World Baseball Classic 58 - Everything Thread

[Ko-oren]

Season 29 - Post-LPB Housekeeping

The nation will fall in love with playoffs yet! That must have been the motto of who's in charge of the post-LPB Ko-orenite league. Not an enviable position, but Bérangère Landy will do her absolute best. During her stint, she has seen her colleague up north, Erji Tehauden, get elected to the much more enviable post of world ice hockey president. Both are facing a mountain of work but it's likely that Tehauden will get a little more recognition for her efforts - though she will also face far more ire if things go awry. Landy's job is much lower risk but much, much lower reward. Her challenge: make sure the twelve teams survive without the endless revenue streams from the LPB.

And her first step on the way: announce how Season 29 of professional Ko-orenite baseball will look. Days before the season started, she announced the details of the postseason - at that point, we already knew the amount of regular season games would go down from 132 in the pre-LPB seasons to 120 - but the postseason is far larger than we've ever seen.

As a small aside: Ko-oren has often avoided playoffs, finals, and postseasons, and it was gridiron who finally dared to organise one. With six out of twelve teams making the playoffs, they had the largest system out of all sports, even after those started implementing finals (with the most popular format being a three-team system, with the number three visiting the number two, and the winner of that game taking on the regular season champion). Rugby union and league followed gridiron at the exact same time, soccer's completely eschewed it, and cricket... well, let's not talk about the C-word when there's baseball to discuss. Baseball, for a while, adopted the same three-team system, and kept series relatively short (best of 3), with the final varying from best of five to best of seven.

Then the LPB came, and not only did the number of playoff teams go up from three to five, they also played far longer series (best of 5 and 7). The implementation of a separate Wildcard game was another move that Ko-orenite fans just had to put up with - but we would be lying if it wasn't well received.

And that's why Landy's announcement was both strange (in its extremely late timing) and completely expected (in the content of the message): the post-LPB Ko-orenite league will mostly keep the LPB playoff structure in place.

The Wildcard Round will involve the two teams with the best records who didn't win their division, and will play a best of three to decide a winner. For season 29, this will most likely be a team from the Western division versus a Southern division team.

The Divisional Round pits our four remaining teams against each other: the three division winners and the remaining wildcard team. The best division winner (the number one seed) meets the wildcard team, resulting in - usually - two very strong teams playing each other. Almost always, one division will be won by a team barely over .500 but the number one seed will still have to play the wildcard team, no matter how good they are - even if that wildcard team had the second best overall record. This round is best of 5. The highest seeded team plays the first game at home, and home teams alternate each game.

The Final has two teams left, playing a best of 7. The home team in game one is the winner of the series between the number one seed and the wildcard team, so if the wildcard pulls off an upset, they will get the slight advantage. Home teams alternate each game.

Five teams - up from three - and far longer series: we'll be seeing some baseball being played well into gridiron season (that is, late autumn). It might be an acquired taste for some, but hopefully it'll work to attract some fans from outside the southeast now it's much easier to know what you're looking at: if it's the postseason, you're getting better teams, and they're going to stay in the spotlight for longer.

The second announcement by Landy was fairly minor, but she intends for her organisation to keep including detailed, 'LPB-level' statistics. We'll thankfully still know which teams have unreasonably large home advantages, whether any team will manage to win more games away than home, and more importantly, exactly how they did against each opposing team. Teams play their division rivals twenty-four times (twelve home, twelve away, in a total of eight series of three games each), and non-division opponents six times (one home series, one away series). Look forward to some spicy series between the Stars and Whales (24 games), Giants and Generals (24 games), as well as the clashes between modern heavyweights (Dragons-Generals, Stars-Dragons, Whales-Dragons), which are all just six-game affairs.

[South Newlandia]

Disclaimers:
* this project would not be possible without the efforts from Super-Llamaland. The words and pictures on screen right now were made by me, but would not be possible without extensive background work from both of us. Please do grade accordingly.
* this RP series may, on occasion, mention numbers about your players. Feel free to ignore them if you don’t like them.

South Newlandian League

Previews – Part 6 (Elephant Valley Homers)

Elephant Valley Homers

Departures
The biggest departure the team had to deal with was their long-time ace and clubhouse leader. Kevin Buchanan finished his career with a great tenure in Elephant Valley, including many accolades, even if the Homers didn’t find much playoff success in that time. While he is the only major piece the Homers lost, it is one that will leave a massive hole in the team, both organisationally and on the field.
The only other departure that comes remotely close is Andrea Pellegrino, who chose three agency after three seasons with Elephant Valley. Picked #11 overall, she was a good, but never great player at second. She will take her talents to Kyrinson. Newlandian Pitcher Myron Pacheco also left the team after a long tenure, and joined the Dolphins in Free Agency. Besides that, all the losses were players the Homers decided to cut; fielders Morgan Hunter, Nathan Barker, and Kylie Zhaxi all signed with a different SNL team.

Additions

Elephant Valley Sports Mail
Looking at the most impactful Free Agency Addition for each SNL team
Elephant Valley Homers: LF Cecily Maybin (QUE) (International Free Agency)

Following a long stretch of successful seasons, even though the Homers remain without a title in the modern era, the team from Elephant Valley pretty much bottomed out in the previous season. Most valuable players were either traded away or just outright given away, and the Homers lost more than 100 games. The rebuild has begun, and will mostly be running through the draft, where the Homers held multiple top picks. However, the team managed by Dana Hussel has also made strides to add impact players in Free Agency, hoping to speed up the rebuild. Cecily Maybin, who was a starter for the Grim Reapers at the most recent WBC, might be an impactful move for many seasons into the future. Maybin stood out in the QBO with a sky-high batting average, which the Homers hope will translate to Elephant Valley. At the Classic, however, she was often overshadowed by her older brother. At the Homers, she will slot into an outfield group that was a big liability in the last season. Now, with her, and Filip Więcław, the team should be a lot more competitive.

The team also signed a teammate of Maybin, catcher Hyeon-Myeong Joh, who may be even more impactful in season one. This is a position the team really needed to upgrade, and Hyeon-Myeong has additional upside as a player with built-in chemistry with Hye-Yeon Yi and Benoit Everson. A great backstop is something this team needs, even if he likely won’t stay around until they’re truly competitive again. The team also added another pair of players from ascending Esportivan baseball nation Dod Rava, with right-hander Adrian Wnuk and Left Fielder Filip Więcław getting to join two of their national teammates.
Despite focusing on the international trade market, the Homers also did take a look at Free Agency, and brought back one asset; reliever Raphael Boyer exploded onto the scene after being drafted, and then left for the Pilots in Chromatika. Now, he’s back in South Newlandia, hoping to replenish a bullpen that has two stars and not much else going on. They also brought in Griffin Henderson, who started some games in Ruditown and has been a long-time presence with the division rival. He is heading into his fifth LPB season, and was claimed by the Homers after the Dachshunds cut him.

Outlook:

This team is sneakily pretty good, with talent all up and down the roster. The rotation still has some growing pains to work through, and definitely lacks depth, but there’s upside there. Lefty Hye-Yeon Yi is the big star, but the young, dynamic duo of Adrian Wnuk and Rosa Sánchez is only going to get better. Sánchez especially is still one of the youngest starters in the league, so some learning will still need to happen. Thinerimo Yraskarjá is the best baseball player from Farfadillis in probably ever, and he has really hit his stride after he arrived in Elephant Valley. He was able to work on his pitch mix, and has added a pretty good slider that should massively improve his results on the mound. The rotation also features Percival Zappacosta from Lozho and Griffin Henderson, who will be effective in eating up innings if nothing else. With a team with a thin bullpen, like the Homers have, this is critical.
Speaking of the bullpen, it is very top-heavy, headlined by Quebecois closer Benoit Everson. The lefty has established himself as a top bullpen arm in the LPB, and replaced Chromatik Niles Pandolt as the primary closer for this team. Pandolt is likely heading into his final season with the ballclub, but the veteran right-hander will still provide value and a wealth of experience to a young pitching staff.
The rest of the pen includes new acquisition Boyer, as well as ex-cricketer Miles Haines from Drehda, Qasden’s J Jam-Jams, and Preston Barnes, who hangs around based on his slider. It’s a thin group, but strong at the top.
Backstop Hyeon-Meyong Joh will also be a major help guiding this young pitching staff behind the dish. He’s one of the older catchers in the league, but the team also have one of the best backups in the league in Patiris Eká Molos from Farfadillis. The left side of the infield has a pair of young players from the Banijan Esportivan Territories, while the right side has veteran journeyman Mitch Sneider and one of the biggest talents on the team, Dod Ravan shortstop Felix Korab, who is turning into a true five-tool player.
His teammate, Filip Więcław, and Quebecois Cecily Maybin are both new additions, but will combine to form one of the best corner outfield duos in the league, especially on the offensive end. While they’ll be carrying the load, Zed Zexair and Juriel Santos both project as long-term backups, and the team does not currently have a true answer in Center Field. The Homers’ bench is relatively ordinary, including an ongoing project in Rezinald Zaratrianias, a decent utility infielder they overdrafted, a man who can bunt, and someone who can actually defend Center Field (but cannot do anything else).
It's an interesting bunch the Homers have here, and manager Dana Hussel will have her hands full. After a disappointing stint in St. Riecarn, she took over a rebuilding Homers team that has a chance to hit their stride this season. A lot of things need to come together in a challenging SNL North, but this team has the upside to be fringe wildcard contenders, which would be a massive boost of experience for this young team. If that doesn’t happen, they still have one of the better farm systems in the SNL, and are an attractive free agency destination, so it’s hard to imagine the Homers being bad for too long.

Minor League Notes

Elephant Valley Sports Mail
Which team has the best farm system right now? Ranking AAA-teams heading into the season
T-2nd: Chekar Triples (Elephant Valley Homers affiliate)
Most promising player: RHP Sylvi Magnussen (SLL, 18)
After a disappointing season, the Homers were determined to rebuild through the draft, and were able to start with the third overall pick. They used it to try and swing for maximum upside, choosing Llamanean Sylvi Magnussen right out of High School. At just 18, she already displays velocities unusual for her age group. Her slider will need some refining in Chekar, but at her age, her phenomenal physical gifts make her a good pick. It’ll likely take almost half a decade before the right-hander appears in a Homers jersey, but that will also give her plenty of time to develop. The same is true of left-hander Serena Wu, another Llamanean, picked later in the first round. Two years older than Magnussen, she is further along, standing out as an intelligent pitcher already able to make the game flow around her. Her secondaries will definitely need some work, but with the right development, the Homers have some special talents here. While those two Llamaneans are the top prizes of the Triples, the Homers also have a deep collection of prospects that includes DH Natalie Gray after she cleared waivers with the team. They also have former third-rounder Matteo Fischer, at 21, and a pair of 22-year-old prospects from the last third round. Right-hander Michelle Hussain and 2B Ludwig Franco both went to college in Elephant Valley, although only Franco attended EVU. While none of these prospects is likely to receive a call-up this season, that’s okay, as the Homers gear up to contend in the future rather than now.

---

domestic baseball announcements and explanations that I do not otherwise have a good spot to put

Elephant Valley Sports Mail
LPB announces creation of "Pick-Off Tournament"
In a move seemingly responding to accusations of teams intentionally losing games in order to acquire a top draft pick, the LPB has announced that amateur draft selections 1-4 will no longer be automatically assigned.
Instead, the four franchises with the worst picks (the bracket must, however, include teams from both conferences) will engage in a single-game, single-elimination bracket. The winner of the Pick-Off Tournament Final will be rewarded with the first overall draft selection, with a Third-Pick game also being played. These are intended to be played after the wildcard round and divisional series, respectively.

According to the commisioner, this change aims to incentives keeping a roster at least mostly competitive, while also giving fans of struggling teams the opportunity to witness some games with higher stakes than usual.
Additionally, the televised games will hopefully draw big audiences, as both franchises will have a part of their future on the line.
The change is effective immediately, with 23 of 24 LPB franchises voting for the change. Because of that, there will be a Pick-off tournament at the end of the current season.

Elephant Valley Sports Mail
Big 14 will switch to two-year cycle
The announcement came as a surprise, but then, everyone figured it was probably going to happen sooner than later. With Llamaphant Pro Baseball increasingly taking control of South Newladian baseball, its 2-year season schedule clashed more and more with the 1-year schedule of South Newlandian college baseball; leading to seasons without any seniors every other year. In the years where drafts would take place, they would include half of the players in the entire league. This asymmetry was bad for the game. It was argued that switching college baseball to a 2-year season would cause problems for students whose High School education did not line up with seasons, but with so many players focused on the draft timing, that problem already existed anyway. South Newlandian College Baseball responded by switching the format of South Newlandian College Baseball to a 2-year-model, with 60 games for each school across that span, and an expanded playoff format. The upcoming season was also stretched across two years, although played with just 44 regular-season games; many schools chose to schedule additional, non-official games instead. To alleviate problems for students whose lives don’t line up with the schedule of college ball, the Big 14 have expanded the ways for players to take red-shirt years. Those will still apply to each individual year, with rosters able to be updated midseason, in between years. The SNCB hopes this leads to the Big 14 and LPB synergising better, although many still worry about the impact on the players less likely to go pro.
After the upcoming season, South Newlandian College Baseball will switch to a 66-game season across the two years, which will comprise of teams playing a total of 22 three-game series, including one each against every other Big 14 school. Additionally, rivalry matches will remain a fixture of Big 14 College Baseball.
For the playoffs, both conferences will now see two teams qualify to the conference championship, which will be a best-of-three series hosted entirely by the team that placed first in the regular season. The winners of the conference championships will meet in the South Newlandian College Baseball Championship, which will be hosted by the team with the better record in the regular season.
Additionally, the Big 14 have announced that an All-Star game will become a regular fixture of the schedule, with the best players in each conference invited.

[Tikariot]

Soft thunder can be heard over a black screen. Then, footsteps crunching and the creaking of a door. Slowly the logo fades in as the scene illuminates slightly, showing an old, broken down house and an open door, light falling in as a rectangle, showing dust and cobwebs and movement in the shadows just beyond the light.

As the logo fades away, the picture as usual, shows Erasmus Wheeler in his trademark long trenchcoat and hat standing at a hole in the ground in what appears to be a large excavation, large iron gates open, revealing stairs leading down into the darkness, with lanterns illuminating the path down in even intervals.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to Mythical Tikariot, where we look at the mythical and maybe even supernatural side of Tikariot. My name is Erasmus Wheeler and I will be leading you through some of the most mysterious places and instances our country has to offer. Today we are in Carathyr, one of the oldest cities in the country, the capital of the Emerald Coast province.

Five years ago during an excavation for a new building foundation in an old part of Carathyr, construction crews found a, well, hole in the ground that went deeper than they had dug. They alerted their foreman, who then in turn notified the city. An early inspection deemed it a small, insignificant passageway to some former cellar, but still agreed to properly check it out to ensure it would not turn out to be a potential hazard to the new construction.

What they found, however, was a lot more as it turned out to be just the gateway to a sprawling labyrinth that snakes its way beneath the city's foundations. After the initial inspection, a team of engineers was sent into the tunnel and it quickly became clear that this was far more than just a tunnel someone had dug in their spare time. Soon, archeologists and historians joined the engineers in their exploration to map out the extent of the network and what they found, was equally fascinating and confusing. The tunnels, some narrow and claustrophobic, while others broad and spacious, wound their way through the earth, leaving the researchers with more questions than answers.

As explorers delved deeper into the labyrinth, they encountered branches that acted as catacombs, with bones and skulls lining endless walls stretching into the distance, btu that was not all. They also found perplexing alcoves adorned with intricate carvings and symbols. These markings, etched into the tunnel walls with remarkable precision, hinted at a level of sophistication that did not match the estimated age of the tunnels. In certain areas outside of the catacombs, remains were discovered, raising questions about who might have once inhabited these subterranean passages. The skeletal fragments and artifacts discovered within the tunnels added an extra layer of mystique to the already enigmatic underground world.

The question of the tunnels' origins has sparked numerous theories, ranging from the plausible to the downright conspiratorial and even supernatural. Some researchers propose that the tunnels may be remnants of an ancient civilization, predating the established history of the city, somehow having been sealed away from the first settlers arriving at what now is Carathyr. As you can probably imagine, there also have been some conspiracy theorists coming out of the woodwork, speculating that the network might have served clandestine purposes, such as secret societies or covert government operations. Others entertain the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement, suggesting that the tunnels could be the work of advanced beings from another realm.

Perhaps the most captivating theories revolve around the supernatural, with some locals reporting eerie sounds, inexplicable shadows, and an unshakable feeling of being watched when exploring certain sections of the labyrinth. Urban legends have begun to circulate, claiming the tunnels are haunted by the spirits of those who once dwelled within. Part of this eventually led to authorities closing the tunnels to the public, not only to preserve whatever lies within but also to protect fortune hunters from potentially deadly hazards.

On a more grounded note, historians and archaeologists are diligently piecing together the puzzle, considering the possibility that the tunnels served practical purposes such as transportation, trade routes, or refuge during times of conflict. Some speculate that the network might have evolved over centuries, adapting to the changing needs of the city's inhabitants. As exploration continues, researchers are gradually trying to unravel the mystery of the underground network. Even though the catacombs originally were found almost five years ago, explorers still have not found the end of them as they still discover new branches.

The discovery of the Carathyr Catacombs beneath the city has ignited imaginations and sparked a renewed fascination with the history that lies hidden beneath our feet.

[Zwangzug]

The Bassabook Baritone

Point/Counterpoint

Point: Please come and do a culture
by the Trink tourism board

Dear enthusiastic if anonymous fans of the Milchama Warriors,

You would be most welcome to poke around our wonderful city sometime! Like many cities in Zwangzug, we are a utopian settlement founded by migrants fleeing various hardships elsewhere in the multiverse. Unfortunately, we do not have any present-day baseball teams, but we do have an attack-minded association football squad with lots of loud, sometimes-raucous fans, who would be very happy to have you join in their chants and parodies.

In particular, we have heard that you are looking for pitchers demonstrating your country's range of cultural and ethnic diversity. We don't know if we have any of your citizens on hand, although if you make a compelling argument you could probably convince a couple to defect, we're not particularly keen on nationalism. But in particular, if you need to find an example of sporting prowess where people with names like "Ryota Imamura" play side-by-side with "Yehuda Ben-Eli" and "Hanna Suzuki," Eintracht Trink would very much appreciate the validation!

Admittedly, we can't promise a very warlike attitude, except in the sense that we take board games very seriously. And our fans are not known for their politesse or high standards of behavior, except when it comes to music. [Then again, compared to the rest of the world, Zwangzugian fans may be comparatively tepid. -ed]

But if you're laboring under a curse or a scandal or some other kind of appalling horrors, you are totally free to come here and kvetch about it! Just be prepared that our fans might kvetch at you in return. That's the kind of reciprocity and fairness we appreciate.

Hope to see you soon!

Point: Do not pay any attention to whatever those guys say
by the Danhy city council

Look, let's face it. We don't have a lot of credentials to throw around here. Not only do we not have a baseball team of note, we don't have a football team either. The only thing we have is a monorail station connecting Yeaun District to the nation's capital via InterCity Line 1.

But that doesn't matter, because all you need to know is that everyone from Trink is bleeping nuts, and not in the fun way. When they say they're going to kvetch at you, they don't mean it in the playful kibitzing way, but in the "dumping their problems on everyone else like they're all masochists or something" way. We don't mean to kinkshame, if you like suffering and agony, great. But you can get enough of that through, I dunno, following a cursed sports team or something. Don't come hear about our problems.

Do you really think you need Zwangzugians to bless your naming endeavors? I mean, look at us. We can barely get our own act together, let alone endorse somebody else's. This is the land of people like Satoshi Iwamura and Vasily Hrybov and Brianna "Not Another Freaking Brianna" Edmonds; we can't handle homogeneity or verisimilitude. Scout your own darn phenoms.

Besides, the next wunderkind to come through our pipeline has the boringly Anglo name of Dominic O'Brien*. He grew up in Frischberg but I guess he was afraid of being overshadowed by Vincent Chavez, because he went to college at StoalSci and now is in the Tigers' minor league system, working on his screwball.

Anyway, the point is, do you know how Trink got such a diverse crop of names? Because trust us, you don't want to. And if you go visit, you will hear more than anyone ever wanted to hear about their many woes, curses, and laments. Take our advice: just stay away. If you need to know what's going on in Zwangzug, you can always listen to the radio broadcasters. At least we've got some decent ones now.

*This was revealed to me in a dream.

[Milchama]

"This team sucks"

"This team sucks"

"This team sucks"

"This team sucks"

"This team sucks"

"God we are terrible"

"So bad"

"So so so bad"

"So so so so bad"

"Just awful"

"Terrible"

"We're terrible"

"It's over"

"It's even Joever"

"Forever"

"And ever amen"

"Even Randy Travis agrees"

"It's so done"

"We're so done"

"This team is so bad"

"Fire everybody"

"Burn it to the ground"

"Burn it down!"

"Burn everything"

"Do you have a torch?"

"Yes"

"Well I have a pitchfork"

"This isn't about music ratings"

"No, I mean a literal pitchfork *shows pitchfork*"

"Oh great let's go"

"Riot!"

"Woo!"

*14 hectares of forest burned but were immediately replanted the next day because environmental destruction is bad*

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

OOC-2: Primary reference material:Memoires d'Athletes - Do Or Die, the 2038 story of Quebecois HS Baseball's Greatest Match
Other reference materials: RPs from WBC 53 (Theo and Myeong-Shin's story with Haley's song, a Grim Reapers' anthem), TWGS Season Two 'Auld Lang Syne' (involves the story of the narrator)

Parts 1-6
Parts 7-10
Part 11 - Tigers: The Decision
Part 12 - Tigers: The Hec of Defence, and Baseball
Part 13 - Dodgers: All-Star Weekend and Gaels' Days
Part 14 - All-Star, and the Draft
Part 15 - Tigers: Game 100 (1) - Heading Home, A Rookie

Part 16 - Dodgers: Game 100 (2)

# Imperial League            Pld     W    L     RF    RA    RD    Win %
1 Montreal Twins             100    59   41    495   453   +42    0.590
2 Montevicio Dodgers         100    58   42    558   415  +143    0.580
3 Hanbat Eagles              100    58   42    529   443   +86    0.580
4 Saint John Green Sox       100    53   47    479   481    −2    0.530
5 Levis Wyverns              100    51   49    474   438   +36    0.510
6 Kingston Blue Jays         100    48   52    421   495   −74    0.480
7 Attawapiskat Wiz           100    40   60    413   481   −68    0.400
8 Anju Avros                 100    33   67    374   537  −163    0.330

Narrator: The Montevicio Dodgers, in the meanwhile, find themselves back on the mix as they would start the second half of the season hot. Aided by the league's most explosive batting lineup, the Dodgers record a seven-game winning streak with Pinson scoring three straight games with a home run, and Nesterovic leading off with fourteen straight matches recording a hit.

Of course, off the field, the Dodgers themselves take a more proactive, serious approach, as July gives way into August. First we see the team's young guns in Nahuel Fornacieri, Joel Kweon, Ike Tateishi, and Jolbonopolis Rangers' Alanis Katsouranis in middle of the front row of concert hall. They are at the concert of Millie Byrne, an alt-pop singer-songwriter all the way from Equinox Hill, the other side of the country.

'Nanana, nananana, dadadada,' says about a thousand fans, which include much-elated players, but none says it louder than Nahuel, the 190cm tall, brown-haired Dodgers' ace who sways his arms with one eye closed. It is clear that while four had agreed to come to the concert as a good saturday night out after an 13h concert, Nahuel seems particularly dazzled by the blonde. The subsequent scene shows him shows him asking for her signature after most fans have left the backdoor of the concert hall, and they whisper with glee on their faces. It's clear they have known each other beforehand, but where remains to be seen.

'I've known Millie through Ike who went college at Inteachan National in Stillwater Springs,' he says, who tries his best not to fumble around the wording, while in his Montevicio apartment. 'Have been to a few of her shows, went on a couple of dates, and yeah.' He then realises that this is in front of a documentary, and hurriedly asks: 'Wait, is this recorded?'

'Yes, Mr. Fornacieri,' answers the interviewer with no display of a clear emotion. 'Please don't feel pressured to answer.'

'Thank you,' Nahuel replies. 'I love going to concerts and spending nights out and about, yes, but it's nothing particularly out of ordinary,' He then continues. 'Of course, at various points during the season we'd have guys going out to those salons, or let's just say, darker places, but I never liked spending so much money on that. I mean, the facade is one thing but I used to just take AVIA (a notorious low cost carrier -e.d.-) and wear fake jewelry to save cost.'

The very next afternoon, the Dodgers are out in play against the Jolbonopolis Rangers. Rangers win this time on a 7-0 victory, to save the three-game series from going overboard, but you would still notice how Millie is on centre-row seat on the first base, roughly within the sights of Nahuel. For those familiar with the Chavez Ravine, you would notice that the ticket's likely given to her by a current player, that being Nahuel.

Narrator: The Dodgers continue playing, in the meanwhile, as they head into an eight-game road trip for the next stretch of the season. With the team away for two weeks out in the east, and facing Hanbat, Anju and Attawapiskat there, this is where you see multiple players being re-assigned from or to Yeongpoong, all the way out in inland Saguenay where the Dodgers have had their AAA affiliate for decades now. Among those is Eliane Kramer-Hardy, the left-handed starter with distinctive arm swing motion, as she returns to the first team after two months of rehabilitation back in Yeongpoong.

'Locked in at year three,' says Kramer-Hardy, as she drives her way from Yeongpoong to Anju on a countryside highway. 'Year one, I was trying my best to just play any game, year two I was trying to get the groove of it, and in year three, well I think I've gotten hang of it, even when missing most of this summer on a rehab.'

Kramer-Hardy is relieved to have made it on time for the morning of the gameday, ahead of the 19h start-time. The rest of the team, who have arrived the night before, is ready to play at the Bocola Field, a high-altitude stadium that is slightly cramped on the outfield, but otherwise comfortable pitches. Hardy throws for a couple of pitches with Joh Hyeon-Myeong, who then tells her that the pitches are slightly off.

'Move a bit closer, tighter to the body of the righty,' says Joh, who has tendency to prefer his pitchers to aim closer to the pitchers. As the starting catcher of the team, the veteran wants to start a difficult two week away with good results. 'That's it,' he nods, as Kramer-Hardy pitches a well-thrown slider with an excellent, drop curve to the bottom right of the strike zone. 'Let's not throw a lot of straights here, the fourseam won't work so well, and just try to keep the batters swinging.'

This guess would come true with the Dodgers walking away with the 13-4 win. Kramer-Hardy, in her first top-tier start in two months, would allow two runs and have in six innings, but for most part, has held on well. The pitch count standing at 98, it's as good of a start anyone could ask for.

'The altitude always gets fucky here, glad to have walked away from it fine,' she responds, while giving the post-match interview on the field. 'I hope this could be the sign of what is to come for me and the team the rest of the season.'

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Cutoff no. 7 (MD13-14) -- Jersey retirements. How big is the practice of retiring jerseys on your national and professional teams? What is the general guideline for numbers to be retired? What are some teams/associations that are particularly picky about them?

---

Group A:

MD13

Loyo (16)                                     2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2  6
WE-ARE-DICE-land (UR)                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1

The Star Enpire (25)                          1 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0  5
Quebec and Shingoryeo (06)                    0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 X  6

Cardenao (32)                                 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0  2
The Miscere Empire (UR)                       1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2  4

# Group A                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                         13   11   2    82   38  +44
2 The Star Enpire                               13    8   5    67   48  +19
3 Loyo                                          13    7   6    66   54  +12
4 The Miscere Empire                            13    7   6    50   58   −8
5 Cardenao                                      13    6   7    54   62   −8
6 WE-ARE-DICE-land                              13    0  13    31   90  −59

MD14

WE-ARE-DICE-land (UR)                         1 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 0  6
The Miscere Empire (UR)                       0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

Quebec and Shingoryeo (06)                    1 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0  7
Cardenao (32)                                 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  5

Loyo (16)                                     3 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0  6
The Star Enpire (25)                          0 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1  7

# Group A                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                         14   12   2    89   43  +46
2 The Star Enpire                               14    9   5    74   54  +20
3 Loyo                                          14    7   7    72   61  +11
4 The Miscere Empire                            14    7   7    52   64  −12
5 Cardenao                                      14    6   8    59   69  −10
6 WE-ARE-DICE-land                              14    1  13    37   92  −55

Group B:

MD13

Abanhfleft (14)                               0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1
Vilwandia (UR)                                0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 X  2

Barnettsville (20)                            0 0 2 0 1 4 0 0 0  7
Banija (03)                                   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1  4

Sea Dome (81)                                 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
Jabberwocky (UR)                              1 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 X  5

# Group B                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Sea Dome                                      13    9   4    62   46  +16
2 Banija                                        13    8   5    47   43   +4
3 Barnettsville                                 13    7   6    63   74  −11
4 Abanhfleft                                    13    6   7    64   51  +13
5 Vilwandia                                     13    5   8    52   66  −14
6 Jabberwocky                                   13    4   9    65   73   −8

MD14

Vilwandia (UR)                                1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0  3
Jabberwocky (UR)                              0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 X  4

Banija (03)                                   0 1 0 1 1 0 1 2 1  7
Sea Dome (81)                                 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1

Abanhfleft (14)                               2 0 1 0 3 0 6 6 4 22
Barnettsville (20)                            2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  5

# Group B                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Banija                                        14    9   5    54   44  +10
2 Sea Dome                                      14    9   5    63   53  +10
3 Abanhfleft                                    14    7   7    86   56  +30
4 Barnettsville                                 14    7   7    68   96  −28
5 Vilwandia                                     14    5   9    55   70  −15
6 Jabberwocky                                   14    5   9    69   76   −7

Group C:

MD13

Ko-oren (12)                                  0 0 0 1 0 1 3 4 0  9
Al-Kharid (UR)                                0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1  4

Oscioru (26)                                  1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0  4
Zwangzug (05)                                 0 0 1 2 0 4 0 0 X  7

Ochre Islands (30)                            0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Kanmer (UR)                                   0 0 1 2 0 2 6 0 X 11

# Group C                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Zwangzug                                      13   11   2    72   29  +43
2 Ko-oren                                       13    8   5    68   53  +15
3 Oscioru                                       13    6   7    61   72  −11
4 Al-Kharid                                     13    6   7    47   57  −10
5 Kanmer                                        13    5   8    57   58   −1
6 Ochre Islands                                 13    3  10    46   82  −36

MD14

Al-Kharid (UR)                                0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Kanmer (UR)                                   1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 X  4

Zwangzug (05)                                 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0  2
Ochre Islands (30)                            0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 X  3

Ko-oren (12)                                  0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0  4
Oscioru (26)                                  1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  3

# Group C                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Zwangzug                                      14   11   3    74   32  +42
2 Ko-oren                                       14    9   5    72   56  +16
3 Oscioru                                       14    6   8    64   76  −12
4 Al-Kharid                                     14    6   8    47   61  −14
5 Kanmer                                        14    6   8    61   58   +3
6 Ochre Islands                                 14    4  10    49   84  −35

Group D:

MD13

Eshialand (15)                                1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0  4
Tri Ann (UR)                                  0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1  2

Delaclava (23)                                1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  3
Drawkland (09)                                0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 X  4

Ubernordwinds (UR)                            2 0 1 4 0 0 0 1 0  8
Canning (UR)                                  2 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 X  9

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Drawkland                                     13   11   2    84   40  +44
2 Delaclava                                     13    9   4    54   41  +13
3 Canning                                       13    6   7    63   52  +11
4 Ubernordwinds                                 13    6   7    49   63  −14
5 Eshialand                                     13    5   8    65   63   +2
6 Tri Ann                                       13    2  11    32   88  −56

MD14

Tri Ann (UR)                                  0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0  4
Canning (UR)                                  0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0  3

Drawkland (09)                                1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  2
Ubernordwinds (UR)                            0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 X  3

Eshialand (15)                                0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1
Delaclava (23)                                1 1 0 1 0 1 1 2 X  7

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Drawkland                                     14   11   3    86   43  +43
2 Delaclava                                     14   10   4    61   42  +19
3 Ubernordwinds                                 14    7   7    52   65  −13
4 Canning                                       14    6   8    66   56  +10
5 Eshialand                                     14    5   9    66   70   −4
6 Tri Ann                                       14    3  11    36   91  −55

Group E:

MD13

Milchama (10)                                 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 5 0 11
Valanora (UR)                                 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1

Tikariot (17)                                 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
South Newlandia (01)                          3 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 X  7

Srednjaci (50)                                1 0 0 4 3 0 1 1 0 10
Vonum (UR)                                    0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1

# Group E                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 South Newlandia                               13   11   2    93   45  +48
2 Milchama                                      13    8   5    76   63  +13
3 Tikariot                                      13    8   5    63   40  +23
4 Valanora                                      13    6   7    57   78  −21
5 Srednjaci                                     13    4   9    57   80  −23
6 Vonum                                         13    2  11    39   79  −40

MD14

Valanora (UR)                                 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 4 0  9
Vonum (UR)                                    0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0  5

South Newlandia (01)                          2 1 3 7 1 0 2 0 4 20
Srednjaci (50)                                0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1

Milchama (10)                                 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0  3
Tikariot (17)                                 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2

# Group E                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 South Newlandia                               14   12   2   113   46  +67
2 Milchama                                      14    9   5    79   65  +14
3 Tikariot                                      14    8   6    65   43  +22
4 Valanora                                      14    7   7    66   83  −17
5 Srednjaci                                     14    4  10    58  100  −42
6 Vonum                                         14    2  12    44   88  −44

Group F:

MD13

TJUN-ia (13)                                  1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR)                    0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Dod Rava (22)                                 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1  3
Super-Llamaland (07)                          1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 X  5

The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)                    2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0  5
Gunnison and Telluride (UR)                   1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  3

# Group F                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Super-Llamaland                               13   11   2    89   40  +49
2 The Kytler Peninsulae                         13    8   5    53   50   +3
3 TJUN-ia                                       13    6   7    47   55   −8
4 Gunnison and Telluride                        13    6   7    44   56  −12
5 Dod Rava                                      13    5   8    49   52   −3
6 New Kiwi Repupirikana                         13    3  10    41   70  −29

MD14

New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR)                    0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0  5
Gunnison and Telluride (UR)                   0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  6

Super-Llamaland (07)                          0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1  4
The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)                    4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 X  6

TJUN-ia (13)                                  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2  4
Dod Rava (22)                                 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  2

# Group F                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Super-Llamaland                               14   11   3    93   46  +47
2 The Kytler Peninsulae                         14    9   5    59   54   +5
3 TJUN-ia                                       14    7   7    51   57   −6
4 Gunnison and Telluride                        14    7   7    50   61  −11
5 Dod Rava                                      14    5   9    51   56   −5
6 New Kiwi Repupirikana                         14    3  11    46   76  −30

Group G:

MD13

Cassadaigua (11)                              1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  7
Qamare (UR)                                   1 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0  6

Liventia (18)                                 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1  6
Nova Anglicana (08)                           0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2  4

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (28)   0 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 1  6
Equestria (UR)                                5 3 0 0 3 1 0 0 X 12

# Group G                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Cassadaigua                                   13   12   1    94   48  +46
2 Nova Anglicana                                13    8   5    52   54   −2
3 Liventia                                      13    6   7    60   64   −4
4 Equestria                                     13    5   8    58   62   −4
5 Qamare                                        13    4   9    60   79  −19
6 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove        13    4   9    55   72  −17

MD14

Qamare (UR)                                   0 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 2  9
Equestria (UR)                                0 2 3 0 0 2 0 1 0  8

Nova Anglicana (08)                           0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 0  6
Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (28)   0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  2

Cassadaigua (11)                              0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2  5
Liventia (18)                                 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  4

# Group G                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Cassadaigua                                   14   13   1    99   52  +47
2 Nova Anglicana                                14    9   5    58   56   +2
3 Liventia                                      14    6   8    64   69   −5
4 Qamare                                        14    5   9    69   87  −18
5 Equestria                                     14    5   9    66   71   −5
6 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove        14    4  10    57   78  −21

[Ko-oren]

Ko-orenite League - First quarter - 30 games

*                            W   L      %   RF   RA || Home  Away  || GB || Div
 1 Ferrovente Whales      22   8  0,733  144  103 || 11-4  11-4  ||  0 || West  1 Div Round
 2 Echizen Dragons        19  11  0,633  122  115 || 12-9   7-2  ||  0 || North 1 Div Round
 3 Katashi Giants         18  12  0,600  138  101 ||  9-3   9-9  ||  0 || South 1 Div Round
 4 Desierto Challengers   17  13  0,567  133  133 ||  9-3   8-10 ||  5 || West  2 Wildcard
 5 Katashi Generals       17  13  0,567  106  102 || 14-7   3-6  ||  1 || South 2 Wildcard
 6 Aviansola Admirals     15  15  0,500  159  149 ||  8-7   7-8  ||  3 || South 3 
 7 Arakura Knights        15  15  0,500  105  107 ||  3-6  12-9  ||  4 || North 2 
 8 Nitoya Silvers         15  15  0,500  129  118 ||  5-7  10-8  ||  3 || South 4 
 9 Santa Teresa Stars     12  18  0,400  117  142 ||  7-5   5-13 || 10 || West  3 
 X Furune Bees            11  19  0,367  106  123 ||  6-9   5-10 ||  8 || North 3 
 = Teragaseki Originals   10  20  0,333   89  123 ||  5-10  5-10 ||  9 || North 4 
10 Amandine Wanderers      9  21  0,300   98  130 ||  7-14  2-7  || 13 || West  4

West
The Whales take an early lead by getting over 20 wins from the first 30 games. Their division consists of 4th overall Desierto, bravely keeping up with the relentless pace of the league leaders, as well as the very expensive Santa Teresa Stars who definitely haven't had the start they were looking for this far under .500. Lastly, the Wanderers, are the only team stuck on fewer than 10 wins. Ferrovente is so far ahead that this early in the season, they've got a 5-game cushion over second place, and they've run up a 10 and 13 win cushion over the other two - right now is a contentious time for Whales fans living in Thelesra and Stars fans living in Erpubehte. The former will look smug no matter what, the latter will face all kinds of ridicule at the office water cooler. That glosses over a pretty solid start for Desierto - they have been looking good in the preseason and for now, second place in the division and a wildcard is very much on the table.

North
Our second best team are the LPB-era giants of Echizen, a good bit below Ferrovente but still in charge of the North by a mile - the other teams are Arakura, exactly on .500, as well as a very disappointing Furune side (11-19) and the awful Originals at 10-20. Teragaseki will look at the table for now and conclude it's not all a lost cause, after all they entered the season trying to avoid overall last place: it's not a nice feeling to be a player on a team - or a fan of a team - that's in it to, effectively, lose it, but it's all small victories down here.

South
Yes - we finally have an equal fight between the Giants and Generals. The Giants, 18 wins, the Generals, 17. And Aviansola isn't far behind, ready to pounce on whichever of the top two has a bad month, at 15. And Nitoya, poor Nitoya, expected to be in hot water and a horrible spot... well, they're .500 as well and the South is actually our most competitive division so far. The Silvers are three games behind the division leaders. It's all still to play for, but the Katahshi derby matches - and there's 24 of them in this format - are going to be must-watch events. And don't forget how Aviansola got its recent successes: every single time, it's because the Generals and Giants refused to take the two small teams in this division seriously.

Stats
The Whales are looking a very equal 11-4 both home and away, sustainable and then some. The same can be said for Echizen, even if they have a lot of away games to catch up on, and chances are they're going to run into some trouble at some point there. Still, they're 7-2 in enemy territory, so if they can keep this up there might be no stopping them once again. The Giants and Challengers are healthy at home but struggling away (9-9 and 8-10 respectively).

The Generals simply haven't played much away yet, but like the Giants, Katahshi teams are hot at home. Beyond the top 5, we're getting some very pedestrian figures: Aviansola is as close to .500 as you can get home and on the road. The Knights and Silvers have enjoyed far more success away - let's hope they let their home records trend up a bit to match. The Stars haven't been great and that's mostly an away thing. From there on out, it only gets more depressing.

Head to head
Remember: teams play their division rivals 24 times, and they play the eight other teams six times (three home, three away). One of these out-of-division series have already concluded, and it's a pretty big one: the Katashi Giants are 5-1 against Echizen and that means that the Giants might have caught Echizen at their most vulnerable and they got 5 very important wins out of it. If it comes down to assigning seeds, that might push the yellow Katahshi team over the blood red Dragons.

We have not had games between Ferrovente and Echizen, or Ferrovente and the Giants, or Ferrovente and the Generals - the season will heat up a bit more once we hit those games. The Whales and Stars have already met up nine times, with five wins for the former and four to the latter, so it seems like the Stars can still hit pretty decent numbers in those dreaded rivalry games after all!

The Challengers are 1-2 against both the Whales and Dragons, not helping their case right now - though they still have 21 games left versus the Whales. Those will be brutal and vital. The Whales and Dragons are beating up on the smaller teams: Whales against Bees (5-1), against Wanderers (5-1), and the Dragons against the Originals (7-2) and Wanderers (3-0).

Postseason
The way it looks right now - and that's with three quarters of the season to go - we have the Generals visiting Desierto for a wildcard series, then the Whales playing whichever team emerges victorious in the Divisional Round. The other Divisional Round series will be Dragons-Giants. There's more caveats than certainties this early in the season, and especially that Southern division looks mighty precarious. We might even get both wildcard teams from there if they play their cards right.

[Ubernordwinds]

BNN: Ubernordwinds national team claims first historic win over Drawkland in pitching battle

The Acorns battled through an excellent pitching display from Claire Kirkland and two home runs from power hitting second baseman Abram Kavana to claim their first win over Drawkland at the World Baseball Classic, at the third time of asking. Kirkland and Jep Sulzer duelled it out on the mound in a low scoring thriller at the Prince Eric Coliseum: though Sulzer gave up home runs to Abram Kavana in the 1st and 4th innings, he allowed only 4 other hits and walked only 1 to 5 strikeouts. That kept things tight enough that when the run support finally came, a returning fit Randall Unkelbach was able to tie things up with a 375 foot solo home run in the 6th. Kirkland left the game in the 7th having allowed only 3 hits in her 6.1 innings, striking out 7, but Clay Meyer gave up a single to Mikael Oskarsson, who advanced on a Jamie Dunne groundout and scored from 2nd on a Gjur Mikkelsen single as he beat Zac MacBay's throw to the home plate.

Oskarsson and Mikkelsen had early combined for the Acorns' first run, as Kirkland clipped stand-in left fielder Tobias Bøge inside, and he moved to third on Oskarsson's 8th double of the tournament, leading all Ubernordwinds batters. Mikkelsen's deep flyball to left was well snagged by MacBay but he had no throw as Bøge tagged up. That brought the score back to 2-1 after Abram Kavana had twice gone deep with solo shots to left field, with a 403 foot blast in the 1st inning and a 345 foot bullet down the left field line in the 4th. But Abram Kavana, 2-3, was the only Drawkland hitter to manage multiple hits off Sulzer as the groundball pitcher was doggedly efficient through 7 innings. He was backed by some tight team defense, although Unkelbach, back at 3rd, committed his third error of the tournament as he allowed a Ted Honeycutt grounder to take a bad hop on him. The error, as well as David Ottl dropping a pop fly and allowing Richelle Shard to reach 1st after striking out on a passed ball, proved costless, and Unkelbach more than atoned with his big hit. Huxley Mikaelsson record a hold in relief and Jaime Piechnik, fit again, got his first official save.

Unfortunately, the Acorns came into the game on the back of a defeat to Canning, who blasted 5 runs off Paul Becker in the 8th to blow an 8-4 lead. Home runs from Mikkelsen and Sveinn Herjolfsson, and a 3-5 showing with a 2B and 2 RBI from Immanuel Amann, were in vain as Becker blew the save in 26 pitches of jaw-dropping awfulness.

Where do we stand?

Ubernordwinds are currently 3rd in their group. Overall, among the 42 teams in this World Baseball Classic, they are joint 16th on overall record, though they are 21st when taking into account the run difference tiebreaker. Of the 8 teams on 7-7, only Valanora and Barnettsville have a worse run difference than Ubernordwinds, and they are 43 runs behind Abanhfleft. Because 8-6 Tikariot are 3rd in their group, the only 3rd placed team with a winning record, that means the Acorns would need to make up 44 runs in 6 games to make the playoffs, unless they can pick up more wins than defeats from their final games (and hope for a little help in the other groups). Incidentally, Cassadaigua have the best record overall (13-1) while the dice have rolled against WE-ARE-DICE-land (1-13). The biggest outliers in the competitiion are Banija: while every other 1st placed team is at least 11-3 (and every 2nd placed team no better than 10-4; Delaclava, in Group D, lead the 2nd place teams, creating another big obstacle to the Acorns making the playoffs), Banija are just 9-5, 11th overall on the run difference tiebreaker with a head-to-head advantage over Sea Dome.

It's offense that's letting the Acorns down: with 52 runs in 14 games, they are tied in 32nd place for overall runs scored. South Newlandia lead the way, scoring fully a run per game more than any other team, with 113 runs scored to Cassadaigua's 99. Group D's Tri Ann are bottom, with 36, behind even WE-ARE-DICE-land (37). Jabberwocky are joint 12th overall on runs scored yet lie 6th in their group, while Banija are 31st overall on runs scored yet lead their group. On defense, the Acorns are joint 24th. Zwangzug have the most impressive pitching by far, their 32 runs against 10 fewer than Delaclava (from Group D; Drawkland are 1 behind them in joint 3rd). Only Srednjaci have given up 100 runs, though amazingly they're not last in their group. Tikariot, joint 3rd with 43 runs against, are just 3rd in their group, while Dod Rava are joint 13th with 56 runs against but 5th in theirs.

On Pythagorean record (an estimate of how many games a team should have won based on their runs for and against, using a coefficient of 1.83), South Newlandia (.838) are just ahead of Zwangzug (.822), followed by Quebec and Shingoryeo, Super-Llamaland, and Drawkland. Cassadaigua, who have the best actual record overall, are just 6th on this measure (.765, compared to their .929 actual record). Tri Ann are last overall on Pythagorean record (.159, fractionally behind WE-ARE-DICE-land). Ubernordwinds are an uninspiring 30th, with a Pythagorean record of .399, suggesting the Acorns are quite lucky to be at .500 on actual record: with a run difference of -13, they are conceding nearly one run per game more than they are scoring.

Thus far, the team's leading hitter has been shortstop Gjur Mikkelsen (.321/.375/.566) with team highs in both HR (3) and RBI (12). The team has hit only 12 home runs in total, while the pitching staff have given up 17, so power has been one issue, despite the Royal Alliance's reputation as a home run heavy league. The team has 55 walks to 113 strikeouts, which is pretty poor, though the pitchers have given up just 44 walks to 112 strikeouts for balance. Ace Mick Lotz carries the best ERA of any starting pitcher, with 1.96; among relievers, Jaime Piechnik, Thor Kleist and Niklas Tjarnqvist all have 0.00 ERAs, Piechnik's 12.9 K/9 and Kleist's 0.35 WHIP leading the way respectively.

[Cassadaigua]

Fillies clinch playoff spot,
by Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

It’s official! Team Cassadaigua will be heading to the playoffs following their come from behind, 5-4 win over Liventia. The victory gave the pink and back a seven game lead over third place, meaning that the team has locked up their playoff berth, something that was expected but still not something to take for granted. At 13-1, Cassadaigua will be playing to win Group 7 outright but even that looks very favorable at the moment. Nova Anglicana holds that spot with their 9-5 record, but does not have a lot of games left to try and make up that deficit. With the Lions not showing quite the strength over the group stage as maybe they were expected to, the Fillies have been able to cruise and are the first team to lock up the playoff spot. They’ll be playing to secure the #1 overall seed, something that is nice to have but not required to have success when the games matter much longer.

“You have to credit everyone out there on the field,” Allyson McIntosh said following the Liventia victory. “They’ve been able to execute very well, we’ve pulled off a lot of close games like this one (a game against Liventia where the team trailed 4-3 heading into the ninth inning). As long as that continues to happen, then we’re going to be tough for anyone to beat.” McIntosh cautions about looking to far into the future and wondering that the team might be able to do against the likes of South Newlandia or the hosts from Quebec and Shingoryeo, each of whom are 12-2. Super-Llamaland and Drawkland are 11-3, so it’s crowded at the top, and a few losses down the stretch could turn a #1 seed into a #5 seed pretty quickly. It’s been argued also by more than just a few people that the pink and black may just be in a soft group but I do not like that kind of talk. First of all, when Nova Anglicana is in you’re group, it is not soft but I will agree that the Lions simply do not seem to have the same kind of spark as in previous years. But they are Nova Anglicana, and that switch can be turned on at any moment.

Still, the 5-4 win over Liventia in Oakwood showed the resiliency of our team. Down 4-3 in the ninth inning, and closer Frank Kenley on the hill, a man who had a 0.89 ERA domestically last season, the Fillies were not going to give in. Cailey Huff led off the inning with an infield single that went down the third base line, stayed fair, and her hustle beat out the throw. Kristen Martorella struck out, but Carly Hodges blooped a single into left center to make it runners on first and second with one away. Kenley would strike out Makenna Anglin and perhaps he was going to get out of the inning, but a double by Brittany Clements finished off the game, with Carly Hodges just beating the throw for the eventual winning run. “It was a great at bat by Brittany there,” manager McIntosh said after the game, “it was a great hustle by Cailey to get the leadoff batter on base leading to an all around resilient effort.”

Following the game, we didn’t see any over the top celebrating with six games to go, and Makenna Anglin said that was precisely the reason, “There’s still too much of the group stage to play. You don’t want to look ahead and let bad habits creep in that will still linger for the playoffs.”

[TJUN-ia]

The last double-header wasn't fun at all for the Battin' Jaguars of TJUN-ia. Down to 5-7 and 4th in the Group after a 3-game skid, many were wondering if there was any hope of this team mounting a comeback to relevancy in this WBC but PHV was still hopeful despite everything under the sun going against him. It certainly was admirable, but was there any belief behind that hope?

New Kiwi Repupirikana @ Val-Argent was up first and this one was decided very quickly...in our favour this time. Santino Fenatti started us off hot, Li Chen Sho added two more and that was all she wrote. Maddison "Missy" Jembembe only conceded 1 run all game, our infield was playing lights out and that's all you needed to know about this game.

Then it was Dod Rava @ Anju, Yolande Sirapui vs Adrian Wnuk this time, and this game would turn out to be the opposite of the previous one. Dod Rava scored 1 run early on, thanks to Jan Angel Drabik, and then things got tighter as the pitchers did their job and let nothing get past them for a long while...until the 7th, that is. Fenatti and Bolesław "Bolo" Angielski traded a run each before things seriously shifted in our direction as Stefan von Shültz levelled things up in the 8th and Palila Kalawai’a added 2 more in the 9th to seal the deal. It would finish 4-2 and just like that, we were back to 7-7 and 3rd in this group.

This next double-header, vs both The Kytler Peninsulae and The Kytler Peninsulae will be massive in determining how much of a chance we have of escaping the group stage. Let's keep the good times flowing. GO BATTIN' JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group F - Northwest Quebec and Shingoryeo)
MD1: @Gunnison and Telluride (UR) - Jean-Claude Jarnefelt Stadium, Attawapiskat W 6-1 (1st)
MD2: vs Super-Llamaland (7) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju L 1-13 (3rd)
---
MD3: @New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR) - Shin-Cauchon Field, Val-Argent W 4-3 (1st)
MD4: @Dod Rava (22) - Daedong Field, Anju L 3-5 (5th)
---
MD5: vs The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju L 3-6 (5th)
MD6: vs Gunnison and Telluride (UR) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju W 5-1 (3rd)
---
MD7: @Super-Llamaland (7) - Broad Street Junction, Hanbat L 3-5 (5th)
MD8: vs New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju W 7-5 (4th)
---
MD9: vs Dod Rava (22) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju W 6-0 (2nd)
MD10: @The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) - Bocola Field, Attawapiskat L 2-4 (2nd)
---
MD11: @Gunnison and Telluride (UR) - Jean-Claude Jarnefelt Stadium, Attawapiskat L 1-2 (4th)
MD12: vs Super-Llamaland (7) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju L 3-10 (4th)
---
MD13: @New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR) - Shin-Cauchon Field, Val-Argent W 3-1 (3rd)
MD14: @Dod Rava (22) - Daedong Field, Anju W 4-2 (3rd)
---
MD15: vs The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju
MD16: vs Gunnison and Telluride (UR) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju
---
MD17: @Super-Llamaland (7) - Broad Street Junction, Hanbat
MD18: vs New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju
---
MD19: vs Dod Rava (22) - Jeongju Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, Jeongju
MD20: @The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) - Bocola Field, Attawapiskat

[Milchama]

AND NOW FOR A CHANGE OF PACE YOU'LL ACTUALLY KNOW WHO IS TALKING IN A MILCHAMA RP!

Sunny: Hello baseball fans and it's time to get ready for another incredible game at the World Baseball Classic. I'm Sunny Day alongside Vinny The Gooch here at H&N Park in Cornwall, Quebec and Shingoryeo.

Vinny: We're here to see the Milchama Warriors play the Tikariot Owls. I'm excited to see some old timey baseball where men are men, boys are boys, and you can throw 100 mile per hour fast balls at a person's head with no consequences.

Sunny: I don't know if that's a good idea or something to be celebrating.

Vinny: The new traditions are out and we need to try something old to spice things up.

Sunny: Ok without further ado let's get to the game.

Sunny: Let's play ball!

*Loading screen*

Sunny: The starting pitcher today is Benjamin Miller.

Vinny: Miller is known for two things a wicked heater and hating brussel sprouts. If you have some brussel sprouts with you watch out because that heater is coming fast.

Sunny: He hates brussel sprouts? My parents told me everybody loves brussel sprouts!

Vinny: Oh boy.

Sunny: And the pitch. Strike 1! There's the Heat!

Vinny: Man that was so fast you could barely see it.

Sunny: Groundball to the shortstop, the throw to first got him!

Vinny: Great action! Great play!

Sunny: Emily van Oorderen up to bat

Vinny: I wouldn't want to meet hher in a dark alley...I wouldn't want to meet her in a light alley either. Alley's are scary!

Sunny: And the pitch strike 1! Gave him a lefty

Vinny: Smart move! Offspeed pitches set up other pitches later in the at bat

Sunny: And the pitch ball 1

Vinny: Looked he was trying to hit a bird with that pitch

Sunny: And the count is 1-1. And the pitch strike 2!

Vinny: I felt the wind from that pitch all the way up here. What a throw!

Sunny: And the count is 1-2

Vinny: Having 2 strikes on you really makes you think. It makes the batter nervous up there.

Sunny: And the pitch strike 3! Got her!

*Power up music plays*

Vinny: The slowball after the heat really makes a batter think. Good thinking from the pitcher out there.

Sunny: And now up Fransesco Aravetti

Vinny: Trying to get something for the team!

Sunny: Nobody on and two outs. And the pitch! A wet one! That's a spit ball!

Vinny: That's the old school baseball you love to see. A pitch that was banned in the 20s still being used today.

Sunny: And now the Tikariot manager is coming out to complain. Wait, this isn't a part of Backyard Baseball.

Vinny: We became self-aware?

Sunny: This is a Milchamian RP, of course we became self-aware.

Vinny: And the manager is arguing but the umpire saw nothing, good old school baseball if I've ever seen it.

Sunny: And he goes back and the count is 0-1. And the pitch strike 2! And it was a lefty

Vinny: A good left hook goes right into my favorite book.

Sunny: And what is your favorite book?

Vinny: Best breaking balls of all time

Sunny: Wow!

Vinny: And that pitch would go right in there!

Sunny: And the count is 0-2 and the pitch grounded to second. Throw to first and they're outta here!

Vinny: Good play! Good inning!

Sunny: And now it's our turn!

[Abanhfleft]

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

WHEN THE SURPRISES KEEP COMING SO YOU’RE NOW JUST IN A CONSTANT STATE OF SHOCK
By Ibrahim Ahmadinejad

WRITING FROM MYEONGJU, QUEBEC AND SHINGORYEO – First of all, I would like to thank all of you, the entirety of the Armored Dinner Jacket’s fanbase, for giving a warm welcome to my son Anoar Ahmadinejad when he put up his first ever “official” blog post on the site. I say it’s his first “official” post because it’s the first post of his which deals almost entirely with covering baseball as well as the exploits of the Abanhfleft Revolution in the World Baseball Classic and not just something about how he’s cleaned up the website itself or the server or the HTML client or whatever it is that actually makes the website work and look the way that it does. Anoar was nervous, and understandably so. Unlike me, he didn’t really start posting his own thoughts about baseball to an audience of one or two; no, I’m afraid I threw him straight to the deep end of the pool by making him put up his first post in front of an audience of hundreds of thousands. But thankfully the reception to Anoar has been positive for the most part, and I loved seeing a lot of people telling him that he actually did well for a first-time blogger and were looking forward to more posts from him. Well, they’ll certainly get that, especially once the 58th World Baseball Classic is over. But while the WBC is still going on, I will still be the primary blogger here on Musings of an Armored Dinner Jacket. That said, you’ll still be seeing more of Anoar in the coming days or weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Now let’s get back to the topic at hand, and that is where the Abanhfleft Revolution currently stands when it comes to the 58th World Baseball Classic. And once again, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, it’s a case of “could be doing better, but definitely could be doing much worse.” Consistency is still a word that doesn’t exist in the vocabulary of the Revolution, but I mean, it isn’t for lack of trying. Rehoboam Zimmermann and company found a game plan that actually works for the team that he’s assembled for the task here at the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, but like with pretty much every other plan that every other person has ever come up in history, it’s a plan that doesn’t survive first contact with the opponents. The Revolution really had a terrible start to the WBC, losing its first three games and putting doubt in the minds of practically everyone of a Fleftic persuasion as to whether we would actually be able to make the playoffs of this particular Classic. Thankfully, an improved batting average righted the ship, and we actually appear to be sailing towards the next stage of the Classic. Let’s not kid ourselves though; it’s been anything but plain sailing. But since the main objective is still within sight, many people (yours truly included) still can’t help but be just a little bit excited and hopeful that there’s still a chance that the Revolution can win the Classic, no matter how slim it actually is.

As things currently stand, Abanhfleft is stuck on a straight .500 win-loss record. Fourteen games played, seven wins and seven losses. It’s good enough to put the Revolution in third place in Group B right now, but it’s a position from which the Revolution can easily be removed as soon as they go into a rough patch of form. Of course, with only six games left to play, now would probably be as bad of a time as any for Abanhfleft to enter said rough patch, but while the going is good, I’m going to take a look at how all of this is actually a good thing. You see, I’ve actually gone into the weeds a little bit and looked up how exactly qualification for the playoffs is supposed to happen in the current iteration of the WBC. And it would appear that my initial suspicions of this being a “best two teams in every group advance to the next stage” because that’s exactly who’s going to move forward. In the case of Group B, those two teams would be Banija and Sea Dome, both tied on .643 in the win-loss record. But that’s not all that there is to it. The two best third-placed teams in the groups, aka the two third-placed teams with the best records, will also get a ticket into the next round of the Classic. And, looking across the tables and running the math in my head and on the back of the envelope… Abanhfleft is actually currently the best third-placed team in the World Baseball Classic. And I guess you can say that we can all thank Barnettsville for that.

Now I’m pretty sure that you’re reading my blog with at least a quizzically raised eyebrow kind of look on your face. “Barnettsville? How can Barnettsville have helped put Abanhfleft through to the playoffs of the WBC in this strange scenario in which the WBC ended right here and right now?” I’m sure you’re asking me. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just the voices in my head asking me that. But never mind that. The reason why Barnettsville is the reason why Abanhfleft could potentially be making its way into the next round of the Classic is because of the score between those two countries in their latest meeting in Myeongju. I’m not kidding at all. Just look up the score and you’ll understand why I’m saying this. It’s not a real baseball scoreline, and yet it’s just as real as the computer or device on which you’re reading this blog right now. But still, I’m sure that none of us right now have ever seen something like that latest meeting between Abanhfleft and Barnettsville before in our lives. Double digit scores in baseball are already rare enough as it is, and even then, we’re usually only talking scores in the teens. I’m pretty sure I’ve never been in or even seen a baseball game with a score reaching into the twenties until yesterday. And to think that I’ve been bigging up Barnettsville as this country that focuses solely on baseball, allowing them to concentrate their best talents into playing the sport to the best of their ability. And yet they’re on the wrong side of probably one of the most lopsided games in the history of the WBC. Sometimes the world just doesn’t make any sense at all.

However, we all shouldn’t just look at this game in isolation. There are many things leading up to this game that led to that particular end result, and I guess it would be fair for me to say that one such thing that led to that particular result was the result of the Revolution’s previous game before they went out to meet Barnettsville for the third time in the Classic. Yes, I’m talking about another third meeting between two teams in Group B, namely Abanhfleft and Banija. The mini-series between these two rivals (more in lacrosse than in any other sport though, if I’m being honest) currently stands at one win apiece for both teams, and this “Game 3” could set the stage on who’s going to dominate the series itself and who could book their place in the playoffs in the grander scheme of things. Rehoboam Zimmermann and company tried the “slow and steady” tactic on the Banijans, and it worked out for them 50 percent of the time. Could they possibly turn that into 67 percent of the time, it works every time? Not exactly. Turns out when one thing works, a lot of other people and/or teams are going to copy said winning recipe simply because it’s successful. And it didn’t help both teams that both of their batting orders went cold right when they needed to be hot, but in the one moment that both sides finally got some hits worth mentioning, Banija simply got more than Abanhfleft did. Sometimes that’s just the rub of the green.

I guess the point that I was trying to make with the previous paragraph was that the frustration that the third game against Banija caused for our batters caused them to unload mercilessly on poor old Barnettsville. Because what else could it possibly be? It was literally raining runs all over Myeongju Sunrise Field for the duration of that particular game. The Revolution didn’t take a break once they got their bats into full swing, and it’s a good thing that this game is so historic because that will make sure that it will be well-documented for future generations to see. Why am I mentioning this? Because it is more than likely that this is going to be the first and last time that the Abanhfleft Revolution will be on the right side of such an utter drubbing in baseball. Let’s all be honest now. The next time that such a result will happen and it happens to involve Abanhfleft, we’ll be on the other side of the equation that time. And I really hope that I won’t be around to see that day, because I’m sure a lot of Barnettsville fans were wishing that they could just pour bleach on their eyes and brains and forget about this particular game. And thus I clumsily circle back to the first point I made about Barnettsville potentially helping the Revolution get into the playoffs. The massive point swing caused by this blowout of the 20th best baseball team in the multiverse almost singlehandedly pushed Abanhfleft into pole position among all the third-placed teams in the WBC at the moment. The nearest team to us in terms of the win-loss record and run differential is Tikariot who… actually might be in a better position to qualify since they’re 8-6 and not 7-7 like us Fleftic plebs. Forget everything I said earlier; we’re just barely sneaking into the playoffs even if the WBC ended right here and right now.

It’s far from over for the Abanhfleft Revolution and its fans. There’s still hope for this team to make it to the next round of the 58th World Baseball Classic, but as long as this team keeps trading wins and losses with every other team in the group, the chance grows ever slimmer. I really don’t want all of this to come to nothing, especially if this is going to be the last ever Classic that I’m ever going to cover in full. I have faith in Anoar picking up right where I left off, but the thing is, I don’t want him to pick up the reins just yet. Especially not after a middling group stage campaign from a Revolution team that definitely could be doing much better than they are right now. This is the Armored Dinner Jacket saying ciao, peace. Catch you in my next post.

[Tikariot]

Soft thunder can be heard over a black screen. Then, footsteps crunching and the creaking of a door. Slowly the logo fades in as the scene illuminates slightly, showing an old, broken down house and an open door, light falling in as a rectangle, showing dust and cobwebs and movement in the shadows just beyond the light.

As the logo fades away, the picture as usual, shows Erasmus Wheeler in his trademark long trenchcoat and hat standing on top of a grassy knoll, behind him a large, dense forest that has whisps of fog thread through its foliage.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to Mythical Tikariot, where we look at the mythical and maybe even supernatural side of Tikariot. My name is Erasmus Wheeler and I will be leading you through some of the most mysterious places and instances our country has to offer. Today we are in the very north of Balkash, north of the town of Oragulon.

These are the Whispering Woods, as locals have dubbed the forest, a place shrouded in legends and mystery. One of these legends tells the story of a village that once stood somewhere within its confines. According to local legends, the village was a thriving small community that would only initiate contact with other villages in times of dire need and were reserved but not unfriendly to strangers. Then, one night, it mysteriously disappeared without a trace. As eyewitnesses reported, the place where the village had once stood, was now an empty clearing in the forest, nothing even hinting at former inhabitation. Some say that the villagers angered the spirits of the forest, while others believe it fell victim to a rumoured cult that practiced dark rituals among the ancient trees. Some locals claim to have witnessed the events from afar and described eerie lights and haunting whispers on that night.

The forest itself is a labyrinth of thick undergrowth and towering trees, their branches intertwined to form a natural canopy that almost completely blocks out the sunlight. Although the cold climate should not make it possible, the underbrush is thick with Spanish moss, adding to the forest's otherworldly atmosphere. The air is thick with a disquieting silence, an absence of any animal sounds, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the mysterious whispers that seem to emanate from the very heart of the forest.

Many who enter the forest are said to never return, with search parties not finding any traces. Those who have dared to venture into the Whispering Woods and manage to come back, speak of encountering strange phenomena. Some claim to have seen ghostly figures among the trees, while others report hearing voices that speak in strange tongues. Those who do return are often changed, their eyes haunted and their minds shadowed, but unable to express what they had experienced to put them into this condition.

Researchers intrigued by the mysteries of the Whispering Woods have attempted to uncover the truth behind the legends for many years. However, despite their efforts, the forest seems to resist intrusion. There is a pervasive feeling of rejection, as if the very trees themselves repel any attempts to unveil their secrets. Instruments fail to register any abnormalities, and even seasoned scientists are left with a sense of unease that they cannot explain.

The connection between the supernatural and the ancient trees remains elusive. Some speculate that the trees are infused with mystical energy, while others believe they conceal portals to other realms. Whatever the truth may be, the Whispering Woods continues to be a place of mystery and fascination.

[South Newlandia]

Numbers Retirements in South Newlandia – how does it work?

It doesn’t, really. In South Newlandia, the concept of retiring uniform numbers isn’t something that really carries over from Super-Llamaland, where this is much more common. Retiring their numbers is simply not how the Elephants, or the club-level teams, choose to remember their players. Instead, lets look at some legendary South Newlandian players and who took their number after them.

Jacob Conroy: The South Newlandian legend wore 33 throughout his career. In WBC55, the first without Conroy, the number was given to Grady Good, who replaced him in the rotation. The southpaw quickly fizzled out, and 33 is currently being worn by Charles Morgan for the Elephants. With the team today known as the Snow Bears, the number went to young rookie Nathan Johanssen.
Ryan Hunter: The other legendary South Newlandian hurler wore 49 throughout his career. His old number is now currently used by Lorenzo Harvey for the Elephants, and has also been re-assigned at multiple of his club teams. On the Flames, it’s currently being worn by Marta Bengtsson. He also received 49 on his new team, the Saints, with Lester Plattsburgh switching to accommodate the change. This practise is quite rare – most players will switch their number when they switch teams.
Fabio Ventura: The South Newlandian outfielder wore 29 for most of his career, a number now assigned to Raffaele Pohl. On the Elephant Valley Homers, his number was taken up by a variety of players since his departure, and has most recently been assigned to Kevin Whitmore, who also plays in Right Field.

---

Disclaimers:
* this project would not be possible without the efforts from Super-Llamaland. The words and pictures on screen right now were made by me, but would not be possible without extensive background work from both of us. Please do grade accordingly.
* this RP series may, on occasion, mention numbers about your players. Feel free to ignore them if you don’t like them.

South Newlandian League

Previews – Part 6 (Elephant Valley Snow Bears)

Elephant Valley Snow Bears

Departures
The team formally known as Elephant Valley United decided to change their moniker, and would instead go by the “Snow Bears”, starting from this season. In this way, they would become more similar to the nicknames of the other teams. On the roster, the team did lose out on a few players, too, after a disappointing last season. They saw a pair of former Tikariotian Owls retire, with long-time contributors 1B Ghirardello and RP Canterbury both calling it quits, leaving Foster Fleming as the last remaining Tikariotian on the team. Alana Gonzalez also chose to retire after playing out her last seasons. The main losses would come in Free Agency. The Snow Bears had given hefty contracts to various stars, especially of the Ranorian variety, with the group of world champions now much more expensive. To save cash, they let catcher Hansel Eriksen walk; a former first-overall selection, after 5 seasons in Elephant Valley. After an injury had wiped out most of his last season, he joined Peninsulara. His Llamanean Tiger teammate, RP Connor Reefe, decided to sign with Emerald City. The last loss came during roster cuts, when the team decided to let go of late-round pick and 1B power threat Levi David, who will continue his career with Walstreim.

Additions

Elephant Valley Sports Mail
Looking at the most impactful Free Agency Addition for each SNL team
Elephant Valley Snow Bears: C Hugh Marquez (SNL) (Waiver Free Agency (Cut), St. Riecarn Saints)

Many teams were able to add plenty of Free Agency Talent in the offseason, but the Elephant Valley Snow Bears were not one of them. With big contracts like Julian Breit already on the books, and the Snow Bears extending multiple other Ranorian World Champions to big deals, they had to try and make impact additions for cheap. They were rumored to be in the mix for multiple Free Agents, but ultimately did not make a big move. Instead, one of their most impactful signings might end up being Catcher Hugh Marquez. The South Newlandian veteran had spent the previous seasons in Chromatika, where a once relatively promising career had mostly fizzled out. However, there’s still a few good years left in him, and he also brings some important veteran leadership to the catcher position, arguably the most crucial position on the diamond. With Hansel Eriksen joining the Peninulara Kingfishers following the injury that wiped out most of his previous season, the Snow Bears only had second-season catcher Manuela Simon on the roster, who is far from ready for a starting workload. With the Snow Bears desperately needing a catcher who can realistically start, Hugh Marquez became available. After initially returning to the St. Riecarn Saints, who already have two catchers on the roster, he was waived, and the Snow Bears swooped in to give him a short-term deal.

In addition to the catcher, the Bears made hardly any moves for expensive new players, instead aiming to find players for cheap where possible. That led them to sign a young Tumbran trio to fill some positions of need. Edward Scout is speedy for a first baseman, and Kevin Whitmore projects as the best of the three long-term, with good skills in the outfield and an ability to hit line drives. Charis Lee is a good defender, too, and should provide some welcome depth at minimum. The only other move they made was for a bullpen arm, bringing in Nicholas Cox after he was cut by the Newport Owls. Despite mostly struggling there, he has some interesting secondaries to work with. The last two spots on the roster went to home-grown rookies. First-round selection Dylan Borges was directly rushed to the major league roster. The left-hander played college ball for a disappointing NPI team, but impressed with an ability to locate the ball seemingly at will. A lower velocity on the fastball kept him from truly elite draft hype, but the left-hander should provide a nice change of pace from the fire-ball-heavy Snow Bear rotation. They also elevated Jenny Strauss, who is still very young, despite mixed results with the New Colk Tigers, but they’ll give her a change to impress in the big leagues.

Outlook:

It’s difficult to tell what to make of this team. They basically got worse in the off-season, losing some key players without making any major additions, and they were sub-.500 in the previous season. That felt like an outlier at the time, and they had made the SNLCS the season before that. It’s up to the Bears to prove they can return to that old form, and on paper, this team still looks quite strong.
The team will most likely stand or fall with its pitching rotation. It’s the youngest five-player rotations in the league – only the Dachshunds even really come close. Their biggest assets are obviously the two Ranorian Krauts, who just picked up a world championship. Yahweh Bohannon is quickly ascending as one of the best pitchers in the multiverse, and also a great role-model for the other fireballers on the team, while Jorge Billing brings in a bit more big game experience. Either way, both are a serious Evan Masorka award threat. The rest of the rotation are three first-round selections the Snow Bears made. Brandon Jackson, the oldest, is knocking on the Elephants’ door with an excellent arsenal and three great seasons so far. Nathan Johanssen, the Llamanean in the rotation, quietly had a terrific rookie season, and looks like a slightly younger version of The Cannon on the bump. It remains to be seen if he can play that way again, and the same is true for the rookie, Dylan Borges, who will have to rapidly adjust to the big-league level. They also have Jack Beard available, one of the oldest pitchers on the roster. Even though he is out of his prime, and was never a big star in the first place, he will provide helpful guidance for this team.
The bullpen is shallow behind the great dynamic duo of Miellen Walker and Mats Molina. The Kraut and the Elephant have each been excellent in their tenures as Snow Bears. Behind them, they have some mediocre depth; some projects, some veterans that can help lead the young pitching staff.
Catcher is definitely a problem position for the Snow Bears. Hugh Marquez is an experienced veteran, having played back in the SNBL days, and played for the Cyclones and Diamonds in the LPB era. Backup Manuela Simon is unlikely to make a big leap in year two, so it is on Marquez to work with these pitchers. He’ll be a downgrade compared to prime Hansel Eriksen, the question is just how much.
The middle infield will be a major asset for the Snow Bears, with Krauts John Solomons and Justin Derrick carrying the load. Solomons has really enjoyed a rapid ascendance since joining the Bears. They’re Ranorian, they’re good. They even have good backups, with the defensively strong Charis Lee and the gritty, hard-fighting Maxine Eckstein, a fan favourite. Edward Scout at first base is another position that will be critical. In Tumbra, he proved to be fast and able to drive balls, but the power is very much in question. The Snow Bears don’t really have another option that makes sense to put here, so him having a good season would be really helpful. At third, Foster Fleming continues doing his thing. The Tikariotian is a fine player, but also nothing special at this point.
The outfield features Julian Breit, who won an MVP award in the SNL just two seasons ago. He’s still one of the best batters in the game, and now has a world championship ring – an LPB championship still eludes him. He’s joined by teammate Judas Acker, who will defensively decline a little bit, and Kevin Whitmore, who should hopefully make up for that at least a little bit. The primary DH is likely to be Wes Reid, who is now in the twilight of his career, but still has some decent pop with the bat. The outfield backups are also nothing special, with David Lange not really viable in Center or Left.
It's a tricky team to predict outcomes with. A lot will depend on manager Jonas Nuhl. The Ranorian will have to get the best out of some young players, some veterans, and most of all, the Krauts. This team depends on the Ranorians to perform well. For the team, it’s also a chance to prove that last season was just an exception – if they can’t, their championship window is over.

Minor League Notes

Elephant Valley Sports Mail
Which team has the best farm system right now? Ranking AAA-teams heading into the season
8th: New Colk Tigers (Elephant Valley Snow Bears affiliate)
Most promising player: RHP Anthony Powell (SNL, 20)
The Tigers also have a lack of players with truly high upside, largely because the Snow Bears chose to debut recent first-round pick Dylan Borges with the major league roster. Instead, the team in New Colk is led by the second- and third-round picks, with Jenny Strauss also starting out in the majors this season. Anthony Powell, who was drafted out of a local Elephant Valley High School, fell quite a bit in the draft before eventually landing with the Snow Bears. A high-velo prospect, Powell certainly has upside, but the twenty-year old is currently still walking far too many batters, so there’s some reliever risk attached for the top-ten prospect. The other notable player is recent third-rounder, outfielder Pia Franke-Davies out of EVSI, who stands out with excellent speed and good defense. At 23 after playing four seasons in the Big 14, she might receive a call-up eventually, especially if the Snow Bears struggle with injuries again.

[Delaclava]

Symphony Monthly

"A Nation of the Phoenix" hangs in the balance

After a decade of "A Nation of the Phoenix" as the Delaclav national anthem, some people are ready to turn a new leaf—and the government may agree.

President Anna Voss has reportedly assembled an advisory committee to explore whether the anthem should remain as such, or if it will be replaced.

Long known as a nation of music, Delaclava's government made waves ten years ago when it signed off on Javel Massenet's composition as Delaclava's first modern national anthem. Depending on who you asked, the short, one-stanza, 16-bar song was concise, bold, patriotic, and singable; or it was cloying, clumsy, and unbefitting of a nation that bragged about the power and sweetness of its melodies and harmonies. Indeed, its approval by the Delaclava Parliament was hardly unanimous, but it ended up being a close but clear margin to adopt the tune as the Delaclav anthem.

Since then, it has been played at military and diplomatic ceremonies, and at sporting events where certain hosts insist on blaring out national anthems before playing a silly little game (we, of course, do not do this in Delaclava). But it is an honor to stand on top of a podium of a sporting competition and have your anthem played out, not because you were simply there, but because you were the best of all as you represented your nation. And indeed, Delaclava has had this honor recently, becoming the world champions in junior ice hockey and in senior field hockey. Hopefully some athletes will also have this honor at the upcoming Winter Olympics. But while many have celebrated the accomplishments of the athletes, others have simply felt underwhelmed by the plod of the anthem's melody.

"This was never meant to be a permanent anthem anyway," claimed Arthur Mikulak, a professor of voice at University of Catherina. "Massenet and the Carnstone men's choir did a very nice job, and a national service, by providing this song that we could play to represent our nation. But it was always a matter of convenience, in my view, that Voss picked this so quickly. I think we all thought a more experienced compser would eventually give us something more refined, less trite. Yet here we are."

Additionally, others have pointed out that the Voss government appeared to want to move away from the phoenix as the national symbol of Delaclava. Given that the Voss administration recently authorized a new flag that still retains the phoenix imagery, perhaps they have moved away from those plans. But others have suggested that the stallion, the mustang, the cuckoo (or the kukushka), or the owl would be a fitting substitute in alignment with Voss' messaging. Any sort of change would, of course, make "A Nation of the Phoenix" inept to be the singular representative song.

Voss' office did not establish a timeframe for making a decision.

[The Kytler Peninsulae]

The Kytlerians don't have a tradition of retiring numbers. (For a start, there's the sense that if you did it too often, you'd risk run out of usable numbers pretty fast - this is certainly the case for gridiron, which is why this narrative is usually the one referred to in gridiron-centric Varn. But then if you did it sometimes but not always, there'd be bitter arguments about if someone actually deserved the honour. Which is the reason most Kytlerians give for why this is not a thing done at all.)

But if their national baseball team the Phoenix keep ascending this fast, they're going to produce the kind of memorable players that are going to be so associated with a given number that it'll be hard for anyone else to wear it, lest they fall victim to horrible expectations that burdens them in the early prime of their career.

In the first half of the group phase of this World Baseball Classic, the Phoenix were competitive - everyone was competitive in Group F, let's be honest - but vulnerable, mostly to one game-breaking crooked number against them. Whether from the three-man rotation itself or the heavily-worked bullpen behind them, the Phoenix pitching was an occasionally diabolical liability.

Put that narrative down, flip it and reverse it; the Phoenix haven't allowed a crooked number since the group phase hit its second half, and have won all four of those games (plus the preceding one against TJUN-ia, where they did allow two runs in the fourth but none in any of the other eight frames). They are 9-5 and looking genuinely something approaching secure in the second qualifying spot, something that seemed unlikely for anyone - let alone these debutants - to manage not that long ago.

Much of this has to be attributed to the back of the pen. Park Sung-Jae, who only moved to Zube seven years ago, has thrived when called upon in high-leverage spots, including the ninth against Super-Llamaland with a three-run lead that was quickly cut to two with a first-swing Jeff Huang homer before the Quebecois-Kytler(i)an shut down the heart of the Tigers order, inducing weak groundouts from Lewis Hunter and Von Gunther before striking out Jasmine Xu to end the fifth Phoenix victory on the bounce - and the most striking of any. Had the Tigers - who entered 11-2 with a +49 run differential that suggested this was no fluke - won as expected, they would have led the group by four with six to play, a laughable concept given the chaos the group had earlier. Instead, Group F now has a beautiful symmetry - an 11-3 team, a 9-5 team, two 7-7 teams, a 5-9 team, and a 3-11 team. Most Kytlerian fans would have taken the Phoenix being one of the 7-7 teams if you offered them that scenario in advance, considered a .500 return campaign a successfully laid platform for better to come. But this is what Kytlerian debutants have been doing since they were actual debutants; starting like they were always here, even if they rarely take the next step (at least not in team sports) towards actual contention. This might be a team that simply manages to make the playoffs and then fall over, but that would still be ahead of any reasonable schedule.

Not that Kytlerian teams tend to deal in those.

[Zwangzug]

Naomi was happy to tell me that she'd gotten rid of some old clothes that no longer fit. This is one of the tasks that, I suspect, must have been easier for Zwangzugians in the past, pre-Consolidation--there were probably some churches and nonprofits organized to help the needy, thrift shops, trash cans, and cars you could take among them. Now, with the government rigidly standardizing everything, even the economically marginalized probably have access to at least some decent clothing; I don't think they really want her faded Zebras t-shirts. If the welfare bureaucracy can't use whatever she's outgrown, do they have to find some way to recycle them? Or do some robots just throw it in the trash so the humans don't have to feel bad?

I didn't ask her any of this. Instead I said, "Good for you! What was the hardest part?"

"What?"

"It sounds like this was a stressful task for you. Is the hardest part looking at yourself? Saying goodbye to things you're nostalgic for?"

"That's part of it," she said. "I get nostalgic about lots of things. The times in my life they remind me of. If they were gifts from well-intentioned friends. But at that point, I was so frustrated that I didn't really mind. The hardest part was just...getting started. There was a lot to go through, it felt unmanageable. I had to give myself permission to say, all right, just one drawer. Just one section. I might try again with some other stuff, coats and boots and everything, but even just having this crossed off was an accomplishment."

"Did you talk to Brad about any of this?"

"No, he was out on a business trip."

"Are you going to?"

"Not everything is about Brad, okay? I like him, and he likes me, but--I was a neurotic person before I met him, and if it doesn't work out, I'll still be neurotic without him."

"I'm just trying to--It seems like it's helpful for you, to have him to talk to. How can we cultivate that comfort elsewhere in your life?"

"Excuse me? I'm bleeping monogamous, okay, I don't want another Brad."

"That's not what I meant--"

"I'm great at talking with people! I talk with lots of people! But that's about stuff that I like, stuff that makes me happy. I'm not going to dump my neuroses on them."

"I understand--"

"Am I dragging you down? I thought I was allowed to dump my neuroses on you, because that's, like, your job. But if it's too much--"

"Never mind," I said. "Congratulations on the clothes."

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

OOC-2: Primary reference material:Memoires d'Athletes - Do Or Die, the 2038 story of Quebecois HS Baseball's Greatest Match
Other reference materials: RPs from WBC 53 (Theo and Myeong-Shin's story with Haley's song, a Grim Reapers' anthem), TWGS Season Two 'Auld Lang Syne' (involves the story of the narrator)

Parts 1-6
Parts 7-10
Part 11 - Tigers: The Decision
Part 12 - Tigers: The Hec of Defence, and Baseball
Part 13 - Dodgers: All-Star Weekend and Gaels' Days
Part 14 - All-Star, and the Draft
Part 15 - Tigers: Game 100 (1) - Heading Home, A Rookie

Part 17 - Dodgers: Game 110 - Setback

# Imperial League            Pld     W    L     RF    RA    RD    Win %
1 Hanbat Eagles              110    66   44    576   476  +100    0.600
2 Montevicio Dodgers         110    64   46    615   459  +156    0.582
3 Montreal Twins             110    62   48    525   493   +32    0.564
4 Saint John Green Sox       110    60   50    531   521   +10    0.545
5 Levis Wyverns              110    55   55    508   485   +23    0.500
6 Kingston Blue Jays         110    52   58    470   548   −78    0.473
7 Attawapiskat Wiz           110    46   64    470   530   −60    0.418
8 Anju Avros                 110    35   75    407   590  −183    0.318

# Royal League               Pld     W    L     RF    RA    RD    Win %
1 Kingston Tigers            110    80   30    609   412  +197    0.727
2 Saguenay Lions             110    72   38    533   426  +107    0.655
3 Joongyeong Bears           110    61   49    546   506   +40    0.555
4 Dongnae Giants             110    52   58    545   504   +41    0.473
5 Oakwood Dinos              110    51   59    515   524    −9    0.464
6 Prince Eric Athletics      110    51   59    486   520   −34    0.464
7 Songak Expos               110    45   65    462   538   −76    0.409
8 Jolbonopolis Rangers       110    28   82    352   618  −266    0.255

Narrator: Entering the month of September, the Montevicio Dodgers are on the second place of Imperial League pennant race. While they have more or less clinched a playoff spot, and are slowly growing the gap over the Montreal Twins and the Saint John Green Sox, the two teams they have struggled against in recent times, the gap against Hanbat Eagles for the pennant race does not appear to close down for most part.

While the Dodgers continue to win consistently, even with their own shortcomings, the Dodgers' captain, Theo-Alexandre Pinson is going through his own attempts to amend relations with his wife Natalie. After having a quiet dinner at '8 Rue de l'Humanité', an haute-cuisine restaurant just blocks away from the Santa Ana Beach, they go for a drive to the Topanga, a quiet beachside park with very few observers in general.

The park itself does not allow for visitors without reservations, and the local parks authority notorious for its hostility towards media, so for Pinson and Gregoris, this was a right place for the two to just spend time on a Monday afternoon back home after Pinson's long road trip. With both wearing aviators, a light tee-shirt and beach shorts while sitting on a mat by the beach, they look more like an ordinary couple than two of the biggest celebrities here, and there's a bit of that child-like joy in them as they giggle and chat.

Most of the talk is not recorded, however, and sooner than later Pinson gives a wink for them to not ask. Later, when the production team is back on interview with Pinson, it is on his Baja Calania apartment again. The lightings, however, are much brighter this time. 'No comment,' answers Pinson, even as he is beaming with a glee on his face. 'But it does feel as if I am back to being twenty-two again.'

The timeline goes back to the same year, 2043, when Theo-Alexandre Pinson starts his rookie season. The Saguenay Lions entered that season as overwhelming favourites with southpaws Choe Bong-Hak and Mathieu Berard as arguably the best top-two starter punch of the league, Alexanne Langford, Jeremy Cournoyer and Pinson forming the dynamite cleanup.

'How do I feel? Fucking splendid, that's for sure,' Theo-Alexandre Pinson, wearing the number fifty-two, answers the media. A quick view of the rafters show the six retired numbers, which include the number ten in honour of Guy Delon, gives enough of the level of expectations they have for the Lions' rookie. 'Fifth on the lineup as left outfielder, so slightly out of my position (he mostly played right outfield or first baseman starting at Queen's College -e.d.-) but I think I could make it work and give the Lions the best chance at bringing home the Quebec Series.'

Pinson enters the bat and starts well, with what would be none other than a double. Pinson's 6'3", 245 lb frame, combined with his tendency to run nonstop on base running, delivers a strong, hustler image right off the bat. The Lions' fans applaud, a quick approval in their eyes.

Narrator: In the first fifty games of the season, Pinson led the Lions in batting percentage, home runs and stolen bases. He appears to be poised to lead Saguenay Lions, then the winningest team in the QBO history, to their second Quebec Series in three years. The Saguenay Lions, who are on a quest after coming up short in the RLCS the year before, are 38-12 on the record.

Then the injury struck, as Pinson would be sidelined with a left thumb injured by an odd bounce of a pitch. 'It was a very sunny afternoon at home, and it was an odd bounce intended to go deep and high into the strike zone,' he recalls, sunlight still shining bright into the apartment. 'But sometimes a pitch wouldn't exactly land as you would intend them to land, and that's what happened - next thing I remember, being out for the regular season. Not the most exciting news when you were firmly in the mix for the rookie of the year.'

Pinson would spend most of the regular season in rehab, but also spending time with his parents, who he knew had made a lot of sacrifices growing up, and wanted to do his best to at least help out on his end with two younger siblings, who were still at high school. He is not seen yet on the nightlife scene in the famed Pallisades Street, though does go out now and then to see his friends. On one of the scenes he is seen texting a close friend out west, who some viewers would notice it being Natalie - by this point they were close, but still living worlds apart.

'I was told by the team doctor that I may need a surgery on that broken thumb, but have opted against it because while the pain might be gone, I was unsure if the nerves would come back so early,' he recalls on a separate interview, made in his first year back in the QBO. 'It's mostly getting back in the gym, doing a lot of running in hopes that the rehab might put me in a better shape moving forward because I knew that I was playing a lot off my talent, with effort not exactly following along.'

On the background footage, Pinson is seen talking to Choe Bong-Hak on the practice pitch. At age 35 and having spent six years in Newmanistan where he had a solid tenure, Choe keeps a close eye on the rookie. 'Where do you see yourself down the line?' Choe asks, wondering about Pinson's ambitions, while throwing the fungo. 'You need to swing it like a crane, boy. Ankle's moving too much.'

'Somewhere big, to be the hero,' answers Pinson, as he answers with multiple swings. 'Quebec Series MVP, to be a big league star, and make the Reapers' squad.'

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Cutoff no. 8 (MD15-16) -- Team/Player chants. Do your national team, or professional sides, have a team or player-specific chants when entering the stage? Is there any that is played and sung on certain parts of the match? What's the symbolism they hold?

---

Colour BLUE is for winning the Group, thus securing the upper seed of the Round of Sixteen.
Colour GREEN is for qualification into the Round of Sixteen.

Group A:

MD15

The Star Enpire (25)                          0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0  5
WE-ARE-DICE-land (UR)                         0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0  4

Cardenao (32)                                 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0  4
Loyo (16)                                     0 1 9 0 2 0 0 0 X 12

The Miscere Empire (UR)                       0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0  4
Quebec and Shingoryeo (06)                    1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  5

# Group A                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                         15   13   2    94   47  +47
2 The Star Enpire                               15   10   5    79   58  +21
3 Loyo                                          15    8   7    84   65  +19
4 The Miscere Empire                            15    7   8    56   69  −13
5 Cardenao                                      15    6   9    63   81  −18
6 WE-ARE-DICE-land                              15    1  14    41   97  −56

MD16

WE-ARE-DICE-land (UR)                         0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0  3
Quebec and Shingoryeo (06)                    0 0 0 1 0 3 6 0 X 10

The Miscere Empire (UR)                       0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  6
Loyo (16)                                     0 0 0 1 2 0 6 9 X 18

Cardenao (32)                                 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2
The Star Enpire (25)                          1 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 X  6

# Group A                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                         16   14   2   104   50  +54
2 The Star Enpire                               16   11   5    85   60  +25
3 Loyo                                          16    9   7   102   71  +31
4 The Miscere Empire                            16    7   9    62   87  −25
5 Cardenao                                      16    6  10    65   87  −22
6 WE-ARE-DICE-land                              16    1  15    44  107  −63

Group B:

MD15

Barnettsville (20)                            0 0 6 0 0 1 0 0 2  9
Vilwandia (UR)                                0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

Sea Dome (81)                                 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0  4
Abanhfleft (14)                               0 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 X  6

Jabberwocky (UR)                              0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1
Banija (03)                                   0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 X  2

# Group B                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Banija                                        15   10   5    56   45  +11
2 Sea Dome                                      15    9   6    67   59   +8
3 Abanhfleft                                    15    8   7    92   60  +32
4 Barnettsville                                 15    8   7    77   98  −21
5 Vilwandia                                     15    5  10    57   79  −22
6 Jabberwocky                                   15    5  10    70   78   −8

MD16

Vilwandia (UR)                                0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 0  5
Banija (03)                                   0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0  2

Jabberwocky (UR)                              0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1
Abanhfleft (14)                               0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 X  4

Sea Dome (81)                                 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 0  4
Barnettsville (20)                            1 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 X  6

# Group B                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Banija                                        16   10   6    58   50   +8
2 Sea Dome                                      16    9   7    71   65   +6
3 Abanhfleft                                    16    9   7    96   61  +35
4 Barnettsville                                 16    9   7    83  102  −19
5 Vilwandia                                     16    6  10    62   81  −19
6 Jabberwocky                                   16    5  11    71   82  −11

Group C:

MD15

Oscioru (26)                                  0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Al-Kharid (UR)                                1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 X  4

Ochre Islands (30)                            0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0  2
Ko-oren (12)                                  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1

Kanmer (UR)                                   1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  3
Zwangzug (05)                                 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 X  6

# Group C                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Zwangzug                                      15   12   3    80   35  +45
2 Ko-oren                                       15    9   6    73   58  +15
3 Al-Kharid                                     15    7   8    51   62  −11
4 Oscioru                                       15    6   9    65   80  −15
5 Kanmer                                        15    6   9    64   64    0
6 Ochre Islands                                 15    5  10    51   85  −34

MD16

Al-Kharid (UR)                                0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1
Zwangzug (05)                                 6 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 X  9

Kanmer (UR)                                   0 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 0  5
Ko-oren (12)                                  0 2 0 0 2 0 1 4 X  9

Ochre Islands (30)                            0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1  3
Oscioru (26)                                  0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

# Group C                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Zwangzug                                      16   13   3    89   36  +53
2 Ko-oren                                       16   10   6    82   63  +19
3 Al-Kharid                                     16    7   9    52   71  −19
4 Kanmer                                        16    6  10    69   73   −4
5 Ochre Islands                                 16    6  10    54   87  −33
6 Oscioru                                       16    6  10    67   83  −16

Group D:

MD15

Delaclava (23)                                5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  9
Tri Ann (UR)                                  0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2  4

Ubernordwinds (UR)                            0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0  3
Eshialand (15)                                0 0 0 0 0 2 0 9 X 11

Canning (UR)                                  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0  3
Drawkland (09)                                0 2 0 0 1 5 0 0 X  8

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Drawkland                                     15   12   3    94   46  +48
2 Delaclava                                     15   11   4    70   46  +24
3 Ubernordwinds                                 15    7   8    55   76  −21
4 Eshialand                                     15    6   9    77   73   +4
5 Canning                                       15    6   9    69   64   +5
6 Tri Ann                                       15    3  12    40  100  −60

MD16

Tri Ann (UR)                                  0 4 0 0 1 1 3 0 0  9
Drawkland (09)                                5 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 X 10

Canning (UR)                                  0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  2
Eshialand (15)                                2 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 X  7

Ubernordwinds (UR)                            2 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1  8
Delaclava (23)                                0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 1  6

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Drawkland                                     16   13   3   104   55  +49
2 Delaclava                                     16   11   5    76   54  +22
3 Ubernordwinds                                 16    8   8    63   82  −19
4 Eshialand                                     16    7   9    84   75   +9
5 Canning                                       16    6  10    71   71    0
6 Tri Ann                                       16    3  13    49  110  −61

Group E:

MD15

Tikariot (17)                                 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1  5
Valanora (UR)                                 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2  4

Srednjaci (50)                                1 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0  6
Milchama (10)                                 1 3 0 1 1 1 0 3 X 10

Vonum (UR)                                    2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0  5
South Newlandia (01)                          0 3 1 3 0 4 1 1 X 13

# Group E                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 South Newlandia                               15   13   2   126   51  +75
2 Milchama                                      15   10   5    89   71  +18
3 Tikariot                                      15    9   6    70   47  +23
4 Valanora                                      15    7   8    70   88  −18
5 Srednjaci                                     15    4  11    64  110  −46
6 Vonum                                         15    2  13    49  101  −52

MD16

Valanora (UR)                                 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2  4
South Newlandia (01)                          0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0  2

Vonum (UR)                                    0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1  4
Milchama (10)                                 1 6 0 0 0 2 3 0 X 12

Srednjaci (50)                                0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 1  6
Tikariot (17)                                 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  2

# Group E                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 South Newlandia                               16   13   3   128   55  +73
2 Milchama                                      16   11   5   101   75  +26
3 Tikariot                                      16    9   7    72   53  +19
4 Valanora                                      16    8   8    74   90  −16
5 Srednjaci                                     16    5  11    70  112  −42
6 Vonum                                         16    2  14    53  113  −60

Group F:

MD15

Dod Rava (22)                                 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0  4
New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR)                    0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 X  5

The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)                    2 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 0  8
TJUN-ia (13)                                  0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0  2

Gunnison and Telluride (UR)                   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Super-Llamaland (07)                          0 4 0 1 2 4 0 1 X 12

# Group F                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Super-Llamaland                               15   12   3   105   46  +59
2 The Kytler Peninsulae                         15   10   5    67   56  +11
3 TJUN-ia                                       15    7   8    53   65  −12
4 Gunnison and Telluride                        15    7   8    50   73  −23
5 Dod Rava                                      15    5  10    55   61   −6
6 New Kiwi Repupirikana                         15    4  11    51   80  −29

MD16

New Kiwi Repupirikana (UR)                    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1
Super-Llamaland (07)                          0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 X  3

Gunnison and Telluride (UR)                   0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0  2
TJUN-ia (13)                                  0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 X  5

The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)                    0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0  4
Dod Rava (22)                                 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0  2

# Group F                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Super-Llamaland                               16   13   3   108   47  +61
2 The Kytler Peninsulae                         16   11   5    71   58  +13
3 TJUN-ia                                       16    8   8    58   67   −9
4 Gunnison and Telluride                        16    7   9    52   78  −26
5 Dod Rava                                      16    5  11    57   65   −8
6 New Kiwi Repupirikana                         16    4  12    52   83  −31

Group G:

MD15

Liventia (18)                                 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1
Qamare (UR)                                   0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 X  4

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (28)   0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  4
Cassadaigua (11)                              2 1 2 1 1 0 3 0 X 10

Equestria (UR)                                0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4  6
Nova Anglicana (08)                           0 0 0 1 1 0 5 0 X  7

# Group G                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Cassadaigua                                   15   14   1   109   56  +53
2 Nova Anglicana                                15   10   5    65   62   +3
3 Qamare                                        15    6   9    73   88  −15
4 Liventia                                      15    6   9    65   73   −8
5 Equestria                                     15    5  10    72   78   −6
6 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove        15    4  11    61   88  −27

MD16

Qamare (UR)                                   0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  1
Nova Anglicana (08)                           2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 X  3

Equestria (UR)                                0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0  3
Cassadaigua (11)                              0 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 X  7

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (28)   0 2 2 0 0 0 1 2 0  7
Liventia (18)                                 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  2

# Group G                                      Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Cassadaigua                                   16   15   1   116   59  +57
2 Nova Anglicana                                16   11   5    68   63   +5
3 Qamare                                        16    6  10    74   91  −17
4 Liventia                                      16    6  10    67   80  −13
5 Equestria                                     16    5  11    75   85  −10
6 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove        16    5  11    68   90  −22

[Ko-oren]

Ko-orenite League - Halfway - 60/120 games

*                            W   L      %   RF  RA  || Home  Away   || GB
 1 Ferrovente Whales      35  22  0,614  264  195 || 14-7   21-15 || 0  || West  1 Div Round
 2 Katashi Giants         34  23  0,596  241  190 || 19-8   15-15 || 0  || South 1 Div Round
 3 Arakura Knights        34  23  0,596  249  203 || 16-11  18-12 || 0  || North 1 Div Round
 4 Katashi Generals       32  25  0,561  213  180 || 22-14  10-11 || 2  || South 2 Wildcard
 5 Nitoya Silvers         30  27  0,526  243  234 || 12-12  18-15 || 4  || South 3 Wildcard
 6 Echizen Dragons        29  28  0,509  203  240 || 18-21  11-7  || 5  || North 2 
 7 Aviansola Admirals     28  29  0,491  263  275 || 13-14  15-15 || 6  || South 4 
 8 Santa Teresa Stars     27  30  0,474  245  270 || 13-11  14-19 || 8  || West  2 
 9 Desierto Challengers   24  33  0,421  221  256 || 12-12  12-21 || 11 || West  3 
 X Furune Bees            24  33  0,421  201  219 || 12-15  12-18 || 10 || North 3 
 = Amandine Wanderers     23  34  0,404  209  237 || 15-18   8-16 || 12 || West  4 
10 Teragaseki Originals   22  35  0,386  199  252 || 12-21  10-14 || 12 || North 4

West
The Whales' lead over the rest of the league is still there but mostly evaporated. But where we expected decent play from all four teams to the point where two could take both wildcard spots - well, that hype has died down. Ferrovente is easily in charge of this division, eight games ahead of their mortal enemies, the Stars, who are even below .500 - not so much through bad scoring but through horrible defence - and three games behind them are the Challengers, and the Wanderers are one game further down still.

It's probably worth talking about Santa Teresa (how exactly are they allowing all these runs? The pitching isn't that bad, and the fielding shouldn't be that bad) but the larger tragedy in this division is definitely Desierto. The small town club were on track to become a worthy adversary to the two big clubs in that division but it's all gone downhill.

Amandine need not apply, but it is funny to remark how similar their scoring is to Echizen. As a reminder: Amandine are 23-34, Echizen are 29-28. Amandine are 209-237 (runs for, runs against), Echizen are 203-240. It probably has to do with the Wanderers' inability to get any kind of winning mojo away from home (8-16, only team in the league without 10 away wins). They (and Desierto as well, to an extent) have reached Teragaseki levels of ineptitude. Ferrovente are still .667 at home and fairly solid away (21-15), while Santa Teresa are barely over .500 at home. The Challengers are not that far behind - they can take on the Stars - but are similarly bad away.

North
The North is wide open. Echizen aren't the big bad guys anymore (for now) and the division is completely Arakura's. There are two more teams in that division.

The Knights, from the same island as the Bees, had to live in the yellow-and-black's shadow from the second the latter were created. The far more historic Knights ('far more'? How about 'instrumental to the formation of professional baseball in Ko-oren'?) have had some ups in their storied history but were outmatched by bigger teams from other islands. They didn't need a rival on their own turf. And yet, they're now showing all of them up with an amazing away record to match their decent-to-good defence (203 RA) and keeping up with the better teams on offence (249 RF) - though nothing touches the output by Ferrovente and Aviansola.

Echizen aren't even on a wildcard right now: five games out of the division and one game out of the wildcard is not too much to worry about but this division had 'one horse race' written all over it. It still is, just not the horse we anticipated. The Dragons excel away rather than at home - very different from years past.

There are two more teams: the 10th overall Bees and the 12th overall Originals, but the less said about them this year, the better. Teragaseki are the only team with fewer than 200 runs scored. Furune are second-last at 201.

South
This all paves the way for a great showing by the west. With the western wildcard stranglehold out of the way for now and the north barely producing an over .500 team, three southern teams are currently in playoff spots - and the fourth is 28-29. For the first time in a decade or so, the south's arrogance is completely deserved, and not many fans like it.

Starting with the top: the Giants are 34-23 with great defence, a stellar home record but a pedestrian .500 away record, leading the division with a shot at the number one seed. The Generals, crosstown rivals, are 32-25 with even better defence, a great home record but a poor away record - looks like the norths doing one thing right and it's winning in the South. The Silvers, and it's been years since they were playoff-relevant, are 30-27 with a decent home record (.500) but they're doing most of their damage away (18-15).

Then, Aviansola are one game below .500 making this division a very welcome surprise to follow, with most of their games raking up the runs (both for them and their opponents).

Head to Head
Most teams have played each other at least once now. As a reminder: you play in-division opponents 24 times, and everyone else 6 times. The Ferrovente Whales get most of their wins from the Silvers (3-0) and teams further below (5-1 Bees, 9-6 Wanderers) and have so far split their massive rivalry series 6-6 versus the Stars. Exactly halfway through the 24 games, it's completely open and these games could decide a fair bit of how the seeding shakes out.

The Katashi Giants are 6-6 against the Katahshi rivals and 7-8 versus the Silvers - the South, as has been noted about five times now, is not a fun place. They're also somehow 1-2 versus league-last Teragaseki, but have winning records in all other series. That 3-0 over Ferrovente does a lot here.

The Arakura Knights are struggling against fellow good teams (1-2 Whales, 2-1 Giants, 1-2 Generals) but are beating up on other opponents (9-6 Dragons, 9-3 Bees) even if they've completed all games versus Santa Teresa (1-5) with a horrible outcome.

The Katashi Generals are 5-1 over the Silvers and 9-6 over the Admirals, making them the source of about half their wins. Losing records versus the Bees, Wanderers and a 3-3 split versus Teragaseki makes it all look a bit shaky and unsustainable. Let's see if you can make a wildcard based on records over two teams out of eleven.

The most one-sided series for now is Echizen over Teragaseki, the rivalry between the northernmost islands in the league adding a new chapter to an already long list of Dragons success. The Bees are 10-5 over Teragaseki, making the orange team effectively the squad keeping the rest of the division in wildcard contention. The Bees have collected 10 out of 24 wins against the Originals. Ew.

Postseason Implications
The Whales, Giants, and Knights are currently holding the division, with two Southern teams - the Generals and Silvers - holding the wildcards. Echizen, Aviansola, and Santa Teresa, very much the 'old guard' of the LPB era, are currently on the outside looking in. Four teams with barely anything to celebrate across three years of the LPB are further down: nowhere near eliminated but with poor chances of getting in.

[Delaclava]

OOC: The song below is a parody of "Top Jimmy" by Drawkland, which is itself an adaptation of "Top Jimmy" by Van Halen. This is how you do a parody of a parody! Make love, not angst.

Stealing First

When I find myself in times of trouble, Daddy Jimmy comes to/in/on me

AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!



Ok, it's not all that bad. Delaclava is still 11-5. It's pretty safely in the second playoff spot, three games ahead of Ubernordwinds with four games each to play. The young players' offensive production has left something to be desired, but the defense and pitching has been impressively stingy.

But just 24 hours ago, Delaclava was faced with a game against Ubernordwinds, a matchup that had a two-game swing in the battle for the Round of 16. A win would have secured Delaclava's spot in the Round of 16. We had the veteran Bedin Egozhevy on the mound to put it away. But what happened? Egozhevy got shelled for six runs in the first two innings and had to be taken out. Not only does the playoff spot continue to elude us, but we got to wonder if, after the 35-year-old ace got destroyed by these (and I say this with all due respect) noobs, whether the pitch clock on this legend's career has hit zero.

So we're not hitting all the alarms, but we're certainly in some mild to moderate unease. When I feel like this, I like to think about strong role models who make me feel safe, who I know could take good care of me. Anna Voss, for example. Or, some recent examples I've written about, Tony the Tiger and Ray the Ranger, or Dodgy Dave. But there's another recent icon that's stolen my heart. And it's Jimmy the Top.

Well, that's not really his name. His name is Jimmy Todd, nicknamed "Top", and he's a backup catcher and part-time first baseman for the Drawkland Base Corps. He's been something of a revelation in Drawkland as it is. His raw power, clutch performances, megawatt smile, and chiseled jaw have lit up the Starkomac Shrooms, a dud of a team that rode Jimmy back into relevance and back into the PBL playoffs. Now, he's made it to The Show, the World Baseball Classic, and while he hasn't played spectacularly so far, he does have three home runs—tied for the team lead at press time (who am I kidding, this is a personal blog, I don't have a "press time"). And he has been a part of Drawkland beating Delaclava three times out of three, putting them into the playoffs despite their relative inability to beat teams that are significantly worse than them.

Normally, I wouldn't be a fan of any player from a team that's so thoroughly had our number, but Jimmy the Top is just so nice to look at. Catchers are often kinda dopey-looking, but Jimmy is very much not. He's perfectly tanned, with a square jaw and one of those sexy chin dimples. His arms, pecs, and butt are defined even through that uniform. And when he unleashes that beast inside of him to jack a home run over the wall, it makes a fella or lady swoon.

I'm not the only one who's taken notice. There's a Drawkian song called "Top Jimmy" chronicling his escapades, and now the Delaclav metal-pop band Titanium Dongles have their own take on it, "Jimmy the Top". "Top Jimmy" celebrates Jimmy's baseball heroics; "Jimmy the Top" celebrates his animal magnetism. So give it a listen, sing this song to yourself, and let's hope our fans can distract Jimmy enough that Delaclava can finally steal a win over the Base Corps!

Some friends of mine, just the other night,
Went to the orgy for some bum
They say he fucked so good that the men were fallin'
And he didn't even spit his gum
They don't remember the place, but they remember his face,
And now everybody wanna come

Jimmy the Top pumps, Jimmy the Top fucks
He's got the cock, woo!
Top Jimmy, the one who cucks.

Jimmy in the saddle, Tony the Tiger underneath him
No need for any salive,
Jimmy's in his prime and he's going for it all
The hottest guy alive!
Driving all the women crazy, all they want is Jimmy baby
Love it so they roll their eyes...

Jimmy the Top pumps, Jimmy the Top fucks
He's got the cock
Jimmy the Top, woo (fuck me, daddy)

Oh, Base Corps Jimmy is the latest thing
He knows how to touch every base
Yeah, the barn be jumpin' when the boy be pumpin'
And you know he keeps a crazy pace
Well, you ain't been living 'til you've seen the living end
Little death across our face!

Jimmy the Top pumps, Jimmy the Top fucks
He's got the cock
Top Jimmy, oh God, Jimmy
Top Jimmy, harder Jimmy
Jimmy the Top
Oh, he's our king!

[Tikariot]

Soft thunder can be heard over a black screen. Then, footsteps crunching and the creaking of a door. Slowly the logo fades in as the scene illuminates slightly, showing an old, broken down house and an open door, light falling in as a rectangle, showing dust and cobwebs and movement in the shadows just beyond the light.

As the logo fades away, the picture as usual, shows Erasmus Wheeler in his trademark long trenchcoat and hat standing in the middle of an old market square of what appears to be a small town that has seen better times.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to Mythical Tikariot, where we look at the mythical and maybe even supernatural side of Tikariot. My name is Erasmus Wheeler and I will be leading you through some of the most mysterious places and instances our country has to offer. Today we are in the small town of Shamulrandyn, tucked away in the foothills in the south of Soharr. It is the site of one of the both most sinister and saddest legends that we have come across during our research.

It was in this small town that is nestled between the hills on the edges of the Basherian Range, that a story was passed down from the early 1930s, the story of Isabella Rose. She was an extraordinary talent for the violin, having begun to play it when she was only three years. Audiences were spellbound by the child prodigy and as she grew older, her reputation grew beyond the region.

When she was only 19 years old, she noticed a young man at a town fair that caught her attention. Intrigued by his presence, she approached him and struck up a conversation. Benjamin was quiet and introspective, but found solace in Isabella's music and they became friends, relishing in each other's presence.

Over time, Isabella's feelings for Benjamin deepened, but he remained oblivious to her affections. She did not let that deter her, though, she continued to give him all the attention and kindness she could muster, believing that he would eventally reciprocate her feelings. However, Benjamin did not respond to her advances, making it clear that he saw her as a good, close friend, but nothing more.

Devastated by the rejection, Isabella became more and more obsessed with Benjamin. It began to consume her and she showered him with extravagant gifts and relentless affection. Unfortunately, her constant attention began to frustrate Benjamin, leading to him confronting her Isabella and firmly making it clear that their friendship had its limits and she had passed them.

This led to Isabella withdrawing into herself, beginning to see her love and affection turn into resentment, not only toward Benjamin, but increasingly also against the town that witnessed her rejection and had not done anything to support her. Her bitterness consumed her more and more and she turned toward the supernatural. From this moment on, the accounts get a little hazy between truth and fiction. Legends began to circulate that Isabella had made a pact with the devil to enchant her violin, ensuring that anyone who heard her play would fall hopelessly in love with her, only to have those feelings vanish as soon as the music ended.

During a mysterious and fog-laden night, Isabella performed her enchanted melody in the town's marketsquare that I am standing in right now. As her violin wove a hauntingly beautiful tune, people were drawn to her, captivated by the magic that emanated from her instrument. The townsfolk entered a trance-like state, enchanted by Isabella's music, but once the music ended, they would be left with an intense feeling of dejection and emptiness, draining their emotions, but oblivious to what caused it.

It ended up a deaf man who was impervious to Isabella's enchantment and witnessed the changes in the townsfolk, bringing attention to the happenings and made them weary of Isabella. As both the emotional desolation and the rumours of the source of the enchantment spread, the town began to distance from Isabella, who became more and more isolated until one day, she vanished without a trace. Some say she fled, haunted by the consequences of her dark bargain. Others believe that the devil cashed in his side of the bargain.

Either way the legend of The Devil's Fiddler Isabella Rose, the woman who made a deal with the devil for love, lived on through the decades and has not lost any of its mysterious allure. To this day, some claimed to hear her haunting melodies echoing in the wind.

[Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove]

Ligue Majeure de Baseball de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer et Burnham-on-Stove (LMBSJJMBS)
2024-2025 season preview

10 teams
Teams plays 18 times against other clubs for 162 regular season games
Top 4 advance to the playoffs. Final series is named Série Jean-Jacquoise et Burnhamienne (Jean-Jacquoise and Burnhamese series)
Regular season starts on tuesday august 1st 2024 and ends on march 9th 2025.
Playoffs begins on march 12th 2025 and ends in the last week of march.
The months of may, june and july are called the rain season, therefore there are no outdoor sports played during these 3 months.
The 2025 Entry Draft will be held on saturday may 31st 2025 at the Shanzhou Convention Center in Shanzhou, a city-state on the Ayesian coast between Krytenia and Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove.
After this season, the league will likely expand to 12 teams with 2 expansion teams and also at least 4 teams will relocate to other nations in Nova Calania. It still to be confirmed. It should be confirmed before the entry draft.

Season             Champions                          Runner Up
2022-2023          Indiens de Breteuil                Saints de Saint-Jean-Jacques
2023-2024          Indiens de Breteuil                Flushing Blue Wahoos

2024-25 teams

Pirates de Baie-Sainte-Marguerite
Location: Baie-Sainte-Marguerite district, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Stade Banque Jean-Jacquoise
Head Coach: Geneviève Vaillancourt
Team colors: Black, yellow and white

Batting: 2/5
Pitching: 2.5/5
Fielding: 3/5

Best starting pitcher
Charles-Alexandre Blondeau

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Ximena Rodriguez Castro (1B)
Jessica Gaudin-Rougeau (SS/3B)
Daphnée Brousseau (2B)

Indiens de Breteuil-Chamouille
Location: Breteuil district, with the Chamouille district on the other side of the street, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Parc Galipeau
Head Coach: Jean-Paul Couillard
Team colors: Navy blue, red and white

Batting: 4/5
Pitching: 3/5
Fielding: 4/5

Best starting pitcher
Juan Diego Salazar Valenzuela

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Sarah-Maude Couillard (LF)
Tristan Bibeau (SS/3B)
Léo-Paul Couillard (RF)

Pélicans de Côte-des-Palmiers
Location: Côte-des-Palmiers district, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Parc des Pélicans
Head Coach: Jean-Frédéric Robinette
Team colors: Light blue, yellow, navy blue and white

Batting: 4/5
Pitching: 2.5/5
Fielding: 4.5/5

Best starting pitcher
Kevin Gadoury

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Charles-Émile Robinette (1B)
Cillian O'Farrell (LF)
Anne-Sophie Robinette (3B)

Tortugas de Sacré-Coeur
Location: Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart) district, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Parc Jacques-Rocheleau
Head Coach: Vladimir Bonilla Rodriguez Sr.
Team colors: Green, dark blue and white

Batting: 3.5/5
Pitching: 2/5
Fielding: 3/5

Best starting pitcher
Vladimir Bonilla Gonzalez Jr.

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Esperanza Juarez Galarraga (2B)
Jesus Rodriguez Castro (1B)
Jesus Perez Gutierrez (LF)

Athlétiques de Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Location: Saint-Jean-Baptiste district, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Colisée de Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Head Coach: Marie-Michèle Beaudreault
Team colors: Green, gold and white

Batting: 3.5/5
Pitching: 3/5
Fielding: 2.5/5

Best starting pitcher
Marie-Soleil McEwen

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Yves-François Monfette (RF)
Genevieve Yarbrough (3B)
Teresa Maldonado Vazquez (LF)

Expos de Saint-Jean-Jacques
Location: Centre-Ville (Downtown) district, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Parc Gailloux
Head Coach: Anne-Marie McEwen
Team colors: Light blue, white and red

Batting: 3/5
Pitching: 3/5
Fielding: 3.5/5

Best starting pitcher
Tristan Mousseau-Grondin

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Raul Rodriguez Castro (3B)
Marianne Gailloux (SS)
Tommy Bourdeau (RF)

Saints de Saint-Jean-Jacques
Location: Centre-Ville (Downtown) district, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Stadium: Stade Marcotte
Head Coach: Bruno-Pierre Bourbonnais
Team colors: Blue, white and yellow

Batting: 4/5
Pitching: 2.5/5
Fielding: 4.5/5

Best starting pitcher
Maggie Zhu

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
François-Xavier Couillard (LF/CF)
Rose-Anne Bonnette (CF/LF)
William Sanfaçon-Lagrandeur (CF/RF)

Downtown Tigers
Location: Downtown district, Burnham-on-Stove
Stadium: Tiger Stadium
Head Coach: Jill Wallach-Gough
Team colors: Navy blue, orange and white

Batting: 4.5/5
Pitching: 3/5
Fielding: 4/5

Best starting pitcher
Leighton McCloskey

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Riley Gough (1B/RF)
Ryder Gough (RF)
Raelynn Gough (LF/RF)

Flushing Blue Wahoos
Location: Flushing Hills district, Burnham-on-Stove
Stadium: Admiral William R. Burnham Field
Head Coach: William McBride
Team colors: Royal blue, Navy, pink and white

Batting: 4/5
Pitching: 3/5
Fielding: 3.5/5

Best starting pitcher
Tyler Wu-Kwiatkowski

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Kaiden Swaggerty (SS)
Zane Kozlowski (LF)
Piper Swaggerty (SS/2B)

Hockley Blue Crabs
Location: Hockley district, Burnham-on-Stove
Stadium: Ripken Furniture Stadium
Head Coach: Wlodzimierz Zebrowski
Team colors: Light blue, navy blue, red, tan and white

Batting: 3/5
Pitching: 1/5
Fielding: 2.5/5

Best starting pitcher
Tyson Oakes

Top 3 Batters/Field Players
Rowan Gough (LF/RF)
Kathryn Schwartz (CF/LF)
Winter Hakanson (1B)

2024-25 Predictions

1. Downtown Tigers
2. Pélicans de Côte-des-Palmiers
3. Indiens de Breteuil-Chamouille
4. Flushing Blue Wahoos
5. Saints de Saint-Jean-Jacques
6. Athlétiques de Saint-Jean-Baptiste
7. Expos de Saint-Jean-Jacques
8. Tortugas de Sacré-Coeur
9. Pirates de Baie-Sainte-Marguerite
10. Hockley Blue Crabs

The 2024-25 LMBSJJMBS season will start on August 1st 2024.
The Jean-Jacquoise and Burnhamese Series will be played in the last week of march 2025.

Happy 2024-25 season and may your team wins the Jean-Jacquoise and Burnhamese Series!

[Cassadaigua]

Playing out the group stage,
by Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

In a 162 game CBL season, it can be very common for teams to wrap everything up with a handful of games to go to where they are just playing out the remainder of the games. You can always make the argument of seeding, but when there are not first round byes in play, as is the case in World Baseball Classic 58, the importance of grabbing the #1 seed is not the biggest of deals. You can make this parallel in all sports, really, that have a playoff system. In soccer, and this is includes are own CSL, there is no playoff. You have a regular season, and who ever is on top of the table is the champion but when looking at football (or what others refer to as gridiron), basketball, and hockey, you have the playoff games, so seeding is important. Following a 7-3 win over Equestria, Cassadaigua is 15-1 with a one game lead on Quebec and Shingoryeo for that top spot, while many other elite contenders at the top of their groups are 13-3. Technically, Cassadaigua has not wrapped up the group on Nova Anglicana. Technically. The Fillies could lose out and the Lions could win out, making both teams 15-5, and if that happened, head to head would be split. We would then go to head to head run difference, and that’s close enough to flip in one game. However, do the Fillies look like they will lose out?

When you look at those other sports, especially within the domestic leagues, how often do you see that team that wrapped everything up early end up losing in the first round in a series that everyone considers an upset? On paper, it is indeed an upset, but it gets overlooked that the first place team was in cruise control over the final week or so of the season while the team that scrapped their way into the playoffs was fighting for their lives with every game that they were playing, arguably being in the playoff mindset. When that series starts, the upstart doesn’t have to flip the switch to playoff mode while the first place team likely has to flip two switches, the first being to get out of the cruise control mindset, and the second to get into the playoff mentality. In that type of series, it’s important to get out on the right foot if you are the top team.

So, why I am bringing all of this up? Because soon, we will be playing playoff games and it’s not going to matter any longer how good Cassadaigua was in the group stage. You have to keep on battling, and with Nova Anglicana still close enough right now, it might be just enough to keep the players on the pink and black from falling into cruise control. In my previous article, Makenna Anglin was quoted as saying, “There’s still too much of the group stage to play. You don’t want to look ahead and let bad habits creep in that will still linger for the playoffs.” This is such an underrated statement, because what is meant by bad habits is indeed going into cruise control. It might be a good thing that Nova Anglicana is 11-5 right now, with an important head to head matchup coming up between them. And of course, at the international level, “playing the backups” will not be the same as it at the domestic level. If manager Allyson McIntosh opts to play backups, we’re still talk about superstars within the nation of Cassadaigua.

Another topic that I want to discuss as we come down the stretch here was some statistical analysis that is credited to BNN, from Ubernordwinds. In it, the Pythagorean record of the Fillies was mentioned as being only the sixth best in the World Baseball Classic despite the team having the best overall record going. In baseball, we have statistics for just about everything, as fans of Wally The Win Expectancy worm can profess. Advanced stats is something that has crept into other sports as well, and in many instances I believe that they are very meaningful. However, this Pythagorean record, does it highlight a concern? This measure, if you are unaware, uses a formula based on the runs scored and allowed by a baseball team and calculates what a team’s record should be. Using it, we can determine if a team is playing above their heads or disappointing. I believe that this particular statistic clashes with a more important measure that calculates the resiliency of a ballclub. What is the team’s record in one run games? Or games decided by three or less runs? If you are continuously pulling games like that out, are you playing over your head, or are you are just a highly resilient group that is able to find a way to win those games in the end? There is not an answer to that question, is simply something for baseball fans to debate, and we know that sports fans love to do that. I think it says more about a team to be pulling out close games in the end, rather them steamrolling everyone. That said, the Fillies do have a +57 run differential, which is third overall, so it’s not as if the team is weak in that record.

Back at Mini Cassadaigua, fans continue to get graced by well known sports figures (non baseball), or other celebrities. Pop star Macie Mays was the most recent person seen there, and she even performed some songs there without the benefit of a concert stage behind her. I was not there to see it live, but from the recordings that I have on social media, I must say that I was very impressed. There has been some question as to whether or not we might see some royal figures here, but the sentiment is that the public would rather see Cassadagan musical icons like Mays rather than a member of royalty. At the moment, there is no plans from the Palace to attend a game, but they have not ruled it out. If that were to happen, it would only be a trip to the stadium, though.