World Baseball Classic 56 Everything Thread

[South Americanastan]

South Americanastan National Baseball Team
Trigamme: SAS
Nickname: Bears
Home Stadium: NorthGold Kalikadrome(Capacity 56,200)
Colors: Red, Green, and White

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: No
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes (No longer than 1 game)
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes
Godmod other events: No
Use DH at home: Yes
Do not use RL baseball images to represent my players.

"SHOWTIME!"
YOUR WBC 56 SOUTH AMERICANASTAN BEARS

Lights! Camera! Action! The Bears roll into their 6th WBC entry with a new, polished look and feel! Featuring a core of players in their prime lead by veterans and followed by promising prospects such as Tommy Vincent and Frank Monteforte, they're kicking down the door to the upper echelons of the WBC and flattening anyone standing behind it! Bench Coach Buck Waterlane has arrived to whip this ragtag group into a prim and proper group of national all-stars fit to take on even the most hard-hitting of international heavyweights! It's showtime for the South Americanastan Bears!

A pitching staff of the nation's greatest aces and relievers headline the roster and look to wreak havoc on the defensive end. Coached by Nicholas Morrison, the Red [Steam]'Rollers, as they have come to be called, step into this tournament at the top of their game, with each of the first four starters having 5 WBCs experience. Newcomer Quinn Kozalski is coming off his best domestic season yet, totalling a 1.89 ERA across 29 starts with a record of 21-3 and hopes to continue that success on the biggest stage, on the back of a nasty screwball and disorienting changeup. In the bullpen, reliever Sam Harrison looks to continue his comeback story after an all-star appearance in WBC 55 and his dominant performance at the group stage closer.

A star-studded batting lineup runs up the score on the offensive end lead by star veteran Jack Manning and bookended by Frank Monteforte, slotted in as a "second leadoff". Featuring Garry O'Hanagan at cleanup and Jacob Monte in the 7 spot, this team can score from any point in the lineup. The young Tommy Vincent features in the 6 hole, a rare contact hitter on a team full of power threats. His legs force pitchers and catchers alike to stay on their toes, as he lead the SABL in stolen bases last season. The dynamic duo of Frank Monteforte and Jack Manning look to continue their batting dominance as one of the most productive 9-1 duos in the WBC, firing off moonshots left and right. There's a reason this lineup is called Astroball, after all.

The Bears' fielding prowess is nothing to be scoffed at either, as The Greatest Show on Dirt holds the line behind the Bears' pitching corps. The outfield boats two proven fielders manning the corners in Garry O'Hanagan and Frank Monteforte, with the nigh-infinite range of Tommy Vincent slotting in perfectly to the Kalikadrome's 427-foot deep center field. In the infield, often considered the soft underbelly of the Bears, Jacob Monte and Pat Larson man the middle of the diamond, while Gareth Sevriens plays first base. In the hot corner, Frank Malone looks to uphold his reputation as one of South Americanastan's best gloves, building a brick wall between home plate and left field.

ROSTER:
BOLD indicates WBC 55 All-Stars

Coach: Micheal Kelly
#1 - Age 39 - Ex-Prospect
Bench Coach: Buck Waterlane
#2 - Age 58 - Old School Disciplinarian
Pitching Coach: Nicholas Morrison
#3 - Age 50 - Deadeye Troubleshooter
Batting Coach: Ivan Kolbe
#4 - Age 41 - Mentor - Ex-National Teamer

PITCHING STAFF - "THE RED 'ROLLERS"

STARTING PITCHERS

Casey Kellahan
#27 - Age 26 - LHP - Bats Left - Overhand Pitcher - Ace

John "The Last 9-Inning Man" Mikelanton
#58 - Age 31 - RHP - Bats Right - Overhand Pitcher - Knuckleballer

Darby Nikolasson
#5 - Age 23 - RHP - Bats Left - Sidearm Pitcher

Jerry Cook
#97 Age 28 - RHP - Bats Right - Overhand Pitcher

Quinn Kozalski
#31- Age 25 - RHP - Bats Left - Overhand Pitcher

BULLPEN

Nick Kelly
#67 - Age 28 - RHP - Bats Right - Long Reliever - Submarine Pitcher

Wally Quinn
#85 - Age 25 - RHP - Bats Right - Overhand Pitcher

Jackson Bonn
#19 - Age 27 - RHP - Bats Right - Sidearm Pitcher

Kofi Woods
#34 - Age 22 - LHP - Bats Left - Overhand Pitcher

Sam Harrison
#15 - Age 29 - LHP - Bats Left- Closer - Overhand Pitcher - Lockdown Reliever

Matt Jackson
#13 - Age 26 - RHP - Bats Right - Closer - Overhand Pitcher

POSITION PLAYERS - "THE GREATEST SHOW ON DIRT"

CATCHERS

Jack Manning
#29 - Age 36 - Throws and Bats Right - Starting Catcher - Resurgent Force

Jack Wigginton
#46 - Age 25 - Throws Right - Bats Right - Backup Catcher

INFIELD

Gareth Sevriens
#69 - Age 32 - Throws Left - Bats Switch - 1B

Patrick Larson
#78 - Age 25 - Throws and Bats Right - 2B

Jacob Monte
#23 - Age 23 - Throws and Bats Right - SS

Frank Malone
#62 - Age 27 - Throws Right - Bats Left - 3B - Reliable Fielder

Tito Lowell
#45 - Age 22 - Throws and Bats Left - Utility Man

Owen Smith
#29 - Age 30 - Throws and Bats Right - Backup/DH

OUTFIELD

Garry O'Hannagan
#99 - Age 26 - Throws and Bats Left - RF

Tommy Vincent
#57 - Age 21 - Throws and Bats Right - CF - Base Thief

Frank Monteforte
#22- Age 20 - Throws and Bats Right - LF - Prodigy

David Timberlake
#7 Age 30 - Throws and Bats Left - CF

Walter Rowe
#39 - Age 23 - Throws and Bats Right - Backup

LINEUP - "ASTROBALL"

1. C Jack Manning

2. 3B Frank Malone

3. 1B Gareth Sevriens

4. RF Garry O'Hanagan

5. 2B Pat Larson

6. CF Tommy Vincent

7. SS Jacob Monte

8. DH Owen Smith/Pitcher

9. LF Frank Monteforte

[Chromatika]

The journey to Chromia beings. Which teams will take a great first step? This is your Series 1 Cutoff.

---

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC 56

GROUP STAGE - SERIES 1
Chromatik Games were scored by Tumbra

Group A

Game 1
Qasden                          0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0  5
Aust Scor                       0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1

South Newlandia                 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1  3
Ko-oren                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 X  4

Imperial Haiti                  0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Abanhfleft                      1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 X  4

Game 2
Qasden                          0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3  5
Aust Scor                       1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  2

South Newlandia                 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2
Ko-oren                         0 0 3 7 1 2 1 1 X 15

Imperial Haiti                  0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0  4
Abanhfleft                      0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  2

Game 3
Qasden                          0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 1  5
Aust Scor                       2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

South Newlandia                 1 4 1 1 2 0 0 4 1 14
Ko-oren                         0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1

Imperial Haiti                  1 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  5
Abanhfleft                      3 0 0 3 0 1 3 0 X 10

Group A                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Qasden                  3    3   0    15    5  +10
2 Abanhfleft              3    2   1    16   10   +6
3 Ko-oren                 3    2   1    20   19   +1
4 South Newlandia         3    1   2    19   20   −1
5 Imperial Haiti          3    1   2    10   16   −6
6 Aust Scor               3    0   3     5   15  −10

Group B

Game 1
The Cannaland Islands           0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1  4
Nova Anglicana                  1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0  3

Zwangzug                        0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
Dod Rava                        0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1

The Greater Nordics             4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  5
Ingont                          0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 X  8

Game 2
The Cannaland Islands           1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  2
Nova Anglicana                  0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 X  4

Zwangzug                        0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0  4
Dod Rava                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

The Greater Nordics             0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0  5
Ingont                          0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1  3

Game 3
The Cannaland Islands           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1
Nova Anglicana                  3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 X  4

Zwangzug                        0 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 6 14
Dod Rava                        0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0  3

The Greater Nordics             0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  4
Ingont                          0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  2

Group B                  Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Zwangzug                 3    3   0    21    4  +17
2 Nova Anglicana           3    2   1    11    7   +4
3 The Greater Nordics      3    2   1    14   13   +1
4 Ingont                   3    1   2    13   14   −1
5 The Cannaland Islands    3    1   2     7   11   −4
6 Dod Rava                 3    0   3     4   21  −17

Group C

Game 1
Quebec & Shingoryeo             3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0  6
The Eshurium Empire             0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0  4

Zorinitiee                      0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 2  6
Tikariot                        0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0  2

Drawkland                       0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1  2
StrayaRoos                      0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Game 2
Quebec & Shingoryeo             0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 3  7
The Eshurium Empire             0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0  4

Zorinitiee                      0 0 0 0 1 7 2 0 0 10
Tikariot                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1

Drawkland                       0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3  5
StrayaRoos                      0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1  3

Game 3
Quebec & Shingoryeo             3 0 0 3 4 0 0 1 1 12
The Eshurium Empire             0 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 1  8

Zorinitiee                      0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0  3
Tikariot                        2 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 X  5

Drawkland                       1 0 0 1 4 3 0 0 0  9
StrayaRoos                      0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  2

Group C                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Drawkland               3    3   0    16    6  +10
2 Quebec & Shingoryeo     3    3   0    25   16   +9
3 Zorinitiee              3    2   1    19    8  +11
4 Tikariot                3    1   2     8   19  −11
5 The Eshurium Empire     3    0   3    16   25   −9
6 StrayaRoos              3    0   3     6   16  −10

Group D

Game 1
Super-Llamaland                 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0  5
South Americanastan             0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Katterimunk                     0 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 0  5
Atheara                         0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1

Benjium                         2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0  4
Sherpa Empire                   0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1

Game 2
Super-Llamaland                 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0  3
South Americanastan             0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2

Katterimunk                     0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0  2
Atheara                         0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 X  4

Benjium                         1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  2
Sherpa Empire                   1 1 0 0 6 2 0 5 X 15

Game 3
Super-Llamaland                 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2  6
South Americanastan             0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  4

Katterimunk                     0 1 4 0 0 0 0 2 2  9
Atheara                         0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0  2

Benjium                         0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  3
Sherpa Empire                   0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 X  4

Group D                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Super-Llamaland         3    3   0    14    6   +8
2 Sherpa Empire           3    2   1    20    9  +11
3 Katterimunk             3    2   1    16    7   +9
4 Atheara                 3    1   2     7   16   −9
5 Benjium                 3    1   2     9   20  −11
6 South Americanastan     3    0   3     6   14   −8

Group E

Game 1
The 189                         2 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0  6
New Portland Republic           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

HUElavia                        1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  2
Srednjaci                       0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 X  4

Ranoria                         0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  1
Liventia                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 X  2

Game 2
The 189                         0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0  2
New Portland Republic           0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 X  3

HUElavia                        0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  2
Srednjaci                       0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 X  3

Ranoria                         0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0  3
Liventia                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Game 3
The 189                         0 0 0 4 0 3 1 0 3 11
New Portland Republic           0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0  4

HUElavia                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Srednjaci                       0 0 0 1 2 0 4 0 X  7

Ranoria                         1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0  4
Liventia                        3 2 1 2 1 1 0 0 X 10

Group E                  Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Srednjaci                3    3   0    14    4  +10
2 The 189                  3    2   1    19    7  +12
3 Liventia                 3    2   1    12    8   +4
4 Ranoria                  3    1   2     8   12   −4
5 New Portland Republic    3    1   2     7   19  −12
6 HUElavia                 3    0   3     4   14  −10

Group F

Game 1
Hapilopper                      1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2  4
Canadian Dominion               0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1

The Republic of Covelandia      0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0  4
Eshialand                       0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0  2

Banija                          0 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 0  5
Le est de Espanya               0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1  4

Game 2
Hapilopper                      0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 2  5
Canadian Dominion               0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

The Republic of Covelandia      0 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 1  6
Eshialand                       2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  5

Banija                          0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Le est de Espanya               0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 X  4

Game 3
Hapilopper                      0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0  4
Canadian Dominion               5 2 4 1 0 0 0 3 X 15

The Republic of Covelandia      0 0 2 5 1 0 0 0 0  8
Eshialand                       0 0 5 1 2 2 0 0 X 10

Banija                          1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5  7
Le est de Espanya               0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  5

Group F                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 The Republic of Covelandia    3    2   1    18   17   +1
2 Banija                        3    2   1    12   13   −1
3 Hapilopper                    3    2   1    13   17   −4
4 Canadian Dominion             3    1   2    17   13   +4
5 Le est de Espanya             3    1   2    13   12   +1
6 Eshialand                     3    1   2    17   18   −1

Group G

Game 1
Caribbia                        0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1  5
Milchama                        1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0  3

Milk Island                     0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0  3
Barnettsville                   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1

Melbergia                       0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1
TJUN-ia                         0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 X  3

Game 2
Caribbia                        0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 0  5
Milchama                        0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Milk Island                     0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0  2
Barnettsville                   0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Melbergia                       4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0  7
TJUN-ia                         0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Game 3
Caribbia                        0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0  3
Milchama                        0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2

Milk Island                     0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Barnettsville                   1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 X  3

Melbergia                       0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0  3
TJUN-ia                         0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1

Group G                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Caribbia                3    3   0    13    6   +7
2 Melbergia               3    2   1    11    5   +6
3 Milk Island             3    2   1     6    5   +1
4 Barnettsville           3    1   2     5    6   −1
5 TJUN-ia                 3    1   2     5   11   −6
6 Milchama                3    0   3     6   13   −7

Group H

Game 1
Cassadaigua             0 2 1 0 1 2 0 0 0  6
The Star Empire         4 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 X  9

America B.W.S.M.H.      0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1  3
Loyo                    0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6  7

Chromatika              3 0 2 2 0 1 2 0 0 10
Oateria                 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2

Game 2
Cassadaigua             2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0  5
The Star Empire         0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0  3

America B.W.S.M.H.      0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 2  7
Loyo                    0 1 0 0 1 0 3 3 X  8

Chromatika              2 1 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 10
Oateria                 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Game 3
Cassadaigua             0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0  5
The Star Empire         1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  2

America B.W.S.M.H.      0 0 0 1 2 0 0 8 0 11
Loyo                    1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0  5

Chromatika              0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  2
Oateria                 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Group H                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD
1 Chromatika              3    3   0    22    4  +18
2 Cassadaigua             3    2   1    16   14   +2
3 Loyo                    3    2   1    20   21   −1
4 America B.W.S.M.H.      3    1   2    21   20   +1
5 The Star Enpire         3    1   2    14   16   −2
6 Oateria                 3    0   3     4   22  −18

[Drawkland]

Meet the Base Corps Outfielders
The starting Base Corps outfield remains the same for this WBC, though this is likely the last edition this crew starts together on the Corps. Chan Ford, Lane Kavana, and Taylor Smart have been pretty good in the past, with mostly Kavana's insane production carrying the weight. This isn't to discount the solid power stats put up by Ford or Smart - there's a reason they're on the national team to begin with. Bench options include an old face and a fresh one - corner outfielders Annabelle Mack and Richelle Shard. Shard will likely get some platoon starts at Ford's expense, especially if she's hitting well in her WBC debut. If the unthinkable happens and Kavana is unable to start in center field, then either Smart or infielder Aaron Frost may be playing the 8 spot.

Chan Ford - #10

---

Left Field, Right Field, Designated Hitter

---

Bats: Left / Throws: Left / Team: Walstreim Stingrays [SNL]

---

Chan Ford has been the shining example of boom-or-bust at the plate. When he's on, he has a powerful pull swing that can send baseballs well into the second deck. When he's off, he's wearing golden sombreros. Defensively he's a decent left fielder, nothing to really write home about. However, his resistance to injury and occasional spouts of incredible plate production make him a valuable asset. Plus, he's known for hitting well in the clutch. The average Ford day at the plate looks like 3 K's, a groundout, and a go-ahead RBI double in the 8th inning. As far as the Base Corps is concerned, he's an excellent surprise power bat for late in the lineup. He's getting old, though, and this will certainly be his last season with the Corps.

Lane Kavana - #7

---

Center Field, Left Field, Right Field

---

Bats: Switch / Throws: Right / Team: Hessport Blockade [DRK]

---

What more can be said about Lane Kavana? The baseball prodigy has been headlining the Base Corps since he was 20, and he still shows no signs of stopping. In WBC 55 on home soil, he was responsible for a tick over half the Corps' runs that tournament, either by scoring them or batting them in. Lane Kavana is the ultimate five-tool player, holding down center field, wreaking havoc on the basepaths, and terrorizing pitchers at the plate. In short, he's a WAR machine. His only issue? He's full-blooded Drawkian, which means his only option is to suffer on the constantly ailing Base Corps. It has been spoken many times of baseball stars over the years: he only occupies 1/9 of the lineup. His skills may be great, but without support it will all be for naught.

Annabelle Mack - #11

---

Right Field, Left Field

---

Bats: Left / Throws: Left / Team: Brammel Steamers [DRK]

---

Annabelle Mack has been on the Base Corps roster for awhile now. This is likely her last season at the national team level, as the perennial Corps lefty bench bat is nearing retirement. Although she's been a longtime starting corner outfielder/DH for the Brammel Steamers in domestic play, she's almost never started games for the Corps and stuck on the bench. Her contact ability mixed with a surprising amount of pop makes her an ideal option coming off the bench, and she's good enough defensively to hold her own in the field for some innings, even at this age.

Richelle Shard - #36

---

Left Field, Right Field, First Base, Catcher

---

Bats: Right / Throws: Right / Team: Pittsennat Cadets [DRK]

---

Richelle Shard is entering her first season as a member of the Base Corps. Shard was not a highly-touted prospect in the minor league system of the Pittsennat Cadets, but once she reached the Cadets roster she turned her fortunes around quickly. Originally brought on to be a decent power bench bat, an injury to the starting left fielder gave her some more playing time, which she turned into an all-star selection in her second second. Shard's defense is solid for the corner outfield, possessing decent speed and agility. She also previously played first base and even catcher in the minors, so she could fill in those positions in a pinch as well. Overall she's a patient hitter with a less-than-stellar eye but a penchant for barreling the ball when she does make contact. For the Corps, she will be an important platoon bat for the outfield, likely taking over Ford's spot after he retires from international play.

Taylor Smart - #23

---

Right Field, First Base, Center Field

---

Bats: Left / Throws: Left / Team: Grande Mountain Huskies [CDG]

---

Taylor Smart has been the Base Corps right fielder for awhile now and excelled for a majority of that time. His play was so good that it got him attention from the Grande Mountain Huskies of Cassadaigua, who mistakenly thought he was female based on his name and long, thick hair. Regardless of the mistaken identity, Smart was still signed by the Huskies, who loved his skillset at the plate. Smart puts up consistent 30/30 numbers, which is pretty much all you can ask from a corner outfielder. He does have a penchant to go cold at the plate and struggles against lefties, but his splits are still good enough that he's an everyday starter without question. He is getting old though, so expect him to be less aggressive on the basepaths.

[Super-Llamaland]

Here’s a swing and a towering fly ball to right field, going back is Bill Parent…
but he’s got no shot at that one! A mammoth home run for Nicolas Perez!

Fastball down the middle, strike three, the runner goes, and Löfgren guns him down!
A strike ‘em out throw ‘em out double play for the dynamic duo of Nakamura Jossei and Sofia Löfgren!

Infield in, the pitch to Bellefeuille…soft liner and that’ll get over the infield!
Henry will score from third, and the Renaissance have again defied all odds to steal another game at the death!!

Huang ranging to his left, the throw to Wagner, the relay to Perez, and it’s a double play!
Erik McGuire unleashes an earthshaking fist pump as the Nova Anglican reliever escapes the jam!

High fly ball to center, Duffy is tracking back, back at the wall, and makes a leaping catch!
Schuyler Duffy with an absolute web gem of a play, and the Renaissance are still alive!

that’s OUT OF HERE! One swing of the bat and Valery Robiquet has tied the ball game at three runs apiece!

Swing and a miss, strike three!
Another dominant half-inning for Solveig Jørgensen, and the Renaissance are cruising here in southern Super-Llamaland!

The Xingcheng Renaissnace once again find themselves three outs from history! Can they do it again?

---

BALL OR NOTHING: the XINGCHENG RENAISSANCE

episode 11

With the division easily wrapped up, the Renaissance now rest up and turn their sights to the playoffs. The south coast club hasn’t seen postseason baseball in almost a decade, and their last series win is even longer ago. But this year, things are different. Xingcheng clinch the division with two weeks to go, and with not even seeding to play for, manager Jacinta MacRaun’s only job is to make sure her team is ready to go. While nobody on the team save for the foreign signings has postseason experience at this level, shortstop Valery Robiquet’s two seasons with the perenially underachieving Emerald City Greens make him even more excited to taste baseball’s biggest stage.

Of course I am excited for the playoffs. They say because I am on the Greens, I did not play any meaningful games with triple-digit numbers, so I do not have the experience. But I’ve gone to the WBC playoffs with the Phoenixes a few times, and I am very excited to experience the same thing in the world’s greatest domestic league. Really looking forwards to it, honestly.

But on the field, he looks far from ready. An oh-for-four day at the plate against the Cosmos drops his post-trade deadline batting average to a new low, .228. And some fans are starting to have buyers’ remorse about the team’s decision to trade the beloved center-fielder Schuyler Duffy, the team’s first LPB draft pick and one of their few all-stars, for the Delaclav infielder.

“I mean, nothing against the guy, he seems great.”
“And we’ve seen how good he can be for Delaclava.”

“But if you have Billy Kemp holding his own at shortstop, and you have, you know, a generational center field talent in Schuyler Duffy who you just burned the first pick on, why would you give that up? We gave up a first to go from Kemp and Duffy to Robiquet and Fiona Niemi, and it feels pretty lateral so far.”
“I mean, surely the pitching should’ve been the first to get upgraded, right?”

“Yeah. We’re just rearranging chairs.”
“Robiquet should be quite good, though. Good bat on the kid.”
“He’s hitting fucking .220, Tyler.”

Despite their marquee acquisitions’ struggles, the team finishes strong. After returning home from Kyrinson, the Renaissance split series with the formidable Wizards and division rivals Nikcoro, and sweep Denison, to end the season on a high note. Fiona Niemi, a fellow trade deadline acquisition, even manages a go-ahead two-run triple against the Suns. But their next opponent, in game one of the SLLDS, won’t be quite as easy.

LET’S GO A’S! (clap clap clapclapclap) LET’S GO A’S! (clap clap clapclapclap) XINGCHENG AIN’T SHIT! (clap clap clapclapclap) LET’S GO A’S! (clap clap clapclapclap)

The South Falls Athletics have won the LPB North with a 109-75 record, seven wins better than the Renaissance. It gives home-field advantage to the likes of national team ace Savanna Wladecki, fearsome sluggers Jude McCallum and Luke Brinkley, and most formidably, league MVP Luxolo Mbeki. And while they were embarrassed last season to go home to another LPB South team, the underappreciated Suns, their fans continue to ride with them all the way - Diamond Park is one of the most hostile environments in the nation for opposing teams. It helps the A’s get off to a very strong start in game one.

Jørgensen delivers the 3-1 to Mbeki - swung on and that’s a high fly ball to right field, going, going, gone! And Luxolo Mbeki, who hit fifty-one home runs in the regular season, adds another to his tally! Athletics lead, 1-0!...

Swung on and missed for strike three! Wladecki absolutely dealing right now, as that’s her sixth strikeout in four innings!...

Bill Parent sends a chopper up the middle, and it falls just out of Valery Robiquet’s reach! Scutaro around to score! And the Athletics have scored three completely unanswered runs!

But the Renaissance do not take it lying down. While Wladecki pitches ferociously to the tune of seven shutout innings, Xingcheng find closer Urkyen Bharadwaj, a member of the Renaissance bullpen just a season ago, a softer target in the ninth inning. Yousuf Henry draws a walk, and Jean-Noël Bellefeuille hits a line-drive single to move Henry to second. With one out, Valery Robiquet steps up to the plate for a chance at redemption. If he can get on base and bring home Henry, it will perhaps launch a late comeback bid. But Robiquet has grander plans.

Here’s the first pitch to Robiquet. He swings and lines it down the line in left. Still carrying, still carrying, it’s got a real chance, and that’s OUT OF HERE! One swing of the bat and Valery Robiquet has tied the ball game at three runs apiece! Bharadwaj can’t believe it as Robiquet trots the bases around him! But it’s a tie game, and we could be heading to extras!

He may have hit just .231 for the Renaissance this season, but the Delaclav has shown fans and detractors alike that he’s here for the big moments. What he doesn’t know is how much these moments will come to symbolize the unique story of the Xingcheng Renaissance. Jude McCallum’s double will drive in the winning run for the Athetics just an inning later, as Kathryn Riggins is unable to protect the lead. But while Valery Robiquet couldn’t have predicted what his mighty swing would spark, it will be the first of just many comebacks in a long and surprising playoff run.

[Abanhfleft]

ABANHFLEFT REVOLUTION
Abanhfleft men's national baseball team

Victory in the 15th International Baseball Slam has reinvigorated Abanhfleft's interest in baseball, and though the Revolution was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 55th World Baseball Classic, that was at the hands of an unstoppable South Newlandia team. Can the Revolution continue riding this wave of momentum or has the heyday of the sport in the Democratic Republic passed us all by? As always, there is only one way to find out.

Basic Information
Name of nation: Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft
Demonym: Fleftic
Team name: Abanhfleft Revolution
Nickname: Revolutionaries (common), Revolters (derogatory)
Official history: This will be Abanhfleft's seventeenth time participating in the World Baseball Classic. A bunch of players older than you have managed to win the International Baseball Slam, lads. At least try to look good.
Team colors: Blue, orange, and green
Style modifier: +3
Park factor: 110 (disregard if we're not doing park factors)

PITCHERS
Key: (Shirt number, pitches/bats, age)

1 - Tommy Manning (#41, R/S, 32)
2 - Edgar Nieves (#12, L/L, 26)
3 - Ainsley Malone (#33, S/L, 28)
4 - Raul Encarnacion (#98, R/R, 25)
5 - Axel Aleman (#72, L/S, 25)

Long Reliever - Billy Ray Wilmington (#25, L/L, 27)
Middle Reliever - Krasimir Asenov (#79, S/L, 32)
Middle Reliever - Freddie Rhodes (#88, R/R, 33)
Setup Receiver - Mladen Manevski (#24, S/L, 26)
Closer - Dexter Johnston (#08, R/R, 27)

INFIELD
Catcher - Ben Anderson (#92, R/R, 31, Starter)
Catcher - Viktor Khristenko (#15, R/R, 26)
First Base - Elbert Freeman (#30, R/S, 31, Starter)
First Base - Arthur Jodie (#77, R/S, 26)
Second Base - Cedric Colon (#55, L/L, 29, Starter)
Second Base - Tony DiMatteo (#45, L/L, 27)
Third Base - Maël Corneau (#40, L/L, 28, Starter)
Third Base - Antonio Myles (#63, S/R, 26)
Short Stop - Giovanni Perkinson (#20, R/R, 32, Starter)
Short Stop - Delbert Ridge (#05, S/R, 32)

OUTFIELD
Left Fielder - Donald Edwards (#09, L/S, 24, Starter)
Left Fielder - Bradley McCarthy (#26, L/L, 23)
Center Fielder - Booker Draves (#64, R/S, 31, Starter)
Center Fielder - Archer Olson (#58, R/R, 24)
Right Fielder - Aedan Soto (#7, L/R, 32, Starter)
Right Fielder - Eldridge Soucy III (#52, R/R, 31)

BATTING ORDER (with DH)
1 - M. CORNEAU (3B, R)
2 - D. EDWARDS (LF, L)
3 - A. SOTO (RF, R)
4 - B. DRAVES (CF, S)
DH - A. MYLES (3B, S)
6 - E. FREEMAN (1B, S)
7 - G. PERKINSON (SS, R)
8 - C. COLON (2B, L)
9 - B. ANDERSON (C, R)

BATTING ORDER (without DH)
1 - M. CORNEAU (3B, R)
2 - D. EDWARDS (LF, L)
3 - A. SOTO (RF, R)
4 - B. DRAVES (CF, S)
5 - E. FREEMAN (1B, S)
6 - G. PERKINSON (SS, R)
7 - C. COLON (2B, L)
8 - B. ANDERSON (C, R)
9 - PITCHER

Reheboam Zimmermann was killed in the same terrorist attack that changed forever the lives of those on the national baseball team. Who knows in which direction the new management will take this team?

MANAGER - KURTIS LINGENFELTER

ASSISTANT MANAGER/BENCH COACH - JAIME GROVER

FIRST BASE COACH - STEFAN MCKENNY

THIRD BASE COACH - IVAN BRETT

BATTING COACH - JOHN JOHNSON

PITCHING COACH - TERENCE ROCKITANSKI

STADIA
The Abanhfleft Baseball Federation has announced that it will be using two baseball stadia as venues for the Abanhfleft Revolution's home matches.


Official name: National Baseball Stadium
Capacity: est. 60,000
Record attendance: 65,233 (Effelenendro Islanders vs. Pilken Blue Sox, 19 October 2022)
Operators: Abanhfleft Baseball Federation, Effelenendro Islanders (for games against big teams)


Official name: Stadion Memoriam de December 27
Capacity: est. 26,500
Record attendance: 37,084 (Verbergerkinnh Cubs vs. Copper Cuprum Miners; October 5, 2022)
Operators: Verbergerkinnh Cubs[/spoiler]

RP PERMISSIONS
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes, within reason
Choose my lineup: No, please stick to the starters as much as possible
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes, you must follow it to the letter
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but TG me first
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: No
Godmod other events: Yes, except killing my players or coaching staff, and please TG me before doing this
Use DH at home: If I can use a DH at your home then you can use a DH at mine. If I can't use a DH at your home then you can't use a DH at mine.

[Atheara]

League, Pt. I
Sorting things together, and a discussion with his closest friend.

It was quite the nice day as a man's office was empty, say for the owner of said office doing something on his computer. He looked to be in quite the serious mood. He seemed lost, distraught, and unsure what to do. He knows the issue though. The World Baseball Classic is rolling in once again and he is getting some rather... Loud letters on the promise of the formation of a baseball league for Atheara. This was something he promised several editions ago, yet it beared no fruit mainly due to a whole plethora of issues. But many of them were already tossed aside and solved, so when would he be able to complete that promise? The man got up from the chair of his desk and faced outside the window behind his table, a bit of a storm brewing.

Kevin Laycent - Nuzel wasn't the type of man to break his promises and he knows that best. Thing is though, he hasn't really kept that promise has he? More clubs and teams had formed before the first edition of the ABL, in fact, there were so many things about the original proposition that he finds dumb now. The name of the league included. "What in the world do I do...?" Kevin asked himself outloud, he was confused on what steps he could take. Many of the original teams are quite unhappy with the fact that Kevin hasn't kept his promise yet. As he walked around his office, thinking on what in the world he should do, someone texted him. It's apparent that the only way to contact him was through text as he either locks the door to his office or just turns off ringtones for calls. Mainly due to him always dealing with things.

The text was from the loud, constantly roaming and apparent Minister of Affairs. "Really Klee? What in the world is it now?" The Minister of Sports question himself, but didn't really try to think of the usually ridiculous things she has done. One time she brought an aquarium with a swarm of fish to the place. Another time Klee decided to get everyone to dress up as medieval knights as a joke. Anyways, Kevin's office for more detail is located at what is known as The National Pearl. Who came up with that name? No one genuinely knows, the reason it's called that because the entire building that fits The Imperial Council is shaped like a pearl in a seashell. Something that's quite a rarity in Athearan waters but who would care about such an intricate detail? It's not as if you can observe the building above from the sky.

Anyways, Kevin left his office for once, which shocked quite the few workers outside his office doors. It's not often he left it for something. He then only spared his phone a glance for the text notification, Kletzka wanted to meet him at the restaurant within the west wing of The Pearl. Weird request and weird location for someone like Kletzka but he doesn't mind it much. He needs the exercise for once due to how much he locks himself up like an anti-social teenager for these days. As he walked, he greeted a few of the other ministers walking around and a lot of the other workers. It felt weird, but maybe that was because of his lack of social interaction. Sooner or later he arrived at the restaurant, "The Food Office". Kevin wonders who in the world came up with that name, still. He doesn't mind it though, as he sees Kletzka sitting at one of the tables.

"Hey Klee." Kevin said as he approached and sat in front of her. The two exchanged sentence after sentence, talking about way too many different things. Apparently the whole reason Kletzka wanted to talk was because of the fact that she was just bored and everyone else had something to do with. Not Kevin though, even if he was busy he'd still spare time to who he thinks is the closest person to him within the Council of it's entirety. As the two passed the time by talking and eating whatever food they ordered, Kletzka suddenly popped in a question. "Hey Kev, what do you think of this years World Baseball Classic? I know we're in it and we just lost the first series, but what do you think?"

"Still a long way to go. Quite a new set of players, a return, you know." Kevin could only reply, the feeling was tense. There were things about the World Baseball Classic and what relates to it for Atheara that the Nordian just couldn't really deal with that easily unlike other sports for some reason. And than small tensity had to be raised when someone delivered a letter to him. It was from The Baseball Committe of Atheara. A letter which essentially said, "We beg of you to have a sort of national division for baseball within Atheara." Kletzka noticed the somewhat stressed look Kevin had. She knew Kevin had something for baseball in Atheara but she found it odd that he was this stressed out. He usually wasn't. "Hey Kev, are you alright? You don't look so good. If you have anything to say, you can tell me. We're partners, coworkers, friends even right? We can trust eachother!"

Kevin gave a small laugh at what Keltzka said. Klee was always the one to be like this, cheering everyone up as she always had a positive outlook on life and an upbeat personality in general. Despite some finding her annoying, it's good that at the least one person really cares about everyone. "I'll tell you at my office." Kevin said that as the two got up and Kevin ordered some tea along the way back. Many of those who worked for the government, within The Pearl especially, always for some reason think that the two of them were dating. But it's typical gossip, it's like every other workplace except this workplace is that of the highest order. For the governing of a nation. Once the two were inside Kevin's office, the Minister of Sports finally let out the reason he's been so stressed. The lack of fulfilling his promise to form a baseball league for those who decided to invest into this sport.

"Then all you need to do is make change! Do what you should have done, talk about it, and deal with it. Being late is far better than never doing." Klee said, Kevin giving in with a nod. He considered on what should be done, what should be changed, and what should be talked about. He proceeded to sit down in front of his computer and thank Kletzka for her time. The Minister of Affairs just left with a goodbye, as she wentr off to try and maybe do something else to satisfy her free time. Meanwhile Kevin was already working on a whole lot of different things. He also contacted a lot of the teams to see what weigh ins they could do. Hopefully this time, this whole Athearan baseball project can actualy start and move forward as he tries to fulfill a not yet empty promise.

[Milk Island]

BIG W FOR MILK ISLAND THEY ARE NOW 2ND THEIR GROUP

[Melbergia]

Melbergia take opening WBC series win against TJUN-ia

ROUNDERS PARK, FIELDSIDE -- Baseball fans of AO nation Melbergia will no doubt be pleased with the start their side have made to the 56th edition of the World Baseball Classic, with the currently unranked nation wrapping up a 2-1 series victory against a TJUN-ia side ranked 11th in the world. Tonight's third game of the series ended 3-1 to the Dragons thanks to some economic pitching, a trend that has followed them through the three game series as TJUN-ia laboured for five runs across the three games. With Melbergia having taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh, an RBI double from Holly Davids gave the homeside hope, however a solo homerun from Boniface Cedar in the eighth wrapped up tonight's victory for the Dragons.

"I'm delighted with how it's gone these last three nights," admits Melbergian Head Coach Christian Bodhi. "This tournament is all about building up experience for us, it's been a while since we've been on the big stage, but while we're here we're relishing the opportunity to play some of these bigger sides and show the world what we're made of."

TJUN-ia, in the midst of a bullpen rebuild, will no doubt be looking to improve rapidly, a strong showing at home to group favourites Milchama will be needed to keep heads held high. Melbergia come home for their next three game series against the unfancied Barnettsville.

[Srednjaci]

World Baseball Classic 56

HUElavia                        1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  2
Srednjaci                       0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 X  4

HUElavia                        0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  2
Srednjaci                       0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 X  3

HUElavia                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Srednjaci                       0 0 0 1 2 0 4 0 X  7

BY SAŠA KIRIĆ

Dear viewers, welcome to the show dedicated to baseball. For all of you respected viewers who did not watch the live broadcasts, we would like to inform you that our young team made a big surprise at the World Baseball Classic 56.
Namely, in the first historical match in this competition, our national team achieved three victories against the favored team HUElavia.
The incredible great success of our baseball players was also crowned with the first place in the group because our players were the only ones who managed to win all three matches played.

With us in the studio is the president of the Srednjaci baseball association, Mr. Jakov Ištvanić.

SAŠA: Mr. Ištvanić, good evening.

IŠTVANIĆ: Good evening to you and the viewers.

SAŠA : A great day for our baseball. An incredible and convincing victory against HUElavio. How do you comment on this game of our baseball players?

IŠTVANIĆ: I am very proud of our players and coaching staff. But I can't say that I'm surprised with the win. Maybe I'm surprised by the convincing victory.

SAŠA: Why aren't you surprised? HUElavia is a good team.

IŠTVANIĆ : HUELavia is a good team and on paper they where favorites in match. And of course, it's always harder for a team that doesn't have a ranking. However, our players have an advantage because they have been playing together for a long time through International Baseball Slam tournaments. All our current players played together in Neptun Taru during their junior days.

SAŠA: Do you think that is the key to success?

IŠTVANIĆ: as you know, we are participating in this competition for the first time. We planned to form a team from young junior players that would later be the backbone of the national team. We gathered all the best young players under Neptune Taru. The players have known each other for a long time, they know what they can expect from each other. They know what their strengths and weaknesses are. But that togetherness and atmosphere in the locker room is very important. When you add a dose of quality to all that, then you have guaranteed success.

SAŠA : Our next opponent is Ranoria, which was defeated by Liventia in a kind of derby. What can we expect from that match?

IŠTVANIĆ: Ranoria is the fifth seed. A powerful team for sure. A far better and more powerful team than HUElaviae. They will look for a victory against us now. It will be difficult for us. Ranoria is one of the favorites for a medal and will certainly want to prove itself against us, especially after starting with a defeat.

SAŠA: Let's recall the results of junior team Neptune Taru. In the first edition of the competition they played, Neptune Taru played in the regional final of the Army Super Regional in Bania. It was the 13th edition of the International Baseball Slam. In the final, they lose to South Newlandia U22s with 8-5. Before the regional playoff, Neptun Taru was first in its group. Out of 6 matches played, they won 4 and lost 2 matches.
At the next competition held in Bollonich, Neptune Taru reached the quarter-finals where they lost both matches to Animalia Rally Cats.
Neptune Taru won the group at that competition as well. Out of 18 matches played, they won 11 and lost 7.
Neptune Taru also played in the quarterfinals at the International Baseball Slam XVI. In the quarter-finals they lost to The Aháàng Excellencies 8-2.
Many of these players really played a lot of matches.

IŠTVANIĆ : But when you look at all of these, the results were good. Today, however, we have a national team made up of quality players and it will not be easy for anyone against us.

SAŠA: I agree with you. Thank you for being a guest on the show, and I advise you, dear viewers, to stay with our program, because we will be included in the live broadcast from the IBA Sports Championships. Tia Curavić will try to win a medal in rhythmic gymnastics, and the excitement continues in the triathlon.
When it comes to baseball, tomorrow is a live broadcast of the match against Ranoriaa. Until then, goodbye.

[Benjium]

Benjium Wins First Ever Game at the WBC
by Jacobi Noxi
_{ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FOR THE LUXIO TIMES}
DARJEELING, SHERPA EMPIRE - The anticipation around Benjium's first ever game at the WBC has finally came to a climax in the best possible way for the Stripes. Traveling to The Sherpa Empire, the Benjian National team spent a single day enjoying samples of the local culture of the gracious hosts, before buckling down and getting to business. It was a big question as to whether or not our National Team would be able to hang with international competition, and the Sherpa Empire is a major player in international baseball, currently ranked 21st. "Its a hell of a first test, I'll say that much," stated Manager Odesus d'Vuego the night before the first match, "We're ecstatic to be here, but we want to compete, we want to win a couple here."

The atmosphere at Queen of the Hills Sports Complex was astounding for both its passionate fans and stunning natural beauty. Though the smallest host stadium for Sherpaland, QHSC would be the second largest stadium currently in the BAB, a testament to how passionate the nation can be about baseball. The Benjian's wearing their baby blue uniforms seemed to somewhat awestruck by their first opportunity to play international baseball.

But it didn't interfere with their play on the field. Hina Mori seemed to draw some ire from the crowd when she laid down a wonderfully executed bunt. She then stole second as Josepi Samaria struck out. A big question many in Benjium had was how our bats would transfer to the international game. Hopefully, this question has been answered by Giovanni Elios. The Ball Club of the Mountains star launched a ball deep into left center field, and it bounced off the top of the wall to score Mori. After a Maximus Sulus single, Charlus Ludolo legged out a fielders choice to score Elios giving Benjium a two run lead in the opening frame.

Elios - seemingly unsatisfied with his double would strike again in the third this time launching a solo homer in nearly the same location that he had hit his double. Sherpaland's starter Sudhir Kandola seemed to be struggling just a little with his command early, but settled in as the game went on.

Roberto Saldana was in excellent form for, scattering 4 hits and two walks over his 5 innings of work, and the quick defensive prowess of the middle infielders surely helped, Cordales Yirka and Dominus Melehia turned 4 double plays. The Sherpa Empire did score a run in the fifth, Smanla Kumari coming across of a Lhakpa Hu double. Charlus Ludolo, playing left field for the Stripes seemed to misplay the ball, and while not an error, probably could have held the hit to a single. Saldana the walked Phuntsok Bahadurzada but got Nima Unnikrishnan to ground into an easy 6-4-3 double play to escape further damage.

The Cats would get the run right back in the Top of the sixth. Ludolo singled, and was subbed for pinch runner Vinichi Kujo. The teenager is the amateur representative for Benjium, and recieved a standing ovation from the small supporter group from Benjium as he took the field. He'd be scored three batters later when Cordales Yirk knocked him in with a single up the middle.

Kujo would show off his talents on the defensive end in the bottom half of the sixth. After leadoff man Morarji Dharia walked and was advanced to second on a fielder's choice, cleanup hitter Kalden Shi blasted a line drive down the left field line. The Oak's star Kujo fielded the ball cleanly and launched a perfect strike to catch Dharia at the plate, saving a run and ending the inning, and seemingly to take the voice out of the Sherpa Empire faithful. They would threaten to score again in the seventh, but relievers Vini Imbrex, Hope Mazziteli and closer Pablo Herennius would keep a clean sheet all the way through, Herennius striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth.

"Its a massive weight off our shoulders," said star of the game Giovani Elios, "We will celebrate this for sure. Even if we drop the next two games, we've shown Benjium can compete at this level." The 37 year old Charlus Ludolo and former Valley Cup star and National Team bench coach Oppi Belisar - vocal advocates for allowance of Benjium's best to play in international competitions shared a hug in the dugout. "Its emotional, we've played this game for most our lives, and we're just so fortunate to make money playing a game for kits, and to represent our homeland in such a way," Ludolo said, using his tail to wipe a tear from his eye "I feel for Oppi, it came too late for him. But I am so excited to be here, so excited for our youth!"

D'Vuego, while unable to hide a smile, was more reserved after the game. "Great job today by our team. But we're only one game in. We need to be focused on tomorrow, and not forget who were playing."

Game 2 vs. Sherpa Empire takes place tomorrow.

Box Score:


MISPRINT: Kandola went 6 innings, not 5. This also brings the team total innings to 9.0 rather than 8.

[The Republic of Covelandia]

As Covelandian citizens begin their love for tennis they currently begin booking flights and cruises to the world baseball classic. Citizens begin a new chanting, chanting aloud Covelandia no last, 1st win! Covelandia no last, 1st win!

[Abanhfleft]

MUSINGS OF AN ARMORED DINNER JACKET
Official blog of Ibrahim Ahmadinejad, former Right Fielder of the Verbergerkinnh Cubs and the Abanhfleft Revolution

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES, SAME OLD REVOLUTION

WRITING FROM EFFELENENDRO CITY, EFFELENENDRO - Another day, another World Baseball Classic. Yes, the premier baseball competition in the whole wide multiverse is upon us once again, and this time it looks like we’re finally going to go into this thing with some confidence in our hearts as the Abanhfleft Revolution have finally proven that they can be competitive in this sport. It took us a long time to get there and realize this, but this was perhaps one of the biggest payoffs that lifelong fans of the sport in the Democratic Republic could have hoped for. It would be fair to say that nobody expected the Revolution to finally make something of themselves during the previous Classic in Drawkland, but they did, and now for the first time in a long time, Fleftic fans can actually go into a WBC with their heads held high and expect that their team would be able to do something noteworthy instead of become just another footnote in the annals of history of that particular edition of the tournament. Can we make it further than the Round of 16 this time around? Can we beat the South Newlandia Elephants? Who really knows? But we’re here, we’re back, and we wanna do better. That to me is the most important thing.

I’m still reeling from the disappointment of the last International Baseball Slam, not gonna lie. Depending on how I feel come next year, it might be the last Slam I will ever take part in, and there is nothing that the SBA can do about it. I gotta give my body a break, man. I thought I already got that break when I first retired, and then the SBA decided that they were going to put together an over-35 team to play in the revitalized International Baseball Slam and called me up for that. But now I think it’s time for me to call it quits, at least as far as international baseball is concerned once again. I’ll still be here blogging about the Revolution’s exploits in both the Slam and the World Baseball Classic, but I won’t be there as a player anymore. Such a shame though really as I really felt that IBS XVIII could have been the Revolution All-Stars’ chance to claim that second title, and it really could have happened had it not been for those damned Junior Tigers of Loyo. At least I got one Slam under my belt before that, but I really wish I could have gotten one more. Ah, man and his eternal quest for recognition and glory…

Time to forget about all of that though as now it’s the World Baseball Classic that’s concerning each and every baseball fan in the multiverse. The Classic is now in its 56th edition, and Chromatika are the proud hosts of that particular competition. Or at least Chromatika are the proud host of the knockout stage of the competition as, given the large number of competitors in the Classic, they’ve opted for the strategy of letting all the team host games on their own soil during the group stage while everyone tries to figure out who’s going to go to Chromatika and who stays home. Abanhfleft got a little bit lucky this time around as we’ll be at home for our first two series of games against some of the newcomers to our sport, namely Imperial Haiti and Aust Scor. It’s probably still too early to call either one of these countries (or both of them for that matter) as “one-and-done” countries (countries who only show up for one or a few tournaments before disappearing back into the ether), but as of time of writing, this might well be the case. I still want to reserve judgment for Imperial Haiti, but maybe it’s fair to write off Aust Scor. At least until they win all three of their games against us on our own turf.

Up first for us was Imperial Haiti, and though they don’t really look like much admittedly, they still came to the National Baseball Stadium in Effelenedro eager for a fight. Not an actual bench-clearing fight, mind, but a proper baseball fight inside the diamond. Nobody wants an actual fight in baseball, or in any other sport for that matter. Unless that sport is entirely about fighting such as boxing, wrestling, or MMA, in which case fighting is actually encouraged. But I’m getting way too ahead of myself here right now. The point I was trying to make was that Imperial Haiti wanted to show us, and the rest of the multiverse, that they were more than just field filler for this Classic and that they actually intended to be a competitive team no matter who their opponents were. Two out of three times, it didn’t really work out against us, but on the one time that they did, they made us all sit up and pay attention.

There have been some changes to the Revolution team that went up against Imperial Haiti to the one that made a valiant but eventually futile final stand against South Newlandia. For one, our pitching rotation has had some upheaval as the likes of Bertram Benedetto, Alejandro Johnson, and Peter Langford hung up their gloves and threw their last pitches for the Revolution in Drawkland. This isn’t to say that their replacements are competent or capable enough to take their places, but it does feel strange seeing an Abanhfleft Revolution without Pete Langford in the bullpen preparing to close out a game. Dexter Johnston has some very big shoes to fill (or is that a very big glove?), but even if he is only half as good a closer as Petey boy was, I would daresay that the Revolution’s pitching is in very good hands. It won’t be the same Revolution that put Abanhfleft on the baseball map of the multiverse, but it could be the Revolution that finally brings us to the big stage.

The first game against Imperial Haiti was as routine as things could get in baseball, which really isn’t saying a lot because we all know that this sport is one of the most unpredictable out there. Aedan Soto started off things in the very first inning with an RBI to get Maël Corneau to home plate and score the Revolution’s very first run of the tournament. Corneau would then do the same for Ben Anderson, batting in the catcher from second base to double the Revolution’s lead. The Haitians did get one back in the third inning before things slowed down for the rest of the game. It wasn’t until the bottom of the eighth that the action started to pick up again with Fleftic DH Antonio Myles picking up 2 RBIs from Donald Edwards and Booker Draves to wrap up the game in our favor and get our WBC 56 campaign off to a good start. One win doesn’t really look like much when you think about the fact that we play six games each against the other teams in our group, but starting off a tournament with a win is always a good thing more times than not.

And in a typical case of Abanhfleft almost Abanhfleft-ing it up again, we let Imperial Haiti come back in the second game and claim a victory in the National Baseball Stadium. I’m not making this shit up. The Revolution had an early lead in the second game of our series against the Haitians courtesy of an Elbert Freeman RBI for Antonio Myles in the second inning, and then after a lot of innings in which not a lot happened, the Haitians suddenly turned things around by scoring two RBIs and a single home run in the seventh inning, which was something that thoroughly ruined the day of everyone who was in that stadium to watch the game. Everyone who was supporting the team in blue, orange, and green; that is. Imperial Haiti then tacked on one more run on top of their surprising lead in the eighth inning, and while we responded to that with a single run from Giovanni Perkinson, in the end it wouldn’t be enough for us to overturn the result. No more sweeping Imperial Haiti at our own turf, and this was in our very first series of WBC 56! Was this only the start of yet more disappointment from the Revolution?

Not if the guys had anything to say about it, apparently. The Abanhfleft Revolution went into the 56th World Baseball Classic with one mission and one mission only: do better than the last time. At this point of the group stage, I think we were already doing slightly worse than we did in Drawkland because of that surprise loss to Imperial Haiti, but judging from the looks on the players’ faces when they went out to bat once again, you would think that they were determined to make that loss the only one that we were ever going to suffer in this tournament ever. Imperial Haiti may have gotten the upper hand by scoring the first run of the game but our boys recovered by scoring a couple of RBIs. Maël Corneau and Donald Edwards were batted in by Booker Draves, and then Draves himself was helped across the line by Antonio Myles. The Haitians did get two runs back in the second inning to draw themselves level once again and put some doubt in the hearts and minds of the local fans about the Revolution’s ability to see this game through, but in the end we really shouldn’t have doubted them about that.

Gio Perkinson scored the first home run of the tournament for the Revolution when he hit the ball into the left stands of the National Baseball Stadium to kick off the bottom of the fourth inning, and it was like a dam had burst when Gio struck that homer because the runs just kept on coming and coming after that. Imperial Haiti simply didn’t know what hit them. From their perspective, it looked like they had just awakened a sleeping giant and were now reaping the rewards of their insolence. But I hope that that doesn’t dissuade them from doing all that they could to remain competitive in this competition. Such things happen to anyone and everyone, plain and simple. Just ask both South Newlandia and Ko-oren about that. Boy, those were some topsy-turvy results that the Elephants and the Dragonflies put up over on their side of the group! It’s like both of these teams were trading blowouts like they were baseball cards. Damn, boys. 2-15 and then 14-1? Man, I am not looking forward to the day that the Revolution has to face both of these teams. But it’s gotta happen, or else why are we even in the WBC in the first place? The only hope that I really have about this is that it’s not gonna end up being this ugly for our boys, but maybe I’m asking too much from the baseball gods. This is the Armored Dinner Jacket saying ciao, peace. Catch you in my next post.

[Ko-oren]

The expectations are higher than at any point during the last 5 Classics. Before that, the team were a regular top 10 ranked team in the world, but never able to break into the quarterfinals (except for two final runs). Sheer reliability to get into the round of 16 while destroying their group kept them relevant, but they weren't a truly feared unit. Kenichi Honda's task is to bring back the good times: not necessarily through similar plays, players, and squad building, but to get the Ko-orenite national team back in the 'we really don't want to play these guys' category, by just about any legal means necessary.

The LPB definitely helps. We play better opposition and our players frequently leave for better teams - but how many of these players are under contract elsewhere?

Clubs of our 39 players

*        KOR CMT SNL SLL
Infield    8   1   0   1
Outfield   5   3   0   0
Catchers   1   0   0   1
Rotation   6   1   0   0
Bullpen    8   4   0   0

Total     28   9   0   2

It turns out that just over a quarter of them have taken the LPB route and moved elsewhere - and the few cases that did, moved to Chromatika, who are as new as us in the elite club competition. Mason Bennett and Woutre Bardemaker (third base and catcher, respectively) are the only Esportivan-hired guys on the team. That number will undoubtedly go up, the question is how quickly, and whether it improves the level of the team any time soon.

Ages of our 39 players

*        <20 20-24 25-29 30-34 35+
Infield    2     2     1     2   2
Outfield   0     5     2     1   0
Catchers   0     0     1     0   1
Rotation   1     3     1     1   1
Bullpen    0     6     2     3   1

Total      3    16     7     7   5

Coinciding with the LPB move, a lot more talent became available for the national team. Several players in their (early) thirties have retired just before the WBC cycle started, skewing the numbers down even more. It's safe to say that Honda is selecting a completely new core of players, supported by a cast of veterans to supply the necessary guidance and experience. Just look at the 30+ players: Bennett, Ritsushima, Akiba, Fouquet, and Kagulazaka - that's five of our twelve oldies and they're all in the starting batting order as announced with the roster. Yes, the team is young on average, but Honda's not crazy: he knows results are needed (and fast) and isn't going to sacrifice immediate success for quicker development.

Now, looking at the pitchers, that might be the case. Last Classic, we reported on the pitcher shortage Ko-oren went through: the clubs mitigated it by aggressively drafting and trading for throwers. The latter are foreign and can't play for us, but the former are very visible: nearly half of the starting pitchers and exactly half of the bullpen are in that 20-24 age bracket. Vasquez, Ohashi, and Tone are all expected to start several games and their impact has to be somewhat immediate. They can be taken off for Kanzaki (21), Ishibashi (23), Martis (20), or even closer Yamase (20). They make the team very vulnerable (considering relievers have never been our national strong suit) but it's a necessary phase to go through in order to have a better group of pitchers in the future.

Right or Left

*         R  L
Infield   7  3
Outfield  6  2
Catchers  1  1
Rotation  2  5
Bullpen   8  4

Total    24 15

The team is predominantly right-handed and overrepresented among some groups. The balance among outfielders is particularly strongly tipped one way: just Caamano (right fielder) and the only named designated hitter (Amachi) are southpaws. Among the eight in the batting order, there are three lefties - and you can bet they were selected for handedness. Sivurila might be the better first baseman, but Fouquet is named the starter for now. Maybe Honda will mess around with the order (in fact, we expect him to) but we might end up with just righties for some innings.

Snubs
So which players weren't selected, who should be in there? Catcher Juan Berganza - always paired with Kagulazaka and splitting starts with him - isn't called up in favour of Bardemaker. Another player who's left a big impression on the league despite entering it about a year and a half ago is Giants' starting pitcher Namioka, but with his age (18) it's quite normal that he's overlooked. Veteran first baseman Aldana is still playing to a high level but he's 38. 34-year old starter for the Silvers, Uranishi, might have been a good experienced addition to the rotation, but as another rightie, Matsuda was given the nod as equally seasoned - but left-handed. The same goes for Gotou, playing for the Dragons, who by now is a step behind some of the youngsters.

Talents
With three players under 20 - who else could debut in the next few cycles?

Letha Newich, proving there's talent west of Finisterre worth considering. she's 18 and hasn't committed to a position yet. In a similar position is 18-year old Sonodigandhen: she's western as well (hell, she's from behind enemy lines; the capitals themselves!). A long list of Yoshiman talents should make it to the draft soon: previously mentioned SP Namioka, 3rd base Komiyama, outfielder Yokoi, infielder Iio, and a list of 17-year olds tearing up the minors, like Yonezawa, Suzuoki, Yoshida. Some names from Finisterre, to balance it out: Aleixo Padron (younger brother to Goio Padron), Benvito Tapia, and Iago Sarabia. The future's bright, though the obvious candidates for early selection are Newich, Ohashi, Matsuoka, Padron, and Namioka. They should be day one starters out of the draft as the Ko-orenite conference stands.

[TJUN-ia]

After another long wait post-QF exit, the time has finally arrived for a grand return. The Battin' Jags of TJUN-ia are always trying to evolve and ever since the New Era has taken effect, that mantra has taken over this team and especially manager Phillip Hellas-Verona. Last year was supposed to be the start of a new process to rebuild the core of this team...and we made the Quarterfinals on the first try. With limited turnover, new reinforcements and even some extra support from the Cubs in the bullpen, everyone was expecting these Battin' Jags to continue their development with pride...yeah, about that...

Game 1 (MEL 1-3 TJU)
Rounders Field in Portside would be hosting the Battin' Jags for the first time in 4 years and this atmosphere of both hope and pride would greet debutants Melbergia on MD1. With so much hope and a little bit of expectation in the air, Gene Almac and Peter Axel squared up to start this whole thing off all over again...and it actually turned out to be a tight one. Run defence was the name of game here in the JagBase and both outfields were certainly up for the game today but in the end, 3 home runs would define how Opening Day went. Stefan von Shültz managed to set things on fire with a 2-run bomb in the 2nd and while Chace Réamonn made things interesting in the 5th, Holly Davids's solo bomb in the 8th would make sure this game was won 3-1.

Game 2 (MEL 7-1 TJU)
Shin Suzuki and Thore Blaine started what would end up being a wacky game where Chace Réamonn proved their raking credentials with a 1st inning Grand Slam. Svetlana Mykvinich hit back with a bomb in the 2nd to make it 4-1...and then the bats turned cold on both fronts. Both teams went back to the run defence that dominated yesterday's game but this time, the fact we were 3-runs down just made things a bit sombre. We were finally killed off in the 8th thanks to a 3-run bomb from Konnor Ronald. This wasn't fun as it ended 7-1 to the debutants.

Game 3 (MEL 3-1 TJU)
The series would be between Harrison Kyle and Haven Julian and for the first half of this game, it was more run defence and the outfield being ballers. The 6th was when things changed as Joe Larus hit an RBI double to bring home Atli Redmond and open the scoring, which was then followed by a solo bomb from Dariel Karson. Holly Davids hit back with an RBI but in the end, it would be a late change in the Melbergian side that forced Boniface Cedar back onto the field to hit a solo bomb. 3-1. Just like that, the opening series was lost. Fair play to Melbergia, they certainly earned this one, but that wasn't the way we wanted to start things off.

Of course, losing the first battle doesn't mean we have automatically lost the war and we have a further 27 games to improve from this 1-2. The opening doubleheader in Portside shall continue...this time against our biggest foes in the group based on rank, #9 Milchama. But this group has started out with all 3 ranked team losing their opening series so somehow, this tie will be 1-2 vs 0-3. Crazy how baseball works sometimes. GO BATTIN' JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group G)
S1: vs Melbergia (UR) - Rounders Field, Portside L 1-2 (5th)
S2: vs Milchama (9) - Rounders Field, Portside
S3: @Barnettsville (26)
S4: vs Caribbia (UR) - The Diamond in The Gardens, New Washington
---------------------BREAK---------------------
S5: @Milk Island (UR)
S6: @Melbergia (UR) - O'Halloran Ballpark, Portvestir
S7: @Milchama (9)
---------------------BREAK---------------------
S8: vs Barnettsville (26) - The Diamond in The Gardens, New Washington
S9: @Caribbia (UR) - Ballpark of Caribbia, Yeir
S10: vs Milk Island (UR) - Rounders Field, Portside

[America But With Slightly More Hazelnuts]

Great moments in American history, #2
November, 1969

The helicopter blades had begun churning, whipping up the undergrowth and creating a howling din. Squinting to keep dust from blasting into his eyes, Captain Squirrelward raced forward, tail tucked down to avoid the whirring props. With a bounce, he leapt into Lieutenant Colonel Deathblood’s chopper just as the struts began to rise from the mossy bed of the clearing. All around them, other helicopters were rising into the air like a plague of locusts. The 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry were airborne.

It was just breaking dawn and Captain Squirrelward had to keep squinting, to keep not dust, but the sharp angles of morning’s first light from his eyes. They seemed to be flying directly into the sun, being swallowed by a giant golden mouth emerging from the dark green-fringed horizon. Colonel Deathblood was shouting instructions, and a moment later Squirrelward’s ears perked up at the sound of music.

Dun-duh-duh-dunh-dun, dun-duh-duh-dun-dun, dun-duh-duh-dun-duun, dun-duh-duh-dun…

The music blasted out across the sky, sending flocks of birds screeching from the water’s edge. Every chopper in the unit seemed to be blasting Ride of the Valkyries. Squirrelward watched the grin on Deathblood’s face and felt a cold shiver run down his back.

They broke the treeline minutes later, greeted by shouts from below. A sporadic burst of gunfire, harmless of course, but mostly the villagers seemed totally unprepared. Looking down, Squirrelward saw the natives – mostly Pallas’s squirrels and a few Finlayson’s squirrels – running for cover, grabbing up little ones, flipping open covers to underground bunkers. They were going to be too late. The helicopters had already opened fire.

The massive barrage unleashed from every chopper simultaneously. Pelting down on the village below. Ringing off the corrugated iron roofs of those huts lucky enough to have them, tearing straight through the straw of those that weren’t. Thousands of pounds of ordnance being fired off within seconds.

Once the helicopters had passed over, the villagers rushed out from their hiding spots and began collecting up the debris. The millions of nuts that the helicopters had dropped being gathered into large sacks to be taken to be stored or processed. Some of the shells had broken open and the children took delight in finding them and snatching a tasty treat. A few followed to the edge of the village, waving their paws in gratitude at the retreating helicopter squadron for the food drop.

Deathblood grinned manically. “I love the smell of hazelnuts in the morning!”

[Loyo]

Loyon Red Guard present case before Supreme Court objecting to player departure,
arguing for destruction of LRL's “exclusivity clause”

•LRL: Loyo Revolution League (Loyo's professional baseball league)
•PNSC: People's National Sporting Committee (Governing body of Loyon sport)
•CPL: Communist Party of Loyo (The governing party of Loyo's people's republic)

The Loyon Red Guard, the mass wing of the Loyon army, has told the court that the departure of Jimi Fiazzo and Isabel Morata presents a “considerable hindrance towards maintaining soldier morale.” The case elaborates that soldiers are unable to access material related to the players, who will no longer be playing in the Loyo Revolution League. The guard argues losing two of the country’s best players diminishes the quality of Saint Yoosan’s baseball propaganda efforts. The LRL, under the governance of the PNSC, has exclusive rights to baseball coverage within the country.

The guard doesn't have legal ground to directly challenge the players’ transfer to Saint Reicarn, as the LRL has authority to enforce player transfers, regardless of club preference. Instead, they argue that the court should re-examine if the PNSC's is constitutionally entitled to grant a media exclusivity clause to the LRL. There is some legal precedent to preserving the quality of military propaganda efforts, but recent legislation has sided with the PNSC.

The LRL has requested that the court dismiss the case, stating that, “The exclusivity clause is key to preserving the social order and continuing revolutionary spirit of the Loyon state,” and “the impact of competition with foreign media would present a considerable roadblock to state media efforts.”

During the revolution, baseball was key to both the CPL and the Loyon armed forces as a propaganda tool, as club periodicals not only informed soldiers regarding the nation’s sports leagues, but also news around the country. Famous ballplayers were snuck in and out of conflict zones, raising the spirits of the fighting men and women.

Post-conflict, these baseball media organizations were tasked with reframing propaganda efforts. Instead of aiming efforts at creating revolutionaries, they now shifted focus to preserving the work of the revolution. In talks following the revolution, the CPL decided on a policy granting the PNSC complete authority over sporting media within the country.
evolution. This involved a massive centralization effort by the CPL, who sought to establish a national voice and diminish the power foreign media held on the isles.

Since then, the impact of Loyon baseball has grown beyond the nation’s shores. Foreign scouts have taken an eye for top Loyon players, and the national team is attempting to carve a position in the history of the game. Still, media within the country is sluggishly developing. In large cities, most baseball media comes from the historically stagnant periodicals published by the LRL, clubs, and selected sports journalists. There aren’t many new voices in the industry, and growth has stalled due to a lack of resources and competition.

Sports other than baseball have endured neglectful coverage. Football, a rapidly growing sport in the country’s rural areas, has had a mixed relationship with Loyo’s media regulators. Reports regarding the country’s victory in the Baptism of Fire have seemingly vanished since being reported shortly after the competition, and the website for the PNSC still lacks any mention of the committee’s commitment to the growth of the sport.

“It’s either lukewarm reception or a complete shut-down,” said a committee member that asked not to be identified. “We’ve tried to negotiate and tell them where we see benefits, but we’re just not eye-to-eye. They see it as a threat to baseball and the sports traditions of our country. I’m not sure that’s going to magically change one day, unfortunately. In this country, the path ahead for sports other than baseball is a long one.”

Lineup for Series II: Chromatika:
SS: #18 Bo Ayoyara, 29, R (Narangara Motors)
3B: #13 Jimi Fiazzo, 30, R (St. Reicarn Saints [SNL])
1B: #17 Shiryo Gerras, 32, R (St. Hayahoma’s)
DH: #7 Nika Vulcae, 27 (National Pantheon)
CF: #12 Sonny James, 28, R (United Sugar)
2B: #28 Will Docan, 27, R (St. Hayahoma’s)
LF: #20 Isabel Morata, 29, R (St. Reicarn Saints [SNL])
RF: #22 Meung Boma, 31, L (United Sugar)
C: #1 Hyon Shin, 28, R (St. Yoosan’s)

Pitching (SP, RP, CP):
Game One: Maccz, Min, Son
Game Two: Hawoo, Moon, Mun
Game Three: Cross, Avantaje, Hajoon

[South Newlandia]

Ahead of the Llamaphant Pro Baseball Amateur Draft, the Elephant Valley Mail conducted a fan voting to find out which players the fans were most hyped for. A couple of them went really early, including the 2nd & 3rd overall picks! After the draft ended, you were in charge of collecting the results and presenting them; unfortunately, you also had to work overtime making a highlight video for the Elephants-Dragonflies series (could that not have featured just a couple fewer runs? Or at least more Elephant wins?), so you couldn’t finish the Draft-Hype Results in time. Can you quickly figure out the ranking and all the other info on the most hyped South Newlandian players in the LPB Draft, based on the couple of snippets you still remember?

In the buzz-ranking, the flexible outfielder finished exactly one spot ahead of the relief pitcher.
The New Llama Cyclones made their pick for the last remaining of these five at position 16.
The 6th-overall pick finished one spot next to the Peninsulara Kingfishers-drafted player.
Hailey Clark attended the Newport College for International Relations.
The player ranked 3rd by voters attended Ratzupalfu University of Nature; a college more famous for their gridiron operations.
Raffaele Pohl was drafted as the - hopefully - new face of the Sophie City Monarchs.
The Sun City Flames drafted the third baseman/woman of these five.
The Denison Dynamo drafted a player out of Ruditown Biologics University. The player was heartbroken - The very next team up were his hometown Dachshunds, who ended up picking a Llamanean.
Carolyn James ended up being selected with the 8th-overall pick.
One of these players attended Elephant Valley University, the biggest and most well-known South Newlandian college - in the buzz-ranking, they finished right next to the player that eventually went to the Kingfishers.
It isn't too common for South Newlandians to be drafted right out of high school, but that's exactly what happened to this flexible outfielder.
Unsurprisingly, Mark Ellis was the player with the most buzz on him - I mean, his name is literally Ellies, there's no way he's going to be bad.
Left Fielder Lian Peters is one of the fan favourites thanks to his raw natural power swing.
The 3rd-overall pick finished either right after or right ahead of the Flames-drafted player in the buzz-ranking.
Right before or right behind Mark Ellis in the voters' ranking was the most hyped South Newlandian Starting Pitcher of the Draft.

[Cassadaigua]

Maxwell Struggles, but Fillies Take Pair,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

During World Baseball Classic 55, Lacey Maxwell was absolutely dominant. At just 23 years of age, the ace of the Sterling Heights Vikings staff was given the nod to be a part of the starting rotation, and was placed third in the pecking order by manager Allyson McIntosh. Cassadaigua got great starting pitching from everyone, and especially the top three. But there was something special about Maxwell, as she showed no signs of being intimidated by the pressure of the moment, consistently putting together great outing after great outing. Those performances were recognized first by Drawkish officials as they named Maxwell to the all-star team for the unique game that was played there after qualification. Maxwell would then receive not one, but two offers from teams within the Llamaphant Pro Baseball League, a league that a lot of people feel is the best professional baseball league in the World. Maxwell turned down the offers, and told Cassadagan media afterwards that, "While I appreciate the attention they had given me, I do not wish to play overseas. My heart is in Cassadaigua, and I do feel as though we have the best league in the world". There has been some turnover to the LPB from Cassadaigua, but it may just be that our players have the most combined rejected offers from those teams than anyone else in the baseball playing world. Maxwell's thoughts on the matter are the reason: Elite CBL players feel they are already in the top league in the world, and are more than adequately compensated by CBL teams. But it's possible, just ask Makenna Anglin or Kayla Sandlin. Nonetheless, Maxwell, playing for Sterling Heights, was a good target for LPB offers since she is still on an entry level contract. (Maxwell is currently in the final year of that contract, and most do not feel that Sterling Heights will be able to pay her asking price. However, nearby Concord Heights as well as New Lakeland are rumored to be getting large offers ready).

Lacey Maxwell would take to the hill for the opener against The Star Enpire. It was a great first opponent for her on paper, as she would have the opportunity to pick up right where she left off. However, no one told Gerónimo Echeverría Ojeda this part of the script. That manager, being given another chance to be the leader of the team known as the Dreamers after a horrific 4-16 qualifying campaign, had his team ready to play. After all, if they stunk it up again, there might actually be another person interested in the job for the future. Maxwell was not good at all in the bottom of the first, surrendering four runs on five hits while also walking one, tossing 44 pitches. "With all due respect to them, when you're missing location the way that I was there, anyone at this level is going to crush it. It's one of those things, I felt good in my preparations for this game, and I promise you that I didn't take them lightly because of their record last time. I felt I had a good game plan, and maybe I did. When a game plan is not executed, it doesn't matter how good it was," Maxwell said after the game. Lacey did settle in after that, and gave the Fillies five innings, allowing just one more baserunner for the rest of her outing. Because of the first inning pitch count, Maxwell did not pitch past the fifth. "It was the least I could do after the first," Maxwell said with a grin.

As crazy as it seemed, Maxwell was not in line for the loss when she left, but actually for the win. The Fillies chipped away to tie in the top fifth and scored two more in the top of the sixth to take a 6-4 advantage while Maxwell was still technically the pitcher of record. But the first inning for Ava Flannigan was as bad as the first inning was for Lacey Maxwell, as she also allowed four. Cassadaigua was done scoring for the day, and lost their first game of the series, 9-6. There are interesting parallels between our first game of this Classic to our first game of the last Classic: with a first inning struggle leading to a loss. The pitcher who struggled there, Stella Freeman, recovered brilliantly afterward, so hopefully the precedent is there for Lacey to do the same thing.

Things would go much better for the pink and black for the remainder of the series, with Stella Freeman and Breanna LaViolette taking to the mound for the next two games. Freeman tossed 7 1/3, allowing two earned runs and striking out eight in a 5-3 win, and LaViolette went eight innings, also allowing two earned runs and fanned nine in a 5-2 win. Offensive stars for the opening series were Makenna Anglin, who had five hits, including two homers as well as a double; and Baylee Crighton, who drove in seven over the three games, with four hits. With a record of 2-1, Cassadaigua is tied with Loyo for second in the group, and are a game behind Chromatika. Our first home series of the Classic is coming up against America But With Slightly More Hazelnuts. It's a rather long name for a nation, and not surprisingly, in press releases by that nation they do not repeatedly use the full name. Therefore, I think this will be the last time I write it out in full. Some simply refer to it as America, but I like the alternative, which is the United Squirrels of America. They are indeed, sentient squirrels. Which, will be pretty cool and all but it must have you wishing Hampton Island was back with all of their bears in the lineup. That would certainly be a very entertaining series. We've learned throughout the years that you can never feel as though you have the upper hand on an opponent simply because you feel you are a superior species.

Pitcher Natalia Gomez, who gets the ball in the opener says there is major factor in play here, "The strike zone is small. You really have to pinpoint control. Obviously, they have been able to find out to cover both sides of the plate, so pitching them away isn't necessarily a good idea. It could actually be just what they want you to do with them. Very little room for error with the strike zone, though. It's tough." Catcher Morgan Brennan agrees, "Your whole set up behind the plate has to be different. We'll figure it out, though."

[Nova Anglicana]

Series 1 (Cannaland Islands) in 3 stat lines

Game 1 (Cannaland Islands 4-3 Nova Anglicana): Brandon Norris, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Félix Clermont hurled seven solid innings, allowing two runs on six hits, and Vincent Saint-Denis and Shane Frazier had RBI hits to put the Lions up 3-2 going into the eighth inning. But Adrien Dumas, who lives at the top of the zone, let a 99 MPH fastball fly a little closer to a Cannaland Islands' hitter's happy zone, and a home run made it 3-3 in the eighth. On came Brandon Norris to preserve the tie, but back-to-back walks to open up the inning really put him in a jam. It looked like he might get out of it when his bowling-ball sinker produced a double play, but he tried for the strikeout and a cement-mixer of a slider got whacked into the outfield for a clean single, putting the upstart Islanders ahead 4-3. The Lions managed just one baserunner in the bottom of the inning and ended their first WBC 56 game on a sour note.

Game 2 (Cannaland Islands 2-4 Nova Anglicana): Xavier Pineault 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, K

When staff ace Joshua Rouillard labored through a 21-pitch first inning where he walked a pair of batters and gave up a run, the Archbishop Stadium faithful began to have some nervous thoughts. Could the Lions really lose two of three at home to a debut nation? But Xavier Pineault, the rookie shortstop, put those fears to bed when in the second, with one left-handed swing, he drove the ball into the harbor beyond the right field wall for his first national-team home run. The three-run shot gave the Lions a lead they would never relinquish, and Peter Abbott had an RBI single in the eighth to add on. Although Rouillard hit a batter and allowed another run in the fourth in a rare fit of poor control, he recovered to pitch seven innings of two-run ball as well, and Sean Caldwell and Darren Sharp allowed no baserunners and struck out four in their two innings of relief, closing the door on any incipient Cannaland Islander rallies.

Game 3 (Cannaland Islands 1-4 Nova Anglicana): Caleb Sherman 8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (0 hits through 7.1 IP)

The rubber game of the series was all about #2 starter Caleb Sherman. Sherman has a plus fastball and plus-plus curve, but his slider and changeup are strong pitches as well. In this game, Sherman mixed all four of his pitches, varied his location, and wasn't afraid to run up longer counts on hitters to stay out of the middle of the zone. And it worked for him, recording 22 outs before allowing his first hit. He did walk a batter to lose the perfect game in the fourth, but his seven strikeouts through seven innings meant there wasn't a lot of hard contact against him. Back-to-back doubles from the #6 and #7 hitters put paid to his no-hit bid, but after a visit from pitching coach Daniel Egan, he struck out the final two batters of the inning to keep the Lions in the lead. Rookie Sean Wilson, in his second game at first base, hit a two-run double in the first and scored on Shane Frazier's RBI double to give Sherman all the run support he'd need way back in the first inning. Andy Hudson, another rookie, hit a solo shot in the seventh to make the lead 4-0. Adrien Dumas pitched the ninth for his first save.

Bonus stat line for series against Ingont: 3.7 runs/game

The first series saw some serious slacking on the offensive end for the Lions. Yes, they held the Cannaland Islands to three runs in the final two games, but they never scored more than four runs per game. Yes, they played significant substitutes in each of games two and three, but they'll do the same against Ingont, and the debut nation actually scored more runs than the Lions in their first series. The bats will need to pick it up in support of Sean Caldwell, Tommy Logan, and Nate Barrett, or the Lions could be embarrassed on the road.

[Zwangzug]

The Spenson Star

Zwangzug won their first game of WBC56, with a two-run homer from Calvin Donohue and an RBI single for rookie Bradley Petre-Sherman in the third inning. Ernest Gronek, the ace of Dod Rava, found his footing and shut down the side in the next few innings, but the damage had been done. Vincent Chavez was removed after six shutout innings, having an elevated pitch count with several walks and long foul-ball sequences from Maciuś Martín, and Leslie Caell-Amoy's shaky seventh let Dod Rava get on the board. After Filip Więcław doubled to left-center, Hugo Szałwia lined out sharply to Atori Cragun at shortstop, but a bloop single from Henryk Hudak allowed Dod Rava to score the first run of their WBC tenure. But Caell-Amoy pitched out of it, Jeremiah McHubert pitched a perfect eighth, and Phyllis Muskat got through the ninth for a 3-1 win. All in all, it was the type of efficient team performance that should settle any lingering nerves and make it clear that the Zebras haven't lost their edge. This will be a thirty-game (ten series) group stage, so all you can ask for on opening day is that kind of steady productivity.

So, naturally, fans decided to sulk--not because there had been anything concerning about Chavez' performance, but because he didn't have anything to say about it.

"Look, I know that we love them, but who even cares about Frischberg," griped Ben Weiss-Henkel. "Or who can find it on a map? If Chavez is gonna turn down offers from teams that people have actually heard of, he better actually have a narrative behind it."

Weiss-Henkel's speculation is, of course, just that. Several more Zwangzugians have joined the flight to the increasingly-cosmopolitan LPB, such as Atori Cragun, Etienne Woad-Kalin, and Minna Soin-Gardel. (The latter pair signed for Super-Llamaland clubs some time ago, but the unreliable Zwangzugian press failed to note this in their initial roster; this has been updated.) But while Chavez' eloquence about his own mechanics is matched only by his ineloquence about everything else, he might just be a homebody at heart.

Not that that will satisfy yearning Zebras fans. "Yeah, yeah, nobody's guaranteed success, we can't get entitled about our expectations, we get it," fumed John McCora. "But we're at least entitled to drama and larger-than-life players, aren't we? I mean, we had Puyo-Sachar and his prophecies. The least we can do is get an ace with some really funny quotes."

"Just because someone moves to the LPB doesn't mean they're guaranteed to be prestigious," equivocated Brittany Zhukov. "I mean, there are probably lots of benchwarmers there, too. But come on, Chavez was an All-Star and everything. That's a pretty big deal! Especially because All-Star games are hard work and they don't happen usually! So we need to milk this for all it's worth, is what I'm saying."

Fans were temporarily placated by the reminder that, because of the series format, there will be five more chances for Chavez to say something incisive or babble confusedly during the group stage.

[Tikariot]

Ragnar Cederholm: Welcome Tikariot, to Conquering the Sun, the show that aims for the stars, but will go further. Now I ask you, are you ready to face the heat? Whatever your answer is, we have someone here who feels that he is. Welcome to the coach of the Tikariotian national baseball team, Jonathan Villiers.

Jonathan Villiers: Thank you, Ragnar, I'm happy to be here. I think.

Ragnar Cederholm: Haha, you are patient zero, our first victim, uh, guest, so you are a trailblazer here.

Jonathan Villiers: Is that a hint of what is going to happen to me later?

Ragnar Cederholm: (laughs) You never know, we have some strong stuff here.

Jonathan Villiers: (takes a deep breath) Alright, let's do this!

Ragnar Cederholm: That's the spirit! How are you with spicy food?

Jonathan Villiers: I think I'm pretty good with it, but I'm not so sure anymore after seeing that look on your face.

Ragnar Cederholm: Haha, don't interpret me, people think that I'm not normal on a good day, so are you ready to dig in?

Jonathan Villiers: Sure! This one is not too bad actually, we're starting at the lowest setting, aren't we?

Ragnar Cederholm: Yes, I don't think it would be advisable to scorch your tastebuds right at the beginning.

Jonathan Villiers: Good point. So what is this one?

Ragnar Cederholm: This one is called Salamandare, it's made with a medium heat pepper called One Hundred Hours of Solitude from Quebec and Shingoryeo.

Jonathan Villiers: Does that mean I'll be exiled into solitary confinement after this?

Ragnar Cederholm: Only if you like this.

Jonathan Villiers: Haha, no, I'm good! But I like this! I also like the name of the pepper, very philosophical.

Ragnar Cederholm: So, to kick things off, by the time this will air, the national baseball team will be in Chromatika, playing the 56th edition of the World Baseball Classic. The last few editions haven't really been a big success for Tikariot.

Jonathan Villiers: No, unfortunately not.

Ragnar Cederholm: Is there any particular reason for this?

Jonathan Villiers: This is a loaded question, haha.

Ragnar Cederholm: I don't want to get you in trouble here.

Jonathan Villiers: (shrugs) There are some things that are worth pointing out and which aren't really any secrets either. Tikariot has a bit of a youth problem in baseball. Now I don't want to disparage any of the current young players, but we have this kind of valley going on where we have good players coming up, but then not making the next step.

Ragnar Cederholm: Why do you think that is?

Jonathan Villiers: If I would know, I'd have the power to change it, but I have some ideas. Football is the almighty sport and everything else has to figure out how to exist and thrive in its shadow. I think that the Tikariot Baseball Federation had maybe become a little complacent after our relative successes and maybe not invested as much money and effort on the grassroots level. Sometimes success can blind you and I think that we are paying the price right now.

Ragnar Cederholm: So do you think that Tikariot will continue to sink in the baseball rankings?

Jonathan Villiers: Not necessarily. We do have great players - and no, I'm not just saying that because I'm their coach - and all we need is some luck to get back on track. And once we can get into the headlines again for the right reasons, this will also get more people and kids involved and we can get some momentum again.

Ragnar Cederholm: Are you ready for the next wing?

Jonathan Villiers: Yes, for now, I will say yes, but I will reserve the right to change my mind later on.

Ragnar Cederholm: Fair, fair.

Jonathan Villiers: Ooh, this one is definitely a step up. But it's nice and aromatic, I am still on board for this.

Ragnar Cederholm: This one is Fires of Asgard, made from a domestic pepper named Fenrir's Breath.

Jonathan Villiers: Is this Viljan?

Ragnar Cederholm: Yes.

Jonathan Villiers: Interesting. I always thought that peppers came from warmer climates.

Ragnar Cederholm: Generally yes, but if you time things well, it is possible. You taste the proof right now.

Jonathan Villiers: Today I learned.

Ragnar Cederholm: So, Tikariot has been drawn into a group with Quebec & Shingoryeo, Drawkland, StrayaRoos, Zorinitiee and The Eshurium Empire. Looking at this, what is the outlook for the WBC?

Jonathan Villiers: It's going to be an uphill battle, but I think that we have the quality in the group to pull off at least some surprises, hopefully only positive ones, though.

Ragnar Cederholm: Quite a few players actually play in Chromatika, is that an advantage for the team?

Jonathan Villiers: Not really. The climate is not that different and it's not as if they have been playing against the Chromatik national team either. Regardless of the fact that we're not even facing them.

Ragnar Cederholm: Makes sense. Let's go to number three, shall we?

Jonathan Villiers: Alright. What's this one called?

Ragnar Cederholm: This one is Devil's Bargain. Coincidentally out of Chromatika.

Jonathan Villiers: Oh, so I can prepare for what to expect once we get there?

Ragnar Cederholm: Haha, maybe. Maybe this might give you a personal advantage.

Jonathan Villiers: This one has more bite, it hits more upfront on the tongue.

Ragnar Cederholm: It's not necessarily hotter than Fires of Asgard, but definitely a different kind of heat.

Jonathan Villiers: And it's still building! Is it ok if I have a sip of milk?

Ragnar Cederholm: Oh, of course, that's what it's there for. I have one more question concerning baseball before we'll move on into a few topics. How difficult is it for a nation that is not considered one of the hotbeds for baseball to actually break into the upper echelons of baseball?

Jonathan Villiers: That is an interesting question. Some people are calling it a bit of an "old boys' club" - fully aware that it is not all boys playing this sport, it's just this old phrase that is still floating around - and it is difficult to really break into it quickly. It's a lot like a war of attrition, where you just have to be consistent and not give up, trying to slowly carve your way through it.

Ragnar Cederholm: And where do you feel that Tikariot is standing in this?

Jonathan Villiers: Well, we are still 19th in the world, which is not a bad position at all, top seed in pot 3, so we are within striking distance - no pun intended, by the way - and as I had mentioned before, we might just need a bit of luck to be able to take that next step and get back into the knockouts and from there a lot will depend on luck as to who we'll face and so on, but I definitely don't think that we're in a position where it's this steep uphill battle that is next to impossible to win.

[The Sherpa Empire]

As Dewa Liang looked around the locker room at his team, he noticed that Smanla Kumari was giving him the stink-eye. "Is something on your mind, Smanla?" Liang asked.

"No," Kumari said, but it was obvious from his tone of voice that he was annoyed about something.

"Come on, Smanla, what's the problem?" Liang pressed on.

"Whose bright idea was it to put you in charge of the national team after all the shit you've said?"

Liang stood in silence for a moment, considering the situation. He knew what Kumari was talking about. Liang had been an obnoxious right-wing nationalist in the early days of his career when he played for the Lhasa Lamas. He had ruffled a lot of feathers in those days, and some people had not completely forgiven him yet.

"We're not here to talk about politics. We're here to play baseball," Liang said. "If you want to talk about all that other stuff, you can come talk to me after the game."

Kumari didn't look entirely placated, but there was not much that could be done about it right now.

Dewa Liang's day didn't get much better when the Sherpas took the field for their first game against Benjium. They just couldn't seem to get anything going offensively.

On the bright side, Liang was pleased to see that the locker room friction with Kumari had not spilled onto the field. Kumari went 2 for 4 and it looked like he was doing his best to run down balls that were hit his way in the field.

After the game Liang and Kumari agreed that they needed to talk. It would be no good to go through the whole WBC quietly resenting each other. They got some panipuri from a street vendor and found a park bench on a quiet deserted path where they could eat and talk. Liang explained that he had changed a lot since the old days when he played for the Lamas. "I was an angry person back then, and I said a lot of things that I probably shouldn't have. You don't have to like the way I acted back then, but we still need to be able to work together as a team. We can't let twii.tur posts from 10 years ago get in the way of what we're trying to accomplish now."

[Ranoria]

Billy

“Don’t you guys, like, suck?” Some kid said as he casually chewed his bubble gum. Julian Breit’s jaw fell just slightly as the team signed autographs a day before hosting 3-0 newcomers Srednjaci.

“Uh, excuse me?” The kid blew an absolutely massive bubble from his gum, which popped and splattered on the LPB all star and Drawkland Road Trip home run derby participant’s face.

“You guys went 1-2 against Liventia, their news hasn’t even covered baseball in like fifty years, dude. But yeah sign my shirt, I heard your signature is worth some cash for some reason. You’ve got a cultish fan base.”

“Billy!” Breit was broken out of his stupor by one of the most singsong voices he had ever heard, and suddenly the kid yelled as delicate fingers yanked back on his ear. “I am so sorry,” that same voice said to the all-star slugger, who was now absolutely entranced. The woman’s lips were moving, but Julian Breit didn’t hear a word - it seemed as if her face was framed in hearts.

“Are you…free tomorrow night? After the game, I mean. You’re…wow.”

She, too, now stopped in her tracks for a bit, and Julian couldn’t help but notice the lack of a ring on her finger.

“Ow, Moooom!” Billy yelped, breaking their moment when she realized she was still yanking on his ear.

“Oh, sorry Billy.” She rubbed the poor boy on the top of his head, then flashed that heart-stealing grin, “If I can find someone to watch ornery here, we’ll call it a date.”

[Eshialand]

Structure
Covelandia 4 - 2 Eshialand
Covelandia 6 - 5 Eshialand
Covelandia 8 - 10 Eshialand

"King William! King William!" the reporters yelled out, but he wasn't having any of it.
"Can I just spend my day off in pea--"
"What are your thoughts about Eshialand almost getting swept at home by a team in their debut WBC?"
"They were better than us? What can I even say?"
"Are there any answers to helping get domestic sports leagues out of the red following the Reval funding cuts?"
"Of course? I'll solve that once I get ho--"
"Is the Eshian Baseball Association going to be considered a major league down the line?"
"Are you just getting all your questions out of Josh Seametzle articles? You should be more original, it's getting real bland real quick."

---

The Eshian Baseball Association was never a large league, since its inception in 2019. Despite how much popularity baseball did have in the nation, it was always playing second fiddle to hockey and later, with King William's initiatives as they were, third wheel once soccer joined the mix. However, that didn't stop a 10-team domestic league from existing in the nation. Let's take a look at those teams, shall we?

North Division

Eshialand City Independents - the Independents were a team born out of the revolutionary fervor of the early days of the nation. Their spirit was initially defined by that of the freedom the nation earned back in 2017. Now, in 2026, many of the team's younger players were shaped at a relatively early age by the revolution, bringing more patriotic spirit to this team. However, their history isn't exactly the best, with them only finishing 3rd in the division last year.

Eshialand City Lions - the southern portion of Eshialand City, on the south and west shores of Lake Ontario, were never really a part of Eshialand City until after King William took over. Hence, Lions fans feel less like they belong in Eshialand City and more like they belong in a city that, for legal reasons, no longer exists. For this reason, the team is often called Lions BC (short for Lions Baseball Club) by local press, although nobody outside of that part of town recognizes that name whatsoever. I'm sure people in Eshialand City don't want 'em around either, as they're consistently dead last in the division. Oh well.

Ottawa Beavers - out of all the teams in Eshialand, the Beavers feel the least Eshian. Being located in the former capital of Canada, there is definitely some form of anti-Eshian sentiment bubbling under the surface with this team; so much so that games between them and the Independents can occasionally turn a bit violent in the bleachers. Last year, they got first in the division, oddly enough, winning the pennant but eventually losing the championship series.

Vaynorth Bears - this team may be the one whose entire existence is the strangest. Why is it even there? Vaynorth isn't a large city at all, but rather more of a town, with only about 70,000 people. While a team representing Eshialand's chilly north, and all of the... interesting... sorts of people there (after all, places like Maryansk, a possibly-illegal-but-who-really-cares settlement of Klysevian expats who somehow floated over to Eshialand, and Brightonsea, a town hidden from the rest of society and populated entirely by magical beings who for legal reasons do not exist, can be found in the northern reaches of the country), is certainly appreciated, why Vaynorth? Despite the... confusing? nature of Vaynorth, the team there is loved by all those who don't fit in with the other North Division teams. They're the lovable misfits. Sadly, despite the catch-all nature of the team, they were not catching all fly balls, leading them to get 4th in the North Division last year.

Windsor Interprovincials - the Interprovincials are the North Division's newest, but not for the reason you might think. When the league was expanded from eight to ten teams in 2023, both of the new teams were located in the southern, formerly American provinces, so the Detroit Lakers were moved across the river to Windsor so they'd fit with the entirely Ontario-based North Division. Ironically, this meant moving south. They would make a splash in their new home, but not enough to win the 2025 North Division pennant. They would get 2nd in the regular season and lose 4-1 to the Beavers in the Divisional Finals.

South Division

Allegheny Miners - the Miners were never expected to amount to anything at all. They were just a team put there to satisfy the working-class blokes in the area who still weren't too fond of the whole Eshialand thing. However, this team rose past their expectations, and became the best team in the South Division. Last year, however, was not their year. They won in the regular season, but got edged out in Game 7 of the Divisional Finals. We'll meet the team that beat them, and inevitably took home the Eshian Championship, later.

Appalachia Mountaineers - this team is just kinda meh, all things considered. As they're the team closest to the "birthplace of baseball" (or so it's called, nobody can agree on where baseball started and everybody seems to think it started suspiciously close to their grandma's house for some reason), they claim the most heritage out of all the teams in the league, although in reality they're one of the two 2023 expansion teams, so they have no right to claim any heritage at all. They can, however, claim that they got last place in the South Division last year, which is... something. Not great, but something.

Cincinnati Warriors - believe it or not, the Warriors are the only team in the entirety of the Eshian Baseball Association to share a home ground with an Eshian Soccer League team, the Southern Sportsplex being the home for both. For a couple of years, scheduling used to be an absolute pain in the arse, with soccer and baseball executives tripping over calendars to figure out how they could avoid home games conflicting. Sadly, since the Eshian Soccer League was put on indefinite hiatus, the annual schedule meetings, which were always a mess of name-calling, bribery, and impromptu wrestling matches. At least they have the best facilities out of any team in the association! Oh, and they also won the 2025 Eshian Championship over the Beavers, 4 games to 2. That too.

Niagara Aces - a team in a place full people looking outside at waterfalls, they always find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoffs, consistently getting third in the South Division, both before and after the 2023 expansion. They got second once, in 2024, and got swept in the Divisional Finals. To date, that's their best performance. Someday...

Yzandria Explorers - the Explorers' name made a lot more sense back in 2022, when they first got approved to join the Association's 2023 expansion. However, the king's not uncontroversial decision to rename the city of Columbus to Yzandria (after Eshian explorer Jason Yzander, who, after hearing about the discovery of Maryansk, trekked through the northern woods for weeks to see if he could find more settlements like it), left people in the southern part of the country who had never heard of Yzander quite confused. The city name they could deal with, it was harmless enough. But there was a reference in the team name that flew right over their heads. You know what else flew over their heads? The opposing teams' home runs, as this team allowed the most runs in the Association on their way to a fourth-place finish in the South Division.

---

So, that's the Eshian Baseball Association. That's what's at stake when it comes to the state of baseball in Eshialand. With viewer numbers dropping and ballparks left mostly as eyes turn to foreign leagues, this is what the league at home has to offer. Whether it'll keep going for another 7 years is up to, well, that's up to the national budget and fan interest. The future, as of right now, looks bleak, unfortunately.

[Chromatika]

First Steps for a Potential New Ace as Chromatika Hosts Loyo

One of the biggest names of the World Baseball Classic this cycle for the Outliers is someone who hasn't thrown a single pitch for them yet. First, she played for the Undead in the IBS; then, the CCFA All Stars, also in the IBS. Now, after a season of playing for the Chromia Diamonds in the Chromatik Association of the LPB, enters one Nalrina Ayonara, the younger sister of Clara Ayonara and another left-handed fireballer.

Eyes have been on the younger Ayonara from a much younger age than her older sibling. She drew attention due to the ferocity of her pitches and her pure speed - even while Chromatika was still reeling from the discovery of one Clara Ayonara. She's not as composed as Clara - often times letting her emotion get the better of her, leading to some storming off of the mound, jawing at officials, and blaming teammates - but she is as good, if not better, than Clara, if the pundits are to be believed.

Arley Jones, Nalrina Ayonara, and Clara Ayonara is a heck of a lineup to face for thirty-second ranked Loyo; in front of a sold-out crowd at the National Stadium, it'll be even more stressed for the visitors.

After blowing past Oateria in first two games, Karla Levey had to outlast his opponent in the third game; with Edith Ponce coming through in the fourth inning, Chromatika moved on - having posted a series sweep.

Now, both Ayonaras are in the lineup - and Chromatika looks to get their act together before the pivotal tie against Cassadaigua.