Wild Card lead.  Just a few sims ago TJ's squad  was among the very best in ATB but have gone 16-24 since July 1st and tumbled almost (but not completely) out of the playoff race.

Taking their place for the Wild Card lead are the 12-4 Otherton Fishbiscuits, our Sim Team of the week.   Ernie Banks carried the offense on his shoulders, drilling 7 home runs (half of the Biscuits team total) and driving in 13.  He batted .340 / .426 / .811 and is in the running for Players of the Week honors.  He also had help from first basemen Bill Terry who batted .354 with 5 extra base hits.

Playing in the Bee Hive, Brian B dreamt of weeks like this when devising his draft strategy 10 weeks ago.  As a team, the Biscuits turned in a 2.81 ERA and opponent batters were held to a .635 OPS.  The great Pedro Martinez led the rotation (4 GS, 3-0, 26 IP, 16 H, 25 K) and Dick Hall was the star in the pen (14.2 IP, 1 ER).

Otherton did what they had to against a relatively weak set of opponents in Sim 9. They swept the Bears and  Blackbirds, and took 3 of 5 from the Pretty Ladies and Snowhole.  They did take 2 of 3 from a surging and borderline elite Shamokin Miner team which must have felt good.

It's also worth noting that the DC Chips, a perennial powerhouse that has struggled all season, got hot as well winning 10 of 14.  They are still 6 out of the Wildcard but bear watching.  

In the American League, Rusty Kuntz crumbled losing 9 of 13 and more importantly, losing both the Division and Wild Card leads.  Holding their heads above water John McDonald took a 1.5 game lead in the West, while the Wildlings grabbed the Wild Card lead with a 9-4 sim.

The team of the week however, were the 9-3 Planet 10 Red Lectroids.  Ivar A's team swept Ball Four and the Green Sox, took 3 of 5 from the Red Eagles, and split a two game series with John McDonald.

Mike Scott and Johan Santana were superb, combining to go 6-0, giving up just 13 hits in 42 innings.  The rest of the team helped too (2.26 team ERA) but Theodore Trent was of special note.  Trent made two starts resulting in 2 complete games and a 0.50 ERA.  The bullpen was stellar, tossing 24 IP to the tune of a 1.85 ERA.

Offensively, the Red Lectroids batted .264 / .310 / 424 and were led by Ty Cobb (.310 / .341 / .476) and Joe Gordon (.407 / .448 / .741 in a platoon).

Wild Card Race as of the End of Sim 9