WBC 55 - Drawkland Road Trip

[Ko-oren]

The LPB and ticket sales: any stadium enlargements coming up?

While domestic baseball was in no means in the hole attendance-wise, the LPB move obviously drew more fans into the stands. There were fewer games to go around (184 in two seasons versus a little over a hundred in one season), and with supply down and demand going up through better opposition, it was a golden year for the bean counters.

The North
Four almost equally sized ballparks in a North division that wasn't necessarily seen as very entertaining but turned out to be Ko-oren's greatest gift to the league. The Echizen Dragons, as time went on, sold out their weekend games more and more, and even the weekday ones were pretty well attended. Locals - but also everyone from Alara island - flocked to the ballpark because results were just that good, and vibes around the Dragons were already good. Their 24 thousand Uvesaki Field isn't expanding though, because the market isn't that large, even if they did get some sellouts here and there. The Teragaseki Originals entered the season with no expectations, but even they got their 22 thousand Vidari Stadium full a few times (mostly against the Dragons), but they too aren't moving or expanding. The Selesi duo, the Furune Bees and the Arakura Knights, were a little unpredictable. The former because it's the first time professional baseball touches Furune, the latter because they could finish first or fourth in the division. In the end, the Furune Bees had incredible home support due to discounted tickets for students - with the discout slightly smaller next season, and if they sell as many next year, an expansion to the 21 thousand seating Obsidian Hive is unavoidable as they could become the North's biggest team in support. The Arakura Knights already play in a 28 thousand seater - which is already far too big, so we'd rather shrink it a little.

The South
Two big teams, two small ones. The Katashi Generals already have their massive huge 58 thousand Katashi Dome. The Katashi Giants are the slightly smaller team (31000 Maesaki Park) but there is no way they're touching the historical building - that, and their weekday games weren't well visited with the huge disparity between the Giants and Generals in quality. If the Giants get up there with on-field quality, the fans will come, and they might have to figure something out. The Aviansola Admirals were welcomed back to the southeastern town after a few years of absence, and love for the team and the game won out over penalising the owner for moving the team away in the first place, and the 11000 Naminaka Park will see some upgrades for next season, to make them not the smallest ground in the conference - especially with all the travelling Katashi fans. The Nitoya Silvers (18000 Twin Field) won't have to do anything for a while.

The West
Two big teams, and two experimental movers. The Ferrovente Whales (20000 Ventovente) have already announced construction works - they sold out more than any team, owing to a smallish stadium and a hugely successful team. The Santa Teresa Stars have the second largest stadium in the conference (37000, the Citadel) and they won't have to touch it. Yes, it's full on weekends against good teams, but support dwindles to maybe 20 percent of that in different conditions. The 12000 Vamada Océanique stadium of the Amandine Wanderers wasn't filled that often, but it did turn out to be a great draw for tourists in the most beautiful area of Ko-oren, so maybe when 'travelling to Étouille for the views, the water, the beach, and the baseball, I guess' is a thing, they'll have to upgrade. The Desierto Challengers had the lowest attendance, because of their market consisting of dozens of towns across a few hundred kilometres, but they had a crazy number of home TV viewers (who had to look at empty-ish stands in the 14000 seating Colenario Municipal). Their tickets are cheaper, season tickets are cheap, there's a lot of packages, but nothing yet in year one.

[Abanhfleft]

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

TYPICAL ABANHFLEFT

WRITING FROM DUCENTU, DRAWKLAND - Oh, boy. It’s happened again. The story continues to unfold before our eyes, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon. HUElavia has once again emerged triumphant over Abanhfleft, and because of this the two nations are pretty much equal when it comes to their head-to-head record in this World Baseball Classic. That has actually had the knock-on effect of making the Revolution’s position in Group H even more precarious than usual as we are still yet to play Nova Anglicana for the fourth time. HUElavia just proved that just because Abanhfleft are doing good doesn’t mean that they’re now free of the vagaries of the sporting gods. Anything can still happen in the sport of baseball, and Abanhfleft still has a chance of mucking it all up.

Having said that, I was already resigned to the possibility that it would be QoD that would put an end to our winning streak. It couldn’t last forever, I knew that, and QoD looked like the team most likely to drag us right back down to earth because that’s what they’ve been doing to us since pretty much the start of this Classic. That’s just the way that things are. I can’t sugarcoat anything. It’s not really in my nature. But when it turned out that it was actually HUElavia who was going to do the bringing back down to earth thing, well, it was both expected and unexpected at the same time. You would just expect HUElavia to be the team that snaps the Revolution’s winning streak, but at the same time, you don’t want them to be the one to do it because of all the pain and disappointment that they’ve brought to our country because they’ve beaten us so many times before.

But we have more than enough time to talk about the defeat to HUElavia later. Right now, let’s focus on our third game against QoD. And, despite how big this match was originally hyped up by both sides, the start of this game was actually a dull and forgettable affair. No runs were scored in the first four innings! It’s definitely a far cry from those games where either one of Abanhfleft or QoD get to scoring almost immediately. This game had become a chess match with either side probing the defenses of the other and trying to find any sort of weakness. It would be the Revolution that would cave in first though, giving up a solitary run in the fifth inning, but the positive of that is that Abanhfleft only gave up a single run in that inning. In the old days, that one run would have been the thing that broke open the floodgates and allowed QoD to score even more runs, but this is a new-look Revolution now, and we don't do that here. And you know that this team is serious about this being a new leaf because they responded to giving up that run by scoring a run of their own; Jarred Hardwick making his way around the bases through some revitalized batting from the likes of Booker Draves and Giovanni Perkinson.

But then it looked like it was all about to be for naught once again. QoD scored another run in the seventh inning, and the Revolution were unable to respond to that. And then things would get worse in the eighth inning as that was the moment when QoD chose to unleash hell. Well, actually, all they unleashed was three runs, but given Abanhfleft's history of collapsing when things don't go our way in the closing stages of any game in any sport, it might as well have been hell on earth. But once again, these lads were determined to prove that they were nothing like the Revolution teams of old. They were a team that didn't let their heads go down just because the opposition had scored three runs on them in the eighth inning. In fact, this team was going to be the team that responded to giving up three runs by scoring a couple of runs themselves courtesy of Booker Draves and Cedric Colon, although they did come close to not scoring anything at all because both Elbert Freeman and Gio Perkinson struck out during their respective at-bats. It would take a monster hit from Ben Anderson for Draves and Colon to scramble their way back to home plate, thus proving that while the Revolution were down at the moment, they were most certainly not out of the game.

And they weren't done with this game just yet. There was still at least one inning left to play, and Glenn Smith and company did their job in the defensive side of things by preventing QoD from adding to their lead. But soon it was time for our batting order to hold up their end of the bargain as well and either win the game outright or force extra innings. We would end up going to extra innings as Donald Edwards (pinch hitting for Hashim Bansamun) and Aedan Soto managed to score the tying runs but our push to win the game fizzled out at the end. Time to play the tenth inning then, and almost immediately the team almost undid all the good work that they had done in the previous nine innings by giving up two runs. Not only that, but the first two batters for Abanhfleft in the bottom of the tenth struck out as well, leaving the Revolution's ability to nick this win away from QoD very much in doubt. But then to the rescue came one Jarred Hardwick. Two pinch hitters, Antonio Myles and Don Edwards, had already laid the groundwork before Hardwick by getting themselves on base, and after warming up via a 2-2 count, Hardwick finally let loose, and he sent that ball into the left stands to get that walk-off triple homer and had QoD their first ever L in this Classic.

Now that we’ve handed QoD their first ever defeat in this Classic, everyone was on cloud nine as the team went back to Ducentu Municipal Stadium to welcome HUElavia for the second time. The mood in the team was good. The Revolution had had two successive good games against the team in yellow. Surely a third victory wasn’t out of the question for this team, especially after they just beat literally the best team in Group H, right? Um, not really. Like I’ve said before at the start of this particular blog post, HUElavia seemingly have this power over Abanhfleft where they can reduce any team flying the blue, orange, and green flag to a shadow of its former self and claim victory whenever they want. Now I don’t know where this power of theirs went during the second and third games against the Revolution, but HUElavia have rediscovered that power, and they used it to its fullest for their fourth and (hopefully) final game against us in this Classic.

I’m not kidding when I say that HUElavia found the switch to turn off the Revolution and what had been up to this point a pretty decent batting average. Barring a few instances in some scattered innings, Abanhfleft just couldn’t get the bat to hit the ball. I don’t think I’ve seen us have this many innings where three batters stepped up to the plate and all three batters were put out immediately. We were able to score a few runs in this game, one in the second inning and two in the eighth, but against HUElavia’s six runs, that was just simply not enough. Thus is the power of HUElavia over Abanhfleft sports teams, and fans of the blue, orange, and green will walk away from this match feeling like nothing has actually changed at all between their country and the team in yellow.

So that’s it then. My gut told me that we would be seeing a 1-1 split once again, but what my gut didn’t tell me was that it got the teams all wrong. It wasn’t QoD that was going to end our winning streak; it was actually HUElavia. Which seems about par for the course considering who we are and who they are. But there’s no time left for us to think about the past and what could have been. There are still a few more games left to play, and those are against Nova Anglicana and Azevedocity. Are we going to have another 1-1 split in this one? Most probably. Are we going to be beaten by the team that’s beaten us before or will we slip up against the team that we’ve beaten before? It’s also very much possible. And as always, I’ll be there to tell you all everything there is to know about these games. This is the Armored Dinner Jacket saying ciao, peace. Catch you in my next post.

[TJUN-ia]

From a neutral start, the Battin' Jags of TJUN-ia were starting to look more like the steam train they once were. 7 wins on the bounce have dragged us back up to a 10-4 record and 2nd place in this group, precisely what Phillip Hellas-Verona would've wanted from this team who are still developing from their old masters in the shadows of The Link. TJUN-ia felt like they were back in the groove but with 6 games to play, the battleground was still alive and full of potential pitfalls. The aim for these Battin' Jags is to try and get as high of seeding as possible, either in the Ro16 or the Ro24, and this Exit would show us just how careful we have to be.

Up first was the final game of Round 3, up against Brookstation back at Sixth Drawkionel Park. Jason McRae was facing Dave Border this time but he wouldn't last long before Brookstation were out for blood and looking to cause chaos among the pigeons. He had to be pulled for the simple fact that it was 8-0 to Brookstation by the 8th inning, though Kimi Holvanen had already entered the game in the 4th. We did manage a Grand Slam off Martina Andrade de Souza in the 8th, to make a statement about our abilities, but Brookstation weren't gonna lose this game...and so, we had to move on.

Up next would be the start of Round 4, the final matchups against all 5 opponents that will decide where everyone lies in the hierarchy of the Northwest Group. Up first would be the final duel with the Outliers of Chromatika as Gene Almac and Clara Anoyara faced off for one last time. This game could be described by a simple phrase that can perfectly describe how things went here in Hessport - "Back and forth until it wasn't". Hunter Jakes scored first blood, Kenra Annovar his back with two, Jakes decided that wasn't enough and hit back with 3 to make it 4-2 and once he added 3 more 2 innings later, the game was practically over right there and then. 3-1 overall over #6, 7-2 today and just like that we were back within 2 of the group lead.

Rouyoute and -Anthor- will be up next, both teams we should hope to beat if we want any shot of making it into the Round of 16. No matter what happens now, everything will be decided in due course. GO JAGS!

---

Results: vs Brookstation (24), vs Chromatika (6)
Standings: 11-5 (2nd)
Next 2 Fixtures: @Rouyoute (UR), vs -Anthor- (UR)

[Super-Llamaland]

LBA WARNS OF "CONSEQUENCES" FOR SITTING GAMES AGAINST NORTH CASSADAIGUA
Jonathan Po, LBC Baseball

NEW LLAMA CITY -- Although initially coy on the subject, LBA President Owen Duffy suggested that he would pursue the punishment of players who refused to play against North Cassadaigua should the Tigers and the new Dagan region be drawn together. "The Llamanean national team has always stood for the free expression of political views, and we recognize that the recent annexation of North Cassadaigua is a sensitive political topic," Duffy announced in a press conference, held this morning after days of relentless pressure owing to leaked reports that certain Tigers were considering a boycott. "But we have to also recognize that our players have made a commitment to the team for what will be a long playoff run. They are welcome to protest - but abandoning the team in any playoff series would have consequences that they would need to accept."

It was first reported by LBC News that, with a Tigers - North Cassadaigua matchup plausible in the first round, multiple national team players were considering refusing to play against North Cassadaigua. The report sent shockwaves around the Llamanean baseball community, which has very little prior history with national team boycotts, especially once it was confirmed that the actions were tied to a "lack of belief in the legitimacy of the North Cassadaigua government." While the majority of players and manager Buck Fuchs were strongly against any boycott, and no player had publicly commented on it, the baseball community quickly noted several players' past strong opposition to the Tumbran annexation of the Northlands, extrapolating these views onto opinions of North Cassadaigua.

While Duffy has been reluctant to comment publicly on the issue, his hand was somewhat forced by the Llamanean Sports Ministry's aggressive culture of transparency, as well as the issue of a potential player boycott of any North Cassadaigua series becoming a cultural flashpoint after the recent leaks. "The question of whether or not players should refuse to play North Cassadaigua depends on how you feel about the Dagan monarchy as a whole," Lisander Guo, a professor of politics at Xingcheng Polytechnic stated in response to the press conference. "The older generations are broadly supportive of the monarchy, remembering the two teams' past sporting rivalry and good relations. Maddie Polanco, who managed Cassadaigua for two decades after winning WBC40 with the Tigers, is a great example of the positive sporting relationship the two nations have had, and that's been reflected in consistently high approval ratings of Cassadaigua in the past. But the younger, more socially progressive generations, who grew up after Super-Llamaland withdrew from sporting competitions, don't have that kind of relationship with the Dagans. When they look at North Cassadaigua, some of them see an illegal settler state in the same vein as Tumbra's presence in the Northlands."

For their part, while the Llamanean government is "quickly moving" towards official recognition of the Five United Clans, they have been somewhat quieter on the issue of North Cassadaigua, again owing to their higher opinion of the Dagan monarchy. Although the Cooper River massacre was officially condemned, the government almost certainly will refuse to recognize the River Republic or pursue further action against North Cassadaigua. Meanwhile, Duffy's statements have all but confirmed that the LBA will take the stance of the Llamanean government on this issue, and early reports suggest that the LBA President is considering suspending any players who do refuse to play for the remainder of the WBC.

The announcement has, as expected, polarized Tigers fan communities, which have been significantly more acrimonious this WBC than their 13-3 record might suggest. And while Buck Fuchs has brought an era of good, if weird, vibes, it is sure to cast a dark cloud over the Tigers' strong start that has seen them score nearly seven runs a game in dominant fashion.

[South Newlandia]

Malidridad Mariners

Offseason Movements:
The Mariners are still mid-rebuild, but they’re starting to gear up. After a season that saw many of their prospects start to blossom, they decided to bring in a new coach, Addo Jassey, who has previously been successful on the coaching staff of Banija; and acquired a number of elite players that will help them become competitive sooner rather than later. They also notably managed to hold on to the majority of their players; although they lost a trio of former high draft picks (SP Osborn, RP Zhu, LF Guthrie), none of them had actually held up their end of the high-pick bargain. All three of them will try to catch on in Anaia. Lastly, they also saw outfielder Andrea Montanari depart, with him joining the Monarchs in free agency.
The additions, of course, were the much more interesting story for the M’s. Along with Addo Jassey, they brought a trio of Lions into the building, headlined of course by Malik Soley, the Banijan superstar first baseman. He may not be the youngest player ever anymore, but he will still make a tremendous impact immediately, and be a guide to the other Mariners; chief among them Nolan Ramsey, last seasons’ rookie of the year, himself also a first baseman. Defensively, Ramsey will try to play some corner outfield, Soley will play a bit in Right Field, and they’ll also play at DH frequently; but that’s beside the point here. The other two Banijans brought in were starting pitcher Xolile Gola, who will immediately become the M’s undisputed ace, and young Center Fielder Joanna Adoyo, who will be a significant building block for a long time.

Draft: (Position: 8)
After trading for the pick that would become Nolan Ramsey, the M’s unfortunately also had to face the reality that they would surrender their 8th pick in this draft, getting only the 48th in return, due to the Mariners floundering and the Wizards dominating. On the upside, they received the 12th-overall pick from the Newport Owls, as compensation for the Owls trading up the draft before (a move that backfired majorly for the Owls, with the trade target, Chromatik Kim Jung-Wook, returning to Anaia this season). They spent it on a pitcher to give Gola some company that is somewhat capable, getting righty Lio Günther, an A-graded recruit who still needs to iron out his command a bit. They later also had three picks in the second round, due to the Owls- and Wizards trades mentioned earlier, which they spent on a reliever at 32 in 20-year-old southpaw Divyansh Thakur, a B-graded recruit who needs to surrender fewer home runs, and a pair of outfield prospects at 36 and 48, landing Justin Tucker and Aaron Lewis, both 23 and both C-graded recruits, for left and right field respectively; with Tucker a noted power-hitter, while Lewis is the exact opposite, and has a more contact-focused playstyle.

Outlook:
With the addition of the three Lions and coach Addo Jassey, the M’s are definitely turbo-charging their rebuild; but they’re definitely still in the midst of it; this roster is not quite playoff-ready yet. Look no further than the fact that they have only two good pitchers, total, between Xolile Gola and Elephant Dhruv Webber. The line-up is definitely the strength of the M’s, but catcher Kelley and and second baseman Jason Valbuena are liabilities at the best of times. Nevertheless, between Goodson, Hunter, and Ramsey, some recent draft picks are paying off; maybe the M’s can keep the successes going with this class.
That much for the on-the-field Mariners; one thing we’ve so far neglected to mention is that the extremely small and out-of-the-way market of Malidridad is still fighting with the team over a potential new venue. With most of the area around Malidridad still subject to heavy environmental protections, moving the M’s out of town is very much on the table; all of which will likely weigh on the Mariners on the field.

St. Riecarn Saints

Offseason Movements:
While teams like Elephant Valley or Malidridad are turbo-charging their rebuilds, the Saints around Quebecois manager Dana Hussel are taking things a bit slower. After yet another season spent mostly losing, the Saints are still in the process of slowly adding pieces and building a winning culture over time. However, this offseason proved to be a major obstacle to that; with the Saints losing a significant number of players. They lost both of their decent starting pitchers in Ienaga Vineno and Tovi Niva, both from Ko-oren, and former first-rounder Pamela Sullivan to Anaia; and the free agent bleeding didn’t stop there. Recent All-Star shortstop Josh Malouf of Brookstation signed a big deal with the Walstreim Stingrays, young reliever Ethan Ress signed with Kyrinson, and their slugger 3B Mitch Sneider went to Rüsselsheim. Beyond all those, the Saints also chose to trade away reliever Richie Higgins, landing Center Fielder Rufus Salas in return in a three-way deal with the Owls and Dachshunds; and outfielder Josh Ludwig, very much in the final years of his career, was dealt to Masmow for first baseman Bucky Jimenez.
There was some compensation for all of these losses, though. They signed a number of young free agents to aid their rebuilding efforts from outside the LPB, adding a pair of international players from Brookstation to hopefully fill the hole Malouf left in their heart, with pitcher Pat Jensen hopefully becoming their new ace, and Kieran Ripeppi as a significant threat in the outfield. They also brought in a pair of players from Kaedeki, namely reliever Nakajima Ryoi, who will assume closing duties, and shortstop Sasaki Hanzo. To accommodate him, Anthony Hancock will slide into third.

Draft: (Position: 4)
The Saints looked like they would be the odd team out, with the 4th-pick in a draft with three players considered S+ material. However, they were fortunate enough to have a new ace of the future fall to them; with Wolodymyr King, S+ graded southpaw starting pitcher from South Newlandia, available at the fourth pick. Besides being freakishly tall, King has a devastating slider, and may be just a few small adjustments away from being ready to win Classics. Beyond him, the Saints also were supposed to have picks 27 and 28; but they traded them away in return for a first- and second-round pick in the next draft.

Outlook:
The Saints are considerably overrated by some due to their actually really good starting pitcher rotation. Beyond King and Jensen, they also have another lefty in Angela Wu and Robert O’Connor, both relatively recent top-10 picks; and Lester Plattsburgh, definitely a fan favourite, from Qasden. However, beyond that, the Saints have by far the worst roster in the South Newlandian League; with barely any talent besides the three newcomers (Nakajima Ryoi, Kieran Ripeppi, Sasaki Hanzo), with the exception of Chromatik international Marea Homaly. This Saints team is far from ready to contend; but they’re definitely laying the groundwork to be competitive in the future. For now, a decent batting line-up is not optional, and will hold the Saints back.

EVSM Estimated odds of | Winning the division | Making the playoffs
Sun City Flames: 34% | 49%
Walstreim Stingrays: 58% | 79%
Malidridad Mariners: 7% | 11%
St. Riecarn Saints: 1% | 1%

[Milchama]

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Sports Section

Milchama Clinch Playoff Spot

With two wins in their last two games the Milchama Warriors have officially clinched a playoff spot in the World Baseball Classic. That brings our record of consecutive playoffs to at least 10 and it might literally be every single WBC we have ever entered. Honestly, who has time to go over that history, I know I don't. All I know is that Milchama has been good at baseball in every era we've ever played and this era is no different. Since returning from our Isolation the Warriors have made the playoffs in every edition of the WBC and this one will be no different after Milchama built a 5 game lead on North Cassadaigua and Strayaroos with 4 games to go.

However, the more interesting thing is how Milchama got there because that was difficult. The Warriors had two walk off wins against Strayaroos and the hard-luck Barnettsville Blue Jays to secure playoff position. We now join the announcers for each game for how they ended.

"The Warriors have really played poorly today. A clearly inferior Roos side has taken us to the cleaners and lead 3-1 in the bottom of the 9th. However, the one good thing is the top of the order is up to bat. ... Baker takes a walk to put a man on first. ... And Handston strikes out, that's one out. Not his best at bat. ... And Temmons sees that hanging slider and pulls it over a single so runners on first and third and one out for Marius McNeesh. McNeesh waiting and the ball comes in and it's hammered, back back back back GONE!!! HOME RUN!!!!!! MILCHAMA WIN THE GAME!!!!!!!!!!! What a comeback! The Warriors were losing 3-1 but a 3 run homer by Marius McNeesh has pulled them out of it and Milchama beat Strayaroos! What a comeback!"

And now against Barnettsville:

"No Manfred Man in the WBC so the Warriors will have to do it the old fashioned way... Altani leads off with a single. ... Oh no! A wild pitch by the Blue Jays and Altani is in to second. 1-2 on Yehudon with no out and Altani on second and it looks like she's going to bunt!. She will bunt and it works! It's fair, Altani moves to third with one out. Interesting strategy by Clioch to try and bring over Altani. This might just work here. It looks like a pinch hitter as Amos Piochta comes in to bat. ... 1-1 count on Piochta. Third pitch and he hits it hard, it's over the right fielder's head and that'll do it! Altani comes into score on the Piochta single and Milchama win late again! Two in a row on late heroics! What fighting by the Warriors to win close games!"

Nevermind Pythagorean win/loss if we can keep doing that then only good things will happen to Milchama. Let's hope that good luck stays for the future!

[Chromatika]

Outliers Move Ayonara Off #1 Spot after Third Loss to TJUN-ia

The Chromatika Outliers have been doing quite well in the Group Stages of WBC 55, having a 13-3 record and leading Group B with four matches to go. Unfortunately, all three losses have been to the TJUN-ia Jaguars, and uncharacteristically, they've all been by one Clara Ayonara.

Ayonara, who was dominant in the Group Stage-opening bout against the Jaguars, lost her third straight decision against them, falling to 1-3 in this WBC. In all three defeats, she gave up runs in the early innings. Sure, it could be said that the Outliers didn't do her any favors by getting cold behind the plate or that the bullpen blew it to allow so many runs to TJUN-ia late in the games, but for a pitcher that Chromatika expects to be one of the world's best, a 1-3 record, even against one of the other top teams in the world, is not good enough.

That is why, in a surprising move (but one that Ayonara has also reportedly agreed to), Ayonara will not be the team's #1 pitcher come the playoffs.

"It's a decision that needs to be made to set the tone straight," stated Captain Alisen Mayamoto, "And the other four pitchers haven't dropped a game yet. It's not that we don't have confidence in Clara - I have all the belief in the world that she will return to form once we hit the knockout stages - but it's important to set the tone straight in the playoffs, and we also have the responsibility to make sure that we are set up for success."

So, who is the favorite? That is a difficult question to answer, as everyone else hasn't dropped a game, and none of the other opponents are as hard as TJUN-ia.

"We will make that decision as a team after the last game of the Group Stage when we've hopefully won the group," announced Mayamoto, "And it'll be someone that everyone can get behind being the Chromatik ace of the moment. Not overall - Clara still has that - but of the moment, at least."

Delapier, Savey, Levey, and Jarwin. Who will be the ace heading into the most important playoff series in years?

[Banija]

Back to back home wins 'all but' clinch the group for Banija and punch our ticket all the way to the Round of 16

ARCHIFEL CAPITAL, DRAWKLAND- We did say, that if we won these two home games, we would have done basically 'all but' everything to punch our ticket to the knockout stages. And that is exactly what we did. With the wins over New Eestiball and The 189, that extended our lead over Ko-oren to 4 games, with just 4 games left to play- making it virtually impossible for the Dragonflies to catch up to us in the group. "While we have not officially clinched winning this group yet, still having a magic number of one, our success so far shows that we are indeed capable of making some real noise at this tournament." Isaaco Oladipo told reporters. "But while we start strong, we all understand that it is not about how we start- it is about how we finish. Everyone will forget about 13-3 if we can't pair it with postseason wins, so it is important that we keep our eye on the prize, to put ourselves in the right position to win those knockout stage games."

So what happened in this mini-homestand?

Game 15: Banija v. New Eestiball

Of course, the Banijans were huge favorites against New Eestiball. We were atop the group, while they were all alone, in the group's cellar. And Ava Odoyo, our #5 starter, came onto the mound as our pitcher in this contest. Odoyo, to her credit, wasted no time. The unranked, debutant, New Eestiball team was clearly no match for Banija's pitchers, as Odoyo simply mowed down batter after batter in what ended up being a shutout win for this squad. Through 7 innings, she struck out 11 batters, and allowed 4 hits and 2 walks. It was absolutely an elite pitching performance- one that could end up being incredibly important for the stretch, as it could potentially be her last chance to impress Oladipo to remain in the rotation before the knockouts.

While the bats were not crazy loud this game, they did enough to put away their opponents. A leadoff home run in the third inning, by our #9 hitter and catcher, Anathi Zimema, scored the first run for this team, and we simply never looked back. A RBI single drove in another run in the bottom of the fifth, while a two run double in the sixth brought in two more runs. And that, was all she wrote. Banija's pitchers had plenty of run support, and in a Banijan fan dominated ballpark, that was all they needed. Diko Maatle took us through the 8th, while Sebaga Atla, in the non-save situation, took us through the 9th inning successfully.

Game 16: Banija v. The 189

With our own ace, Xolile Gola, on the mound, there were plenty of ways that this game could go. But here's the story- this match was a pitcher's duel, until, suddenly, it was anything but. We hit a 2 run HR in the bottom of the third, but they responded with a moonshot of their own in the top of the 4th to cancel out our longball. And then, just pitch for pitch. The 189's sole pitcher went toe to toe with our ace, and the game was seriously in doubt. Gola was able to pitch all the way through the 7th inning, despite getting in trouble. After getting the first 2 outs of the seventh, she allowed back to back singles, with runners on the corners and 2 outs.

After a mound visit, Oladipo decided against calling on the bullpen, and trusted his starter to get one last out. She did exactly that, forcing a pop up to end the inning. And that would be it for The 189. We exploded in the bottom half, batting around the order, all 9 hitters getting to the plate, and four of them scoring. A tight, 2-2 game had been broken wide open, and we scored one more for what was ultimately a 7-2 victory for team Banija. That win put Banija at 13 wins and, for all intents and purposes, finished the race for who will finish top in this group- although the fireworks for second and third will surely go to the final matchday.

[Loyo]

Analyzing Each Starting Loyon Batter's Performance at WBC 55 Qualifying

A few days ago we looked at the starting pitchers for the Sunshine Tigers. We learned that Seung Hawoo was even better than his most vocal supporters imagined, and we also learned that Lukas Wren is NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME.

So now let's take a look at the most common starting lineup for Loyo, and see how each of the batters have performed at the plate.

1. CF: #23 William “Billy” Yank, 32, L (St. Donghai’s)

Billy Yank is a presence in the center field, and is still providing great contact even into his 30’s. Yank doesn’t have a powerful swing, but he’s tricky and he knows his way around a batter’s box. He’s provided great moments this tournament on defense, but his batter has left fans wanting more. Yank is likely to hang up his glove next WBC, although he’s said he isn’t against retiring if the team makes it to the playoffs this year.

“That would be a great conclusion to my career. If we don’t make it happen this round, I’m always ready and rowdy for another shot at the dance!”

2. SS: #18 Bo Ayoyara, 28, R (Narangara Motors)

Ayoyara is exceptional at getting on base more than any other member of the team. He’s working on his release, and hitting coach Lee Sanghyeok has had nothing but praise for the athlete.

“He’s been working a lot to get to the level of the rest of the competition. He knows what he needs to work on and what he’s good at. We’re getting closer and closer to closing that gap.”

3. 3B: #13 Jimi Fiazzo, 29, R (St. Yoosan’s)

Jimi Fiazzo is one of the most personable players on the team: the true life of the party. He’s also the most consistent batter on the team.

“When I think about my life, I regret that there are batters I can never hit off of. Hon Soto, I still remember you. Black hair, round glasses. You struck me out at recess in second grade, and I will not rest until I’ve hit one of your pitches into fuckin’ orbit.”

4. 1B: #17 Shiryo Gerras, 31, R (St. Hayahoma’s)

The home fans all cheer for Gerras. The everyman, Gerras has been a positive presence since the Loyons landed in Drawkland. From helping fans to decorate Wizard Field, to dedicating extra time to help up-and-coming players, Gerras has been busy as a bee this WBC. On the field, Gerras has been strong on offense and defense, a force of stability for the rookie team.

5. 2B: #28 Maru Deljefe, 34, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)

Deljefe isn’t as fast as some of the younger players, but she might be the Loyons second-best power hitter. She’s had big plays in big games this qualifying cycle, most notably her double against Delaclava on MD 11. While this might be her last year with the team, she’s proved her strength at the highest level, and will be forever remembered as someone that helped lead Loyo onto the world baseball stage.

6. DH: #9 Leo Miagara, 28, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)

Miagara has been relatively quiet, flying under the radar as more prominent players put on top performances. Leo’s quality has dropped off since the group stage’s first few games, and hasn’t found the end of the ball when his team has needed him most. Miagara has time to redeem himself, but the coach might decide on a different designated hitter next time around if he isn’t careful.

7. LF: #20 Isabel Morata, 28, R (St. Yoosan’s)

Isabel Morata doesn’t offer all that much on offense except for her speed, but she manages to strike contact now and again. She’s mostly in the lineup for her stellar defensive skills, which may be the most finely-tuned on the team. Her catch against Quebec and Shingoryeo might be the best defensive play of the tournament for the Loyons.

8. RF: #22 Meung Boma, 30, L (United Sugar)

Much like the batter above her, Boma has a lot more to offer the defense than she can offer the offense. Boma rarely hits the ball, but she does have significant power behind that bat. She’s been working with the hitting coach closely, and it might be a few cycles before that pays off. The national team’s manager, Chase Min-Son, has praised her improvement, and has told the press that he has “a plan in mind with Boma in a key position”, which has not been elaborated upon.

9. C: #7 Ross Chariot, 31, R (St. Mianho’s)

Ross Chariot has been a bit of a flop on offense. He’s managed a few walks, but just can’t find a way to hit the ball where it won’t go foul, into a fielder’s glove, or into the catcher’s glove. He’s been a bit nervous of losing his position in the team, and for good reason. Chariot has been stellar in domestics, but maybe he isn’t made out for big international games.

Lineup for MD 17 (@The Star Enpire)
1B: #17 Shiryo Gerras, 31, R (St. Hayahoma’s)
2B: #28 Maru Deljefe, 34, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
3B: #13 Jimi Fiazzo, 29, R (St. Yoosan’s)
SS: #2 Patrick Dore, 27, R (Kamisusunai Steel)
RF: #6 Francis Koo, 29, L (St. Donghai’s)
DH: #9 Leo Miagara, 28, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
LF: #20 Isabel Morata, 28, R (St. Yoosan’s)
CF: #23 William “Billy” Yank, 32, L (St. Donghai’s)
C: #7 Ross Chariot, 31, R (St. Mianho’s)

Pitching:
SP: #33 Lukas Wren, 30, R (United Sugar)
RP: #32 Misha Moon, 28, R (United Sugar)
CP: #24 Dongho Son, 30, R (St. Donghai’s)

Lineup for MD 18 (v.s. Bohr)
1B: #31 Rita Sassulo, 29, R (United Sugar)
2B: #28 Maru Deljefe, 34, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
3B: #16 Chrissy Salvatore, 29, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
SS: #18 Bo Ayoyara, 28, R (Narangara Motors)
RF: #22 Meung Boma, 30, L (United Sugar)
DH: #9 Leo Miagara, 28, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
LF: #20 Isabel Morata, 28, R (St. Yoosan’s)
CF: #23 William “Billy” Yank, 32, L (St. Donghai’s)
C: #1 Hyon Shin, 27, R (St. Yoosan’s)

Pitching:
SP: #21 Lacy Cross, 29, R (Kamisusunai Steel)
RP: #32 Misha Moon, 28, R (United Sugar)
CP: #10 Ari Mun, 29, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)

[Ranoria]

@KrautsBaseball Tommy Verona reportedly done for the season after suffering a labrum tear in the second inning against the Canadian Dominion. With Miellan Walker having pitched plenty the day before, a bullpen collapse was predictable. #WBC55

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Fireballer Tommy Verona Suffers Torn Labrum, Done For The Season As Ranoria's Injury Bug Continues to Rear Its Ugly Head


Long time ace Tommy Verona was clearly in pain after he exited the field in the second inning

For longer than he'd likely care to admit, Tommy Verona has been the backbone of Ranoria's pitching staff. Arguably the most successful among one of Ranoria's most prominent sporting families, Tommy's the younger brother of former RFL quarterback Paul Verona and the uncle of QFL quarterback Astrid. He accumulated several QBO all-star nods as an ace pitcher for the California City Dodgers, and he's been the ace of this team since our return in WBC 49. In that run, he went 7-3 to help lift the team to its overall 15-15 record with a shallow pitching pool, with an ERA of 3.49 not being stellar, but his best showing game in a game 19 shutout against Nagore.

With that solid performance though, he became the backbone of one of the best Ranorian teams to ever play in the Classic. Come WBC 50, Verona dominated. Drawing plenty of favorable matchups, he finished 6-1 and allowed just ten runs in the regular season, including shutting out the top team in the group, the Greater Nordics, in a monumental win that would kick off a by-now-fabled 10-1 run to finish the group stage, only to cap it off by allowing just one against them in the group stage finale to get the team to 19-11.

Things weren't quite as pretty in the playoffs - the Sherpa Empire smoked him for 5 runs in their first match before he held them to one in a game 5 that saw an upstart squad knock off the defending champions. At the time, it was the biggest non-gridiron victory Ranoria had ever seen on the international stage. Of course, he finished the playoffs 1-2 after Newmanistan hung 6 runs on him in 7 innings, but we all knew that was coming. He also accumulated a 4-2 record in WBC 51, but his ERA was well over 5 after a couple troublesome meetings with that same Newmanistan team that seemed to have his number.

Verona has since improved his playoff record to 3-3, having helped pitch in 2 sweeps before the disastrous showing against Kriegiersan last campaign.

This cycle however, the writing was on the wall - Verona's lost a bit off that fastball to the tune. He's been a huge reason that the Canadian Dominion has had such an incredible season, going 1-3 in starts against them now and allowing 11 runs in 27 innings for a not-so-pretty 3.67 ERA. Along with Jorge Billing's shockingly poor showings, it's been a bumpy road trip for the Krauts, who were hoping to be cruising down the highway to a favorable seed. And it all came to a head at the start of the second inning two days ago, when Verona let rip his first pitch of the second inning (after allowing two runs in the first, mind you). The long time starter was clearly in pain, and was subbed out quickly for Alabaster Cappa. However, with Miellan Walker having pitched to capacity recently, the 10-5 slaughter was perhaps to be expected as the Ranorian bullpen left the game gassed and beaten.

"That one stings," said assistant manager Jonas Nuhl, who also serves as the head man of the Elephant Valley United in the LPB, "Verona's the heartbeat of our pitching unit, and we're going to have to make some adjustments to try and fill that gap as best we can. No one can fill the ace's shoes, but we'll do our best."

The injury, with Verona having already retired from his role on the California City Dodgers during domestic play, is very likely a career-ender, a tragic development coming just after Ranoria finally seemed to have broken out of their three-season long funk with a quarterfinal berth in WBC 54 and being in the hunt for a playoff spot this season. If this is indeed the case, Verona will retire with what may not be a transcendent resume compared to some of the top pitchers in the Classic, but certainly the best career any Ranorian pitcher has posted in this competition.

WBC:    W-L  IP   ER   ERA
WBC 49: 7-3  85   33   3.49
WBC 50: 6-1  60   10   1.50
Playoff:1-2  24   13   4.88
WBC 51: 4-2  43   27   5.65
WBC 52: 4-2  49   16   2.94
WBC 53: 4-2  52   12   2.12
WBC 54: 1-1  16   6    3.38
Playoff:2-1  24   6    2.25
WBC 55: 1-3  27   11   3.67
Total: 30-15 401  134  3.01

Jorge Billing and Yahweh Bohannon both entered the season vying for the Krauts lead pitching role - Bohannon's been stellar so far, unbeaten in starts and having allowed just one run in three wins while Billing has suffered a pair of meltdowns in losses. The Krauts have a decision to make come playoffs, if they even get in - start the LPB All-Star and hope he turns it around, or ride with The Cannon and hope for the best.

Verona joins outfielder Rubin Graves and second baseman Philip Franklin on the injured list. Graves is suffering a hamstring injury and should return for the playoffs - the Krauts are taking their time with him as RJ Hall as been solid in the outfield, and Franklin is scheduled to return in our next game, but may not take back his spot from the younger John Solomons.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Avalon

PART 16 - Final Girl

Christine the Second, the Queen of this northernly nation, the explicit owner of millions of souls deceased and implicit owner of those on her own fiefdom, had finally come to look at Eileen (Plongeon) once again. Pretending to be a nurse on appearance now, she was trying her best to ignore the tremor of her hands as she just stared at the unconscious patient lying on the hospital bed.

I have tried my best to save someone dear to me, and that wasn't you. She thought to herself, as she closed her eyes for a second. This was turning out to be a bit more tiring of a job than expected, but who was she to judge her own position? But now, she had one task to do and it was to save Eileen de Ramaut, and then start preparing for saying eventual goodbyes to her own grandmother. Of course, the narrative would come to suggest that Christine, while preparing her goodbyes, would be interrupted by her friend Asher who will be giving him the first few chapters of a new manuscript from the eventual seven-book series named 'In Search of Lost Past' (A la cherche du Passes Perdus).

May this be enough to end the suffering for this woman, and for the muse to continue for both sides of the puzzle, even if it's for a short while. A voice deep inside her, surprisingly calm and low, alto-pitched, spoke. Christine raised her left hand and after placing them some distance above Eileen's feet, slowly moved them like a harpist's touch until her left hand stopped right above her head. And may this mean that I, still a mortal, will be able to not regret the last time I'm asking her everything. Whatever that may come to be.

And as Christine wept from deep inside, the veil that she had casted too changed in colour from complete transparency to semi-transparent, blue layer that suggested magically protected, vacuumed space. Seeing how the component pieces of the veil consisted of thousands of small otters, the symbol that both Henri and Christine had selected when named Prince(ss) of Abitibi, Christine realised that the cycle of 'The Hero(ine)'s Journey' was running full course, in a parallel.

It was a realisation that only one person could be saved at a time, and that whoever is saved would have to eventually move onto eternity before the healing would be completed. While she did not exactly know the logic or the conditions behind such, it was something that she would only find out later in time.

Christine finally opened her mouth. 'Well, here we go.' said the Queen, as she splashed the vial at the veil before eventually taking a step back.

The veil started to change. The colours still remained, with the aroma of three-hundred-and-sixty-five year old ginseng mixed with extractions of Bulrocho [不老草, means roots of immortality that have existed for millennia in East Asian mythology, in particular those of Chinese origins] spreading into the room. The room did not change colour, for it did not seep into a Tamarindian-Wightling trance that the patient's husband, whose undergrad thesis was written under Isabel Jurado, a woman of those backgrounds who have been last seen in Kirkross, The Licentian Isles, have fallen into in their college days.

But now, the veil was starting to activate its effects, and inside it existed millions of particles that would be used to seep into Eileen's body. Not being able to escape the veil that had confined them, they would collide into every direction possible before finding their way into the patient, and slowly and gradually her consciousness and body would be able to feel and move, even if it would take hours and hours before tiniest coordinated movement would allow her to drop from the sky inside her dreams, and for her to slowly wake up from her coma.

I see, Christine said to herself inside her head, as she continued to watch. From what she had remembered with these kinds of magic, especially those of evaporable nature, the disposal of such magical veil wasn't a problem at all. And with that, it's for the best to let myself not be seen.

Now the colours in Eileen's face and limbs were returning. And Christine was hearing the sound of slowly-healing souls back in Delte, those that she did not expect to hear from so far, but they, with the teardrops she had dropped as she left the land, slowly found the land bringing the humanly senses back to them.

'Now,' Christine opened her mouth for one last time, as she looked at Eileen's face. Her eyes were still closed, but the loose strands of her brown hair, those that had lost vitality while in coma, were slowly gaining what they had lost. 'May we end up bumping into each other's paths as little as possible. The rarer the better, the less likelier the merrier, and less the overlap the better. Not because of whatever we think about each other, but because that may be the best for those who we love and protect.'

At that moment, Christine returned to invisibility mode and flew back to Joongyeong. Around this time, her other half would be sleeping in the same bedchamber with her husband and with their usual tendency - with Christine waking up at five and Caspian six-thirty - there would be no doubt that returning just in time was prudent, especially to avoid collision course in the same way that her friend had accidentally seen her in a transformation phase when they were housemates over fifteen years ago.

[Drawkland]

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CUTOFF for MD17 and MD18!
Only one more set of games to go after this. Enjoy today's cutoff song!

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METRO DISTRICT (GROUP A)

South Americanastan          1 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  7
Cassadaigua                  1 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1  8

Kriegiersien                 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 0  6
Pizorty                      0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2

Furilisca                    1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2  4
Drawkland                    2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

Cassadaigua                  4 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 2 11
Furilisca                    1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  2

Drawkland                    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Kriegiersien                 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1

Pizorty                      0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
South Americanastan          0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 X  1

  Metro District (A)          Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Drawkland                    18   12   6    78   54  +24    0.667
2 Cassadaigua                  18   11   7    84   66  +18    0.611
3 Kriegiersien                 18   11   7    93   59  +34    0.611
4 South Americanastan          18   10   8    89   85   +4    0.556
5 Furilisca                    18    7  11    56   96  −40    0.389
6 Pizorty                      18    3  15    59   99  −40    0.167

NORTHWEST (GROUP B)

Brookstation                 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3  3
Anthor                       1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 X  5

Godchouzetsu                 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0  2
Chromatika                   1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 X  3

TJUN-ia                      0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
Rouyoute                     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1

Anthor                       0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  2
TJUN-ia                      2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 X  4

Rouyoute                     0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0  2
Godchouzetsu                 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1  3

Chromatika                   1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 3  7
Brookstation                 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0  4

  Northwest (B)               Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Chromatika                   18   15   3   113   81  +32    0.833
2 TJUN-ia                      18   13   5   112   97  +15    0.722
3 Brookstation                 18   10   8    95   83  +12    0.556
4 Rouyoute                     18    8  10    83   79   +4    0.444
5 Godchouzetsu                 18    5  13    81  110  −29    0.278
6 Anthor                       18    3  15    70  104  −34    0.167

*Rouyoute currently trails Brookstation 0-3 in head-to-head, so they could not pass Brookstation in a tie.

NORTHEAST (GROUP C)

The Orion Islands            1 0 3 3 1 0 1 0 0  9
The Greater Nordics          3 2 0 0 7 1 0 1 X 14

Catholic America             0 0 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 10
Eshialand                    0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 5  7

South Newlandia              0 0 0 4 3 5 0 0 0 12
Venmere                      0 0 0 5 0 0 0 2 0  7

The Greater Nordics          0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0  3
South Newlandia              0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 X  4

Venmere                      0 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 0  5
Catholic America             0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Eshialand                    0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  3
The Orion Islands            3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  4

  Northeast (C)               Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 South Newlandia              18   18   0   169   57 +112    1.000
2 Catholic America             18   10   8    76   95  −19    0.556
3 The Orion Islands            18    8  10    73  105  −32    0.444
4 The Greater Nordics          18    7  11    96  115  −19    0.389
5 Eshialand                    18    6  12    78  113  −35    0.333
6 Venmere                      18    5  13    76   83   −7    0.278

KAYO'S EASTLANDS (GROUP D)

Super-Llamaland              1 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 1  7
Delaclava                    0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Bohr                         1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1  4
Quebec and Shingoryeo        0 3 0 3 0 0 1 0 X  7

The Star Empire              2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2
Loyo                         0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 X  5

Delaclava                    0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0  3
The Star Empire              0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1

Loyo                         6 2 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 14
Bohr                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Quebec and Shingoryeo        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Super-Llamaland              0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X  1

  Kayo's Eastlands (D)        Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Super-Llamaland              18   15   3   115   71  +44    0.833
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo        18   14   4   111   54  +57    0.778
3 Loyo                         18   10   8    97   95   +2    0.556
4 Delaclava                    18    9   9    75   80   −5    0.500
5 Bohr                         18    3  15    54  118  −64    0.167
6 The Star Empire              18    3  15    54   88  −34    0.167

WEST COAST (GROUP E)

StrayaRoos                   0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2
North Cassadaigua            0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 X  5

Elmyia                       0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  4
Barnettsville                0 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3  7

Milchama                     0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Zwangzug                     0 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 X  5

North Cassadaigua            0 1 0 0 0 3 1 2 0  7
Milchama                     0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3  6

Zwangzug                     0 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0  5
Elmyia                       0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1  3

Barnettsville                1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1  6
StrayaRoos                   1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0  5

  West Coast (E)              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Zwangzug                     18   15   3   129   44  +85    0.833
2 Milchama                     18   12   6    98   95   +3    0.667
3 North Cassadaigua            18    9   9    69   92  −23    0.500
4 Barnettsville                18    7  11    89   94   −5    0.389
5 StrayaRoos                   18    7  11    94  117  −23    0.389
6 Elmyia                       18    4  14    75  112  −37    0.222

HEARTLAND (GROUP F)

Sea Dome                     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
StrayaRoos Barrier Islands   1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 X  5

Liventia                     3 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0  8
Canadian Dominion            2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

Ranoria                      0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3  5
Tikariot                     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2

StrayaRoos Barrier Islands   5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0  8
Ranoria                      2 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1  9

Tikariot                     1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
Liventia                     0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 3  6

Canadian Dominion            0 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 2  8
Sea Dome                     0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1  3

  Heartland (F)               Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Ranoria                      18   12   6   103   69  +34    0.667
2 Liventia                     18   12   6    90   86   +4    0.667
3 Canadian Dominion            18   11   7    71   62   +9    0.611
4 Tikariot                     18   10   8    92   69  +23    0.556
5 StrayaRoos Barrier Islands   18    5  13    61   98  −37    0.278
6 Sea Dome                     18    4  14    63   96  −33    0.222

SOUTH CLIFFS (GROUP G)

New Eestiball                0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 0  5
The Sherpa Empire            0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Oscioru                      0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2
The 189                      0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1

Banija                       2 5 0 2 0 0 1 1 2 13
Ko-oren                      0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  2

The Sherpa Empire            1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2
Banija                       1 1 4 0 0 0 1 1 X  8

Ko-oren                      0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0  6
Oscioru                      0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0  4

The 189                      0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0  2
New Eestiball                0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  1

  South Cliffs (G)            Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Banija                       18   15   3   111   52  +59    0.833
2 Ko-oren                      18   10   8    75   87  −12    0.556
3 The Sherpa Empire            18    8  10    64   77  −13    0.444
4 Oscioru                      18    8  10    77   73   +4    0.444
5 The 189                      18    7  11    51   80  −29    0.389
6 New Eestiball                18    6  12    70   79   −9    0.333

ELLZIDAN'S SOUTHEAST (GROUP H)

Quintessence of Dust         0 1 0 1 0 3 2 1 0  8
Azevedocity                  0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0  3

Princess Rainbow Sparkles    0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1  5
HUElavia                     0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2

Abanhfleft                   2 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1  7
Nova Anglicana               0 0 1 0 2 4 1 1 X  9

Azevedocity                  0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Abanhfleft                   0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 X  3

Nova Anglicana               2 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0  6
Princess Rainbow Sparkles    0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2

HUElavia                     0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2  4
Quintessence of Dust         0 1 0 1 2 0 0 3 X  7

  Ellzidan's Southeast (H)    Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win %
1 Quintessence of Dust         18   17   1   126   57  +69    0.944
2 Abanhfleft                   18   12   6   115   92  +23    0.667
3 Nova Anglicana               18   11   7   105   91  +14    0.611
4 HUElavia                     18    6  12    85  102  −17    0.333
5 Princess Rainbow Sparkles    18    5  13    73  101  −28    0.278
6 Azevedocity                  18    3  15    52  113  −61    0.167

Playoff Race
Clinched group title
Clinched playoff berth
Still in playoff contention

Non-colored nations have been eliminated.

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Here are the playoff seedings with two games to go in the group stage. Remember, the top three teams in each group will qualify for the playoffs. The group leaders will go directly to the Round of 16, while the 2nd place teams will face 3rd place teams in the Round of 24. Group stage rematches will be avoided in the Round of 24, shifting teams if necessary (for the lower-seeded 3rd place nation, if possible). However, group stage rematches from the Round of 16 onward will be ignored to keep the bracket consistent. Note the tiebreakers in the OP.

  First Place Seeds           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 South Newlandia              18   18   0   169   57 +112    1.000
2 Quintessence of Dust         18   17   1   126   57  +69    0.944
3 Zwangzug                     18   15   3   129   44  +85    0.833
4 Banija                       18   15   3   111   52  +59    0.833
5 Super-Llamaland              18   15   3   115   71  +44    0.833
6 Chromatika                   18   15   3   113   81  +32    0.833
7 Ranoria                      18   12   6   103   69  +34    0.667
8 Drawkland                    18   12   6    78   54  +24    0.667

   Second Place Seeds          Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
 9 Quebec and Shingoryeo        18   14   4   111   54  +57    0.778
10 TJUN-ia                      18   13   5   112   97  +15    0.722
11 Abanhfleft                   18   12   6   115   92  +23    0.667
12 Liventia                     18   12   6    90   86   +4    0.667
13 Milchama                     18   12   6    98   95   +3    0.667
14 Cassadaigua                  18   11   7    84   66  +18    0.611
15 Ko-oren                      18   10   8    75   87  −12    0.556
16 Catholic America             18   10   8    76   95  −19    0.556

   Third Place Seeds           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
17 Kriegiersien                 18   11   7    93   59  +34    0.611
18 Nova Anglicana               18   11   7   105   91  +14    0.611
19 Canadian Dominion            18   11   7    71   62   +9    0.611
20 Brookstation                 18   10   8    95   83  +12    0.556
21 Loyo                         18   10   8    97   95   +2    0.556
22 North Cassadaigua            18    9   9    69   92  −23    0.500
23 The Sherpa Empire            18    8  10    64   77  −13    0.444
24 The Orion Islands            18    8  10    73  105  −32    0.444

[Drawkland]

Hello WBC fans!

In the break between the end of the group stage and the beginning of the playoffs, there will be an All-Star Game and Home Run Derby event. This will serve as a laid-back experience to give playoff nation players a chance to relax before the playoff gauntlet. It will also serve as a celebratory experience for those who will be going home after the group stage. Everybody has a chance to watch the best in the multiverse play and show their skills! Surrounding the actual game will be other fun fan events, meet-and-greets, the Derby, and more.

The festivities will be held at Seven Stars Stadium, so that everybody can get a chance to visit the stadium, even if their favored team doesn't make it to the championship. Of course, fans of eliminated teams are welcome to stay in Drawkland and enjoy more baseball or tourist spots, though we understand if you just want to pack up and go home. Be sure to book your tickets now, because the seats will fill up fast!

---

On the "break day" between MD19/20 scorination and the first games of the Round of 24, I will be posting the All-Star event post instead of my usual scores. It will probably be at night, like my cutoffs have been. It will feature the All-Star Roster reveal, a Home Run Derby, and then a scorinated All-Star game. I may also choose the scorers/pitchers of the All-Star game based on the rosters, if I can pull that off fairly.

There will be two All-Star rosters, based on geographical positions of the groups. The Northern All-Stars will be selected from Groups A-D, and the Southern All-Stars will be selected from Groups E-H. I will construct a 26-man (or woman) roster based on the best or most notable players from each nation in those groups. As there are 24 nations in each half, there will be at least 1 player from every rostered nation. Unrostered nations will obviously not have a player included. Rostered but non-RP'd nations may receive a selection, or they may not. Regardless, there will be a few players from repeat nations.

The selection process will be vibe-based. Players whose names I've noticed a lot in RP's will definitely have the edge in selection. If you want a specific player of yours to make the roster, be sure to talk them up or bold their name in an RP posted before I start making the All-Star rosters on Wednesday (a bit before normal cutoff time). Obviously the better-performing and/or well-RP'd nations will be more likely to land multiple players on a roster.

The Home Run Derby will be scorinated with a hastily-modified file. I will attempt to make a workable formula by the time the All-Star post is being written, and give it a try. No promises on the results being sensical, but it's just a small bonus event. QoD has been looking at perhaps editing one of xkoranate's Shooting files, so that's where I'll start first. 12 players will be invited, 6 from each All-Star roster. The selection process will be All-Star players who have been notable sluggers for their team, based on RP or roster notes. In the actual scorination, the player's skill will be equal to their home nation's total cumulative RP bonus to that point.

The Derby format will be sort of a mix between the older and newer formats the MLB has used for the RL HRD. Players will be given three minutes to hit as many home runs as possible, regardless of swings and misses, fouls, short flies, or grounders. Like the MLB, a player will receive an additional 30 seconds of bonus time, and another 30 seconds if they hit at least two home runs over 440 feet. The actual format, however, will not be a bracket. It will be an old-school pool of players, all 12 will bat in the first round. The bottom two performers from each All-Star roster will be removed for the next round. The second round, with 8 players, eliminates the bottom half regardless of which side they're from. The remaining four players will be seeded based on their cumulative homer totals, and placed into a single-elimination head-to-head semifinal bracket. Each matchup's winner will face in the championship for the WBC 55 Home Run Derby crown.

The actual All-Star game will be scorinated in the Snelweg formula like everything else this tournament. The skills will be based on the cumulative RP bonus of all the teams in the respective groups. Even though it's not "real" results, this day will be treated as its own cutoff day for RP bonus purposes.

[Cassadaigua]

Bats wake up!
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

The last five games have not been that enjoyable for Carly Hodges. With one hit in her last 22 at-bats, she was in a slump at the wrong time and not showing signs of breaking out of it. Prior to the game against South Americanastan, her had struck out in five of her last nine at bats. Anyone who follows baseball knows this happens to everyone. Every .300 hitter out there does not get three hits out of every ten at bats constantly. There are highs, and there are lows, and the key to being a great batter is to limit stretches like this. If you’re going to go 1-for-22, many more people are going to notice if you do it in the World Baseball Classic than if you did it over a 4-5 game stretch in the middle of a 162-game season. Fans were beginning to get annoyed with her, and were calling for her to be taken out of the lineup, and if she struggled against the Bears, she’d probably force manager Allyson McIntosh’s hand to do so. In the loss to Drawkland, you could see that Hodges was getting frustrated over the slump, but she was doing her best to not let it affect other aspects of her play. Carly was still playing a good left field, and by all accounts was working hard in batting practice.

Against South Americanastan, Carly was still placed fourth in the lineup, leading to many Cassadagan fans to take to social media to criticize McIntosh for continuing to support Hodges like this. If anything, drop her in the lineup, but the manager was not going to do that. If McIntosh had seen signs that Carly was about to break out of the slump, then they were all behind the scenes because the pattern of recent strike outs did not suggest it. Perhaps she was just not able to withstand the pressure of playing in her first World Baseball Classic. That can happen. Or maybe she was getting home sick of being out here on the road for so long. In interviews, Hodges did not make any excuses. In her first at bat against South Americanastan, the team was already down 1-0, but Kristen Martorella was on first with two outs. On a 2-1 pitch, Hodges swung, and got a piece of the ball off the end of the bat. The little dribbler stayed fair, and did not go much further than a bunt, but Carly would run hard down the first base line, and would beat the throw for the infield single. Cassadagan fans loudly cheered, perhaps sarcastically, and the scoreboard operator had a little fun with it too, message underneath her picture from “Carly has 1 hit in her last 22 at-bats”, to read “Carly has 1 hit in her last 1 at-bats: Recent BA- 1.000". In baseball, we all like to break out of a slump in a big way, but a small victory like this, anyone will take. The next batter, Makenna Anglin, would drive in Martorella to knot the game at 1.

In the bottom of the second, another slumping batter, Emma Matthews (0-for-her last eight), stepped up to the plate, and hit a one out double. She’d score on a Morgan Brennan single, and the catcher would move to second on a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Lacey Maxwell. Tabitha Serrano, another hitter who’s been relatively cold of late, singled in Brennan and scored herself on a Chloe Sutterby single. Kristen Martorella would ground out to end the inning but not before she hit a ball just a couple feet foul that may have been about a 450-foot home run instead of a loud strike. With a 4-1 lead going into the top of the third, all was looking good, especially with Lacey Maxwell on the mound, a pitcher who would surely get all-star consideration based on her previous three starts. For the first time, unfortunately, Lacey was hit hard in the third. Even the runs she gave up previously were not hard hit balls, but against the Bears, she was missing location, and they made her pay. Lacey would not get herself out of the inning, and by the time it was done, the 4-1 lead became a 6-4 deficit. Could the Fillies bats be counted on for even more?

With two outs and no one on in the bottom of the fourth, Tabitha Serrano and Chloe Sutterby hit consecutive singles bringing up Kristen Martorella, who’s been the most consistent hitter in this lineup from game one and the most deserving batter on the team if you were going to take a hitter from Cassadaigua on an all-star team. In her previous at-bat, she had a near home run that went a bit foul. This one wouldn’t. While it was not estimated at 450-feet, 428 is plenty good enough, with an exit velocity clocked at 113.5 MPH. The three bomb put the Fillies back in front. Following Martorella, Carly Hodges got her second hit of the game, a seeing-eye single up the middle and much needed good vibes, though the Fillies did not do more in the inning. 7-6 held up until the eighth, but Alexandra Kempner could not hold the lead.

We’d go to extra innings in this huge match between teams that came into the game as part of a three way tie for second. The Fillies had won all three games against the Bears, and to sweep the season series would be a major win in regards to making the playoffs. In the bottom of the tenth, Carly Hodges stepped up to the plate, having been 2-for-5 to that point. With one out, she did something people are used to seeing out of her in Cassadaigua, but had not been seen enough here. It’s why Allyson McIntosh kept her in the lineup, and had her hit fourth. It will be one of the most memorable home runs of her career, not just because it was a huge walk off in extras in a critical game against a good foe. That would be good enough of a reason. But mostly because of how her Classic had been going leading up to it. Just maybe, this could be a turning point.

Following the game, there was a lot of question as to whether or not the offensive explosion would be a one time thing, or whether or not they could build on it. In the top of the first, with Serrano on third and Martorella on first, and one away, Hodges stepped up to the plate and drilled another home run, clearing the left field fence and giving the Fillies an immediate 3-0 lead. Makenna Anglin came up right after her, and went back to back, giving Natalia Gomez a comfortable lead before she ever threw a pitch against Furilisca. There would be no looking back, and no allowing the Furballs to get closer. Four more in the sixth continued the rout, and two more in the ninth had the team finish strong in an 11-2 win.

With that victory, Cassadaigua is not in a bad spot. They sit at 11-7, and are tied with Kriegiersien for second, and leading South Americanastan (10-8) for the final playoff spot. Since the Fillies swept the season series against the Bears, this means that the team will clinch a playoff spot with one win in their final two games, regardless of what happens in the other games, or regardless of whether or not that win is against Pizorty or Kriegiersien. (actually the math could suggest a tiebreaker potential issue for us if there is a four way tie at 12-8 if our win was over Pizorty and not Kriegiersien, so the team will still want to win both games). Interestingly, Drawkland is not looking as formidable on top of the group any longer, as they are at 12-6. It would be hard for the Fillies to pass them, given the Corps has the tiebreaker, but Kriegiersien can’t be ruled out of getting that position. I know some people are having fun with “what if’s” about the possible first round match up with North Cassadaigua. If the Northerners are able to make it, that’s a bit of a stretch to happen, but not completely impossible. Let’s just get there first, still two more critical games, beginning with Pizorty.

[Canadian Dominion]

Canadian Dominion in a contested group as 4 teams are trying to qualify for the playoffs

Today we get a story from the World Baseball Classic and the Canadian Dominion team playing for a chance at the Ro24 being seeded third in the group stage with the nation of Tikariot right behind with the group league score of 10-8, one win away from the possibility of taking the third seeded spot from the Canadian Goose baseball team. With Ranoria and Liventia managing to sneak ahead both are tied for the first seeded section of group F in Heartland. In other news with the games between Canadian Dominion and Liventia happened to be a failure of a game for the team the final score ending up being 8-2, and with that disappointing loss the team went back to the locker rooms with a chip on their shoulders wanting more from this tournament, but the coach reminding the players that nations who played for way longer have been in rougher spots then this team, and that we can’t just give up hope due to being closer to qualifying then a good amount of teams and it is our first year here. In his words he says “Team, we can’t use self pity as a form of trying to cope with a tough game! Yeah we had a tough game, but we are so very close to qualifying and if we just give up that would leave a huge rough patch in our record. So next game against Sea Dome we are going to give them a reason why we should stay in this competition.” The Canadian team showed up with a stunning 8-3 game, almost mirroring the game against Liventia but with that the team has shown there teeth and will be making their way to the Ro24 that is if they can manage to win the next two games in the final days of the group stage.

[North Cassadaigua]

Best options for Cassadagan sports expansion,
by Mark Flanigan, North Cassadaigua beat writer

If we’re gonna be part of Cassadaigua, then we need the sporting venues! Sure, this is reach right now as our region is not entirely at peace with The River Republic insisting on causing a problem near the Cooper River. It might be long term, but how can we bring sports to our region, and how much of it can we expect? First, we need to be realistic and realize that in comparison to the size of traditional mainland Cassadaigua, we’re pretty small so there’s not going to be an influx of sports programs here. There are things that we can be hopeful for, like second or third division soccer teams or minor league baseball teams. I would say bring us collegiate sports, but we’re going to need colleges first. That could be the subject for another article but it would really be the same article, because the best places for new sporting venues will also be the best places for new colleges to pop up. I didn’t need a degree to tie those two things together, either.

Some villages were better than others. Gastineau, from the pictures that were seen after the devastation, looked to be one of the more advanced places within the region before the destruction. Had it not been for that, then Gastineau would be a good candidate to be developed into one of the bigger urban centers here. I’m sure that there will be development there and it will still become a thriving place once again, but it will always have the figurative dark cloud hovering above it over what had happened there. It is part of the “Highway 11" corridor, which we have been hearing a lot about all of the sudden. That’s the highway that originates in Starksville, serves Concord Heights, and continues north, which will be expanded to travel into our region. This will mean that with direct freeway access to Concord Heights (and Brattleboro, which is not directly on 11, but can easily be accessed from it), anything that is on this corridor is a candidate to be developed into a sizable metropolis. While I think the plan would be for the bigger cities to be developed near the Cooper River specifically, that’s not going to happen with The River Republic hanging around. You know, River Republic people, this is probably going to be your biggest accomplishment, and you’re not doing it by violence and killing people: causing a disruption to the plans of the Queen to develop the infrastructure closest to the River has to be quite bothersome for leadership in Concord Heights. That threat will lead, for now at least, to Highway 11 not extending all the way to the north for a Cooper River terminus. Because of this, I’m expecting the bigger cities to be constructed on the Highway 11 corridor, but not far from the original border. It will also be very close to the border with Sicoutimont. Perhaps another area to be developed will be on the Highway 41 corridor, north of Grande Mountain, but also just outside of the original Cassadaigua border. That location would not be too far away from where North Granby presently is.

I remind you all that I am just a person who won a contest to serve as the North Cassadaigua team beat writer. I have no first hand knowledge of what these plans are, and I did not ask Princess Brianna while she was here. It will also take a long time for these places to be constructed, and I am hearing that Cassadagan businesses are ready to move in when the road map is a little better.

How about I talk about baseball a little bit now, and what a great last couple games it has been for our team, scoring a massive 5-2 win over StrayaRoos (got that annoying capital “R”), and then holding off Milchama 7-6. The ninth inning was scary there, but we hung on for the victory, improving our record to 9-9. They are two games ahead of a fourth place tie between StRayaroos (capitalized the other R just for fun) and BaRnettsville (because I want to continue and needlessly capitalize R’s), who are tied at 7-11. This means our playoff chances and opportunity to stay in DRawkland (paging Dr. Awkland) longer are very good, but not official. Our head to head record over BaRnettsville is the reason the tiebreaker situation might not be good for us. It’s not out of the question, but probably unlikely, that if we did make it, that our first round opponent is Cassadaigua. They have plenty of work to do to make the playoffs, too, but that would be one heck of a matchup.

[TJUN-ia]

The 4th split of an Exit we produced certainly reminded the Battin' Jags of TJUN-ia that nothing comes easy in the World Baseball Classic. This squad may have fought back from the depths of 0-2 and 3-4 to make it into this position of being a Top 2 contender, but everything is hard fought in the Baseball realm and nothing should ever be taken for granted by any stretch of the imagination. Phillip Hellas-Verona certainly felt like this WBC has been hard fought by these Jaguars, more hard-fought than any other since we first made the playoffs at WBC49, but making it back officially would certainly bring a huge sigh of relief to many back home. So let's go and try and do that, yeah?

Up first in the 2nd-to-last Exit of this WBC would be the evil parasite known as Rouyoute, DH and all at Korman & Black Stadium in Cavsar. This team has been nothing more than a pest since we first faced them and they should be happy we consider them as such...saying that about a debutant is certainly very interesting. This team could be something in the future but for now, Shin Suzuki faced off against Roxanne Bellarose for this final showdown and, while tight, it was pretty much only going to go one way. Joe Gregory managed a 3-run bomb in the 3rd and that would be all she wrote about this one, although Lucille Bonnet did add a run of her own to give her side something from the game. It certainly was good to go to 2-2 against these guys...and we will certainly consider them as our equals if we were to cross paths in the future.

Then we came back to Sixth Drawkionel Park to face the Thunderheads of -Anthor- for one final time and Harrison Kyle vs Daniel Robertson part 4 would certainly not disappoint. We would get off to the start that would end this entire thing, with 4 runs coming in the first 4 innings thanks to a 2-run bomb from Anastasia Mykvinich and solo bombs from both Stefan von Shültz and Santino Fenatti making things pretty much set in stone before the midway point of this contest. Ryan Hardy did make things a bit nervy in the 8th with a 2-run bomb, but Carlos Buena managed to stay consistent in his run defence and the 4-2 win was secured. As was our Top 2 spot in this group, which was certainly pleasant to see.

Mission complete with 2 games to spare certainly sounds very cool, but the job is not yet done before we can finally relax for the All-Star Break. Both Godchouzetsu and Brookstation stand in our way one last time and we need to make sure we go out with a bang. Currently, we are slated to take on The Sherpa Empire in the Ro24...let's see if we can end on a high, eh? GO JAGS!

---

Results: W 3-1 @Rouyoute (UR), W 4-2 vs -Anthor- (UR)
Standings: 13-5 (2nd)
Next 2 Fixtures: vs Godchouzetsu (UR), @Brookstation (24)

[Abanhfleft]

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

WE MAY HAVE WON THE BATTLES, BUT HAVE WE LOST THE WAR?

WRITING FROM DUCENTU, DRAWKLAND - Ugh, this whole situation is just so bittersweet. The Abanhfleft Revolution are through to the playoffs of the 55th World Baseball Classic this time around, but our position is still very much precarious. That defeat against Nova Anglicana stung once again, and not just because it’s the Lions beating us once again. Getting beaten by the same team time and time again is always going to sting, but this one stings even more because the Revolution were actually decently competitive against the Lions this time around! It’s those games where you have the edge at the start that really hurts.

I think it all stems back to that defeat against HUElavia on the opening day of the Classic, as well as the more recent defeat to the team in yellow. Without those two defeats, our position as the second seed out of Group H would almost certainly be locked in. But because we just can’t beat those HUElavians, we are left scrambling to get wins out of our final two match-ups against Princess Rainbow Sparkles and QoD and hoping that Nova Anglicana will drop one or both games as well. It’s never a good feeling when you have to rely on other teams’ results to prop up your own because you failed in doing the one job that you needed to do, which is to make sure that the team is in its best possible position through your own blood, sweat, and tears. Okay, maybe the blood part was a bit too dramatic, but you get my point, right? At least I hope that you all get my point.

And we started off so well against them, just like we had been doing these past few games in the Classic. Maël Corneau got us off on the right foot by hitting a single, and he also managed to steal a base during Hashim Bansamun’s at-bat. Bansamun himself would end up going out on a fly out, but once it was Jarred Hardwick’s turn to bat, he hit that sucker far enough for Corneau to get round third base and come back home to open the scoring. Aedan Soto would also manage to get a single and move Hardwick to second base, putting him in a good position to capitalize should someone do the same thing that he did for Corneau and send a long ball down the field. But that guy wouldn’t be Elbert Freeman; no, it was actually Gio Perkinson who helped Hardwick score Abanhfleft’s second run of this game.

Ben Anderson would be the next person to score for the Revolution, but it would take him until the second inning before he could actually make it count, and he had to do some funky stuff while the guys after him in the order messed up their batting and struck out, and if Hashim Bansamun hadn’t struck that double, it was very likely that Anderson would have gotten stranded out there. Aedan Soto would score a run of his own as well, but his came in the third inning, and though it looked good at the start with the first three batters for Abanhfleft all getting on base, the batters after them didn’t do so well. Cedric Colon did get an RBI to his name by hitting the ball towards left field, but though he helped Soto score that run, it also ended up getting Gio Perkinson tagged out, and the inning ended soon after that thanks to the next two batters striking out.

Nova Anglicana started their comeback in the bottom of the third inning with the Lions scoring one run there, and though it wasn’t much, it definitely spelled their intent to go down fighting, if they should go down at all. Things calmed down in the fourth inning somewhat with both teams going through their three outs almost immediately, but once we got to the bottom of the fifth inning, things started heating up yet again. Nova Anglicana scored two runs, putting them within one run of equalizing with the Revolution. Ben Anderson scored his second run for the Revolution in this game, once again taking advantage of some good batting from the rest of the order to get himself back to home plate. In response to that, Nova Anglicana did the unthinkable: they scored a grand slam. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Lions scored a grand slam to not only take the lead of the game but to swing the momentum of the whole thing their way. And once it was on their side, it was never going to come back to ours. We tried to fight back, but that grand slam really took the wind out of our sails, and the lads could never really get their heads back into the game after that. Such a shame, really. We could have won this game and given ourselves a bit of a buffer going into the last two games of the group stage, but once again we’ve let things slip through our fingers.

It was thus understandable that Abanhfleft would not have a great start in their fourth and final match against Azevedocity. I mean, to have come so close to getting what could have been an important victory for the tiebreaker over the team right next to you in the standings only to drop the ball both figuratively and literally, it really does a number on some people. And the players of the Revolution were no different. Sure, they may have been more resilient than the Revolution teams of old, but they're still human beings in the end with all the emotions and dreams and desires that come with the human condition. And it doesn't matter how mentally tough or resilient you are; when things are going so well before suddenly taking a downturn, it can be hard to try to figure out a way to get out of that funk. And it was clear during the first three innings of the game against Azevedocity that the Revolution players were still in that post-defeat funk.

Azevedocity could tell that we were in a funk as well, and they moved to take advantage of it. Luckily for us though, this is Azevedocity we're talking about here. If this was any other team in the group (and I'm actually counting Princess Rainbow Sparkles here) then Abanhfleft would have found themselves in a pretty deep hole soon enough. However, Azevedocity isn't exactly like those other teams. They've definitely got potential, but right now they're not living up to it. And they definitely didn't live up to it when they could only muster up a single measly run against the Revolution while the latter was still stuck in the doldrums of what could have been. Frankly, a better team could have done a lot more damage to Abanhfleft's campaign than what Azevedocity did. And that could very well have been the difference.

That being said, Abanhfleft still had to respond to this, or else they were going to lose two games on the trot. They didn't really do anything about it in the first three innings like I mentioned, but when it was time to play the bottom of the fourth inning, Kurtis Lingenfelter finally noticed that his team were in a deficit. "Wait a minute! Are we really losing 1-0 against fucking Azevedocity?" I'm sure he asked both himself and his men. "We can't let this happen! If we lose this game then Nova Anglicana will catch up to us in the win percentage column! Somebody do something!" Now admittedly, the scenario I laid out is not necessarily what actually happened in the dugout, but I like to imagine that Coach Kurt delivered a (metaphorical, of course) kick in the ass to the players to finally get them out of their funk. It didn't work that much, I also have to admit, but the boys did just about enough to arrest the slide and even turn the game back into their favor. Hashim Bansamun practically forced his way around the park to score the tying run in the fourth inning, and then Gio Perkinson and Cedie Colon scored the two runs that would win the game for the Revolution in the seventh. It wasn't much, admittedly, but it's still honest work, and it was enough for Abanhfleft to maintain their hold on second place going into the final two matchdays of the group stage of WBC 55.

The playoff stage is pretty much set then, at least as far as Group H is concerned. QoD have pretty much cemented first place in this group, while Abanhfleft and Nova Anglicana have locked down second and third place respectively. By that, I mean that no other team has a chance of spoiling the party for either the Revolution or the Lions. They're in the playoffs now, plain and simple. But whether Abanhfleft will remain in second place and Nova Anglicana in third is still up in the air. The last two games of the group stage will pretty much decide who goes into where at the end of the day, and victories over Princess Rainbow Sparkles and possibly QoD (unlikely but could still happen, as we saw a few days ago) could be the difference between playing the Canadian Dominion or TJUN-ia in the Round of 24. At this point, every single victory counts. The game against QoD could be a write-off, meaning that that final match against Princess Rainbow Sparkles has now become a do-or-die game. Nothing except victory should be acceptable for this team now. We've already beaten the Princesses three times before; surely a fourth is not that out of the question? Please don't mess up this opportunity, boys; this is the first time in some time that we're back in the playoffs of the World Baseball Classic, and I really don't want us to throw it all away, so please don't do it. This is the Armored Dinner Jacket saying ciao, peace. Catch you in my next post.

[Delaclava]

Jake's notes, observing the Delaclav batting lineup after a few games with the team:

1. Valery Robiquet ~~ fussy, temperamental, a tight-ass. He knows how to scamper when he makes contact, that's for sure. No improvement in our sessions either as a hitter or as a lay.

2. Teuvo Kujala ~~ Cold and distant, refused my help. It's a shame. This team needs him to be hitting his best, and those broad shoulders are too stiff to get the job done.

3. Ben Dawson ~~ The boy's got a lot of junk in the trunk and he knows how to use it. But really, he's very sensitive and I think just needed someone to listen to him. It sure wasn't me, because I tuned out whenever he was talking about the pressures of being a star player, or being a new father... whatever that was. That's not my job. Jakey ain't your therapist.

4. Kaspar Komarov ~~ One of the biggest improvements I've seen on the team. He's not trying to overcompensate anymore. He's settling down, sitting into the pitch, and getting good wood on the ball. If he keeps going that, he can get a playoff berth, a loving partner, whatever he wants.

5. Artem Butkovsky ~~ Another player who refused my help. Very aggressive, pushed me over a table when I got too forward with him. I wasn't used to it. It was kinda hot. But I don't think the aggression is suiting him on the field right now. He hits and throws like he's trying to murder an elephant.

6. Sharip Melnikov ~~ He's got hips like a lady, but he's learned how to use them. He's generating more power and getting the ball out of the infield more consistently. He's not hitting any home runs still, but he's giving it his best shot.

7. Francisco Adam ~~ Look, I'll throw an old fogie a bone, but that dude ain't 34. Gravity has had much longer of an effect on him than that. So I had to insist that I wouldn't be working with him. You might be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but I'm not going to be the one to take pity on that mutt.

8. Cody Brewer ~~ There isn't a lot that scares me, but that dude's got crazy eyes like a coked-up killer. This was easily my most fun assignment, but this wasn't really about the baseball. He's in the zone anyway, hitting and fielding like a man possessed. I prefer pleasure to business anyway.

9. Gaetan Mailloux ~~ For a guy who pretends to have a sassy personality, I was disappointed to learn that he only does it proselytism-style. You can tell a lot about a person that way, and he's not nearly the risk-taker he'd want you to think. He does know he hits ninth, right? It doesn't get any lower than that. He tried to convince me he was the "second leadoff" hitter, but I know that means they want him hitting less than the pitchers. And I sure don't want him batting anywhere near me. So, nothing I could really do for him. Best of luck though.

Overall: It's plain to see why they're still only getting about three runs a game. The season's running out, but if they can trust me and implement my tools, they'll be satisfied with the results.

[Drawkland]

How every Drawkland WBC stadium got its name

Stadium names are a big part of a ballpark, and consequently, a team's identity. Some are so classic that it would be heresy to change the name, others seem to change names twice a decade. Many stadiums are named from major corporate sponsors, some are named after team legends, others are just named after the teams themselves. Either way, the name of a stadium can tell you a lot about the history of the venue, the city, and its tenant(s). Here, we go through every stadium hosting WBC games this tournament, and how they got their current names. These will be listed by the group they're hosting games in.

PLAYOFF STADIUM

Seven Stars Stadium: Purpose-built to be a huge multi-function stadium venue, Seven Stars was in development for a long time. The stadium is technically owned by the "Centivar County Complex Ownership Group," a conglomerate which includes wealthy Centivar County residents, DISC executives, and benefactors from Drawk City and Metropolon. Its first job was the World Cup 79 final, and as a way to drum up excitement for the cup, the ownership group had DISC run a fan suggestion survey to gauge the interest in various potential names. One of the leading names was Seven Pillar Stadium, a reference to the large columns outside and inside the stadium. One fan suggested the name Seven Stars Stadium as a play off of that concept, and the name stuck among the ownership group. Other potential names were given to other locations within the complex: Millennium Arena for the "smaller" venue, and Grand Gate Park for the whole stadium area.

METRO DISTRICT GROUP

Corps Central Park: The Drawk Corps HQ features four stadiums for each of Drawkland's major sports (football, the other football, baseball, and basketball), surrounding a glassy skyscraper in the center which serves as the Drawk Corps' national offices. Each of the venues features the same naming convention, "Corps Central" followed by a sport-specific field term. Corps Central Arena serves basketball, Corps Central Pitch serves soccer, Corps Central Stadium hosts gridiron, and of course Corps Central Park has baseball. The Corps needs no outside sponsor, as they're all about their own branding and image, hence the self-naming convention.

Capital Park: As with all the buildings in Metropolon, Capital Park was part of the pre-planned nature of the city. All of Metropolon, down to the irrelevant apartments on the outside of town, were dreamt and designed by a federal commission headed by Iarocav himself. This includes the major stadiums in the center of town. Though Metropolon had to wait until it was fully completed and filled with residents before they could land professional franchises, the venues were more than ready to host pro-level ball. As Metropolon was built with both federal funds and from Iarocav's coffers, it didn't make sense to sell off naming rights to a corporate entity. Thus, the commission that oversaw all of Metropolon's construction decided to go with a simple and recognizable name for the stadium, being that Metropolon was Drawkland's new capital.

Hydrogen Cyanide Field: It seems a little odd that a stadium would be named after an actual poisonous chemical. This park in Drawk City is home to the Drawk City Scouts, a longtime franchise in the league which has had some rough stretches in the past. A young tech mogul bought a majority share in the Scouts, and when the previous naming rights for the stadium expired, he personally paid the fee for the next naming rights. The name is a reference to the "hydrogen cyanide incident," a classic and triumphant moment in Scouts history. Maybe one day I will tell that story in full.

Civic Athletic Field: Rovoss is not one of Drawkland's major cities. It wasn't an old-time kingdom like most big Drawkian towns, so that limited its growth. It's difficult to win the sports arms race, being just a few hours from the huge centers of Drawk City, Metropolon, and even Sadeg in a reasonable distance. This resulted in Rovoss only receiving a minor league franchise, but they made the best with what they had. The old site of the minor league Athletics squad was simply undeveloped land owned by the local government. When the stadium arms race really began, Rovoss didn't have the means or the reason to build a huge park, but they give it a good shot. The original site was developed into an actual stadium. Rovoss city council justified the cost by making the stadium into a public access park during the offseason and road trips. Being technically considered a public park, the name Civic Athletic Field was selected by the city as a nod to both the local government origin and the name of the primary tenant.

Corps University Ballpark: It's the ballpark for Drawk Corps University. Why overcomplicate things?

Paganues Field: Old Mountain University is a pretty old university, though the name is just a coincidence in that respect. The university was founded back when mononym names were still widespread in Drawkland, so a lot of the most famous founders and alumni of the university have such names. Paganues was the name of OMU's more famous alumni, who was one of Drawkland's major philosophers in those early days. As for why they named the baseball field after him? The stadium was built next to the hill where Paganues would allegedly do his studying while at the university. This fact isn't verifiable, but it's been a campus myth for centuries.

NORTHWEST GROUP

Craggold Field: This is one of Drawkland's oldest and most respected stadiums. The stadium was built in the Craggold neighborhood, an uptown settlement in Sadeg which runs along a steep cliff face. When the stadium was built in the early days of baseball, it was simply named for the neighborhood. The venue became so iconic that a name change is simply out of the question at this point. When you say Craggold in Drawkland, one's mind immediately gravitates to baseball and the storied history of the Sadeg Knights.

Sixth Drawkionel Park: This park in Hessport has gone through several name changes. The current form is dedicated to Meliauden, the wife of Drawkland's leader Iarocav. There are five Drawkionels who founded and governed Drawkland. Though Meliauden was born well after Drawkland's founding and thus wasn't part of the original saga of the Drawkionels, her dedication to the nation and relevance in Drawkian affairs earned her the colloquial nickname of "the sixth Drawkionel." Meliauden was born in Hessport, and is known to be a big fan of their sports teams, especially the Blockade. With her ownership of season tickets, minority share in the team, and penchant to show up to dozens of games a season, a fan group signed a petition for Meliauden herself to bid for the naming rights. The rest is history.

Krakon Athletic Coliseum: Krakon has long been the home of athletic and combat sports. The site now inhabited by the KAC has been in use since gladiators and knights plied their trade in Drawkland's northern reaches. The site has gone through dozens, perhaps hundreds of modifications, remodels, and reworking for whatever sport is in vogue at the time. The current iteration serves baseball, as the Krakon Generals are the only major outdoor sport franchise in town. With the field being a historic landmark, the government of Krakon (who owns the site) decided to keep the name simple and descriptive. It's the coliseum where Krakon hosts athletic games.

Hellenmack Pitch: Though "pitch" is usually used for soccer stadiums in Drawkland, Hellenmack doesn't have a soccer team in town. One of the kingdoms from before Drawkland's founding, Hellenmack was known for archers who employed flaming arrows. The abundance of tar pits in Hellenmack's swampy outskirts gave them plenty of fuel, and those pits have remained to the modern era. The stadium was built in a spot near the pits due to the cheap real estate. When the time came to decide a name, the materials company Hellenmack Pitch Inc. offered to buy the rights, using their own name as a triple pun: It refers to the name of the company, has a name that describes a stadium, and references the tar pits next door which have been used to craft pitch resin for generations. Now if only they could get rid of the smell ...

Skyhawk Diamond Park: The home of Sadeg State University's baseball team. SSU decided to name most of their stadiums after their own mascot for increased visibility, hence Skyhawk Diamond Park for the baseball squad.

Korman & Black Stadium: Cavsar is a (relatively) small college town in rural Drawkland. There's not a whole lot of major industry in town, and really there's not much else to do besides visit the campus of Cavsar University. Korman & Black is the exception, being a really wealthy orthodontist/dentistry group that serves the entire local region. They sponsor everything in town, school events, 5Ks, fundraisers, youth sports jerseys, you name it. The baseball stadium for CavU was the most K&B could afford, though they're definitely going to save up for if Cavsar's football or basketball stadiums open for name bidding.

NORTHEAST GROUP

Riverfront Field @ Festival Park: The music industry in Pittsennat promised to foot a major portion of the bill when the Cadets were looking to build a new downtown stadium. For decades, the riverfront park area in Pittsennat had been home to major concerts, music festivals, and other big outdoor events. At the same time the Cadets needed a new park, the local government and music executives were looking to revamp the riverfront park area. They had a common interest. Pitts Music Group would allow the Cadets to purchase a portion of the planned Festival Park and even pay for part of the stadium in exchange for making sure the venue would be tuned for hosting large concerts. PMG also bought the naming rights, deciding on a simple name which would hopefully become iconic for artists across Sonnel, and they hit that right on the head.

North Frost Stadium: The multi-use dome in Cove Port has always had a corporate sponsor, but this one is perhaps the best iteration. North Frost is a popular clothing brand in Drawkland, mainly focusing on cold-weather and other outdoor apparel. They've also expanded to include other camping and hiking equipment. North Frost isn't headquartered in Cove Port, but they do have a major regional office there, and the cold northern location of the city made it a no-brainer when they looked to elevate their brand visibility. It's expected North Frost will renew the naming contract once necessary.

The Starfield: It's interesting that this stone dome stadium is just called a humble field, but the beginnings of Chelstio baseball were humble anyhow. The original park which the Stars played at was simply called Star Field. Even though the newer dome isn't in the same site, and is a far cry from the humble wooden grandstands and walls of the original park, the name was simply too iconic to drastically change.

Warren Stadium: Although the Elk are a minor league team, they have a storied history as a franchise. The local manufacturing magnates, the Warren family, have owned the Elk for generations. The name has stuck around through several stadium iterations, and at this point the current Warren owners are too prideful to even consider changing the name. Some fans call this "Warren Stadium 5" as it's the fifth unique stadium to carry that name. Thankfully, it's historic enough that most fans find it endearing.

Dockaide Park: Parthon is not a very major Drawkian city, though it is a reasonably important port town. For their average minor league team, the ownership found no reason to not just sell naming rights to the highest bidder. Dockaide is a local logistics and manufacturing company which bought the naming rights for a modest sum.

Southwest Campus Field: Delledge University has a pretty decent baseball team, but they didn't buy in to the whole stadium fetish most of Drawkland seems to have. This stadium is mostly simple bleacher construction, and they decided to go with a simple descriptive name. The field is, predictably, on the southwest corner of campus.

KAYO'S EASTLANDS GROUP

Broadway Ninth Corner Park: This classic venue is one of Drawkland's oldest and most iconic. It's located on the corner of Broadway Avenue and 9th Street in downtown Gelia, and has been constantly shifted, refurbished, and upgraded over the years. The name was originally Broadway and Ninth Ballpark, but has been slightly modified over the years. Many fans will simply call it "B9" when referring to it in conversation.

Ken Thomas Field: Named after perhaps the greatest figure in Brammel Steamers history. Ken Thomas played 20 years in Brammel over his 22-year pro career as a 2nd baseman. His surprising power from a middle infield spot was legendary, and his defense was elite. Thomas would return to Brammel after retiring from play to be a hitting and defensive coach. He later became the color commentator for the Steamers broadcast team. He was the face and voice of the team for decades, a well-earned Hall of Famer. The stadium was named in his honor after his passing.

Jones Mineral "2i" Stadium: Being built in an open-pit quarry, 2i Stadium is one of the most unique venues in all of baseball. Whisrold purchased the disused mining site from Jones Mineral, the mining company headquartered in Whisrold which owned most of the land outside of town, including this quarry. Jones Mineral agreed to sell the site provided they would receive permanent naming rights for the stadium, and Whisrold agreed (as they couldn't find any other suitable areas to build a stadium at the time). The "2i" moniker comes from Jones Mineral themselves - the quarry was Site 2, Mine "i" in their numbering system. The name stuck among fans, and it's used more often than the full name.

Queen's Jewelbox: In Kayo, the Queen's wishes are law. So to speak, at least. With her amassed wealth and eye for art, the Drawkionel Kanyo personally oversaw the stadium projects in her territorial capital city. The KayoDome (gridiron) and Kanyo Pitch (soccer) get a lot of the attention for their iconic beauty and excellent construction. They're known colloquially as the Crown Jewel and Ring, due to their luxury and glittering resemblance to jewelry. Meanwhile, the minor league Queen's Jewelbox plays off this concept, both as a reference to the nicknames of the big stadiums across town, and to the jewelbox style of ballpark which served as the design inspiration for the stadium.

Wizard Field: Quinnaber is a major town, but besides gridiron, they don't have a top level professional team in town. The minor league Wizards take up residence in the eastern city, and the mostly-historic site has remained quite unchanged over the years. Local fans have turned their noses up at the concept of a corporate naming sponsorship, so the ownership has stuck with the classic Wizard Field name for many years.

Federation Field: The minor league team in Clerandon was actually founded by the Drawkian Tennis Federation, which is headquartered in town. In a weird situation of cross-sport unity, the Federation use the team as additional income source to invest in continuing to develop and maintain tennis in Drawkland. DTF built, owns, and operates the stadium unilaterally, so they simply named it after themselves for simplicity's sake. It's part of the larger Federation Park which is filled with tennis courts, serving as the home of one of Drawkland's major tournaments.

WEST COAST GROUP

Bellator Batting Grounds: The Batting Grounds is a unique stadium, a field that hosts both baseball and cricket with pretty much the exact same dimensions. Being a classic venue which has existed in some form for centuries, a name change has never been considered. The name origin is simple. The Grounds host two sports where batting is the primary component of play. Nice going, Bellator!

Jets Revival Stadium: This concrete doughnut in Waxton originally hosted both the gridiron Pilots and the baseball Jets. While the Pilots got a shiny new dome across town (in part thanks to a team revival led by Jack Hoy), the Jets have not put a good enough product on the field to justify an entirely new venue. Once the Pilots moved out, the previously multi-use stadium underwent a large renovation to make it primed for baseball and baseball only, to reasonably acceptable results. With the refurbishment came a name change appropriate for its new look. Now if only they could revive the playoff aspirations of their tenant ...

Barlagos Bank Stadium: Ifferdam Station is a city full of commerce and trade, going back many years. It only makes sense their major sports stadiums would allow bidding for naming rights. The current contract holder happens to be Barlagos Bank, a large regional bank which was founded in Ifferdam.

Commurph Stadium: This somewhat multi-use minor league stadium has gone through a couple name changes. Commurph is a communications and tech company, whose owners moved the headquarters to Shawnia thanks to its great beaches and weather. Also, its status as a mid-tier city means the real estate is cheaper. Most of the Commurph board are big baseball fans, so they jumped at the chance to buy naming rights for this park.

University Pier Park: This is another of those stadiums owned by a university, who just decided to describe the park outright. The stadium is located right next to University Pier, a tourist spot/student park owned by CDU-Akkor Beach.

Williams Ballpark: Frank Williams is one of the most famous college baseball managers in Drawkland's history. Well, let's be honest, he's one of the only college baseball coaches that a sports-minded Drawkian might recognize. He turned the University of Emesamie into a baseball powerhouse, the first real college baseball dynasty in the early days of the sport. The university had to name the ballpark after their legendary manager, it was a no-brainer decision.

HEARTLAND GROUP

Valsum Hills Ballpark: The eastern reaches of Raikennax approach the edge of the Valsum National Park, named for the dormant volcano in Drawkland's center. Those foothills are commonly called the Valsum Hills, and this park is built on top of one of them. The Eruptors have played on the site for a long time, so the name is too historic to change at this point.

Forlane Field: This stadium is one of the older and more iconic venues in Drawkland's baseball history. It was named after Harold Forlane, Hall of Fame manager who led Esmereldane to eight championships through his tenure. The field was built right at the tail end of Forlane's career with the team, after building two separate dynasties with the Rebels. His final season was the inaugural season at the stadium, and he christened it properly by leading the Rebels to the last title of his career.

The Starkodome: Built before the city had a franchise, Starkomac decided to self-name their newly-built dome stadium. They eventually received an expansion bid, but they couldn't find any suitable corporate sponsors, so the original name of the Starkodome stuck around.

Racer Ballpark: Owabrok is the home city of racing in Drawkland. Auto, equine, foot, it's all the same to the speed fans living in town. Of course, something like baseball takes the back seat, but the local populous still has a lot of pride in their team. With so many speedways and stadiums elsewhere in town, the owners of the Racers minor league team knew that had to name their venue a Ballpark to make it stand out. Though they've had a couple corporate sponsors over the years, the current "Racer Ballpark" was put in at the behest of fans.

Gordon Glass Company Field: The naming rights were bought by Gordon Glass Company (as you might imagine), a local company which was the one major industry in town before the digital revolution. The stadium exterior is dark and glassy, making it sort of a pun. Being a college baseball stadium, it doesn't get a lot of attention, which is why GGC has held the name for such a long time. They also have helped pay for renovations on multiple occasions.

Barry Bledsoe Stadium: University of Raikennax alumni and PBL Hall of Famer Barry Bledsoe personally paid to build a new ballpark for his alma mater. He didn't ask for the stadium to be named after himself, but the university and alumni association insisted they keep the name of their beloved legendary pitcher on the stadium.

SOUTH CLIFFS GROUP

Seaside Ballpark: Some may say the name for Archifel Capital's baseball stadium is boring and basic, but it sure beats the alternative. For the longest time, the tourism department of the isles, known as Visit Archifel!, owned the naming rights. The name "Visit Archifel Stadium!", complete with the exclamation point, was almost universally hated by local fans, despite the fact that the park itself was very nice. Thankfully, numerous fan petitions reached the ears of both Visit Archifel! and the local government of Archifel Capital, and they defaulted to a descriptive name for the ballpark by the beach.

PyroSoft Park: Cemmendy was built by the digital revolution, and the explosion of computer and software companies. One of the most notable companies to come from this city is PyroSoft, a company which produces computers for almost all of Sonnel. The Cemmendy Pickmen changed their name to the Snakes, and obviously the stadium named "Pickmen Park" had to see a change as well. PyroSoft easily won the bidding (arguably overpaying to ensure success), and now the tech giants have their name on the hyper-futurist stadium.

Section 17 Stadium: Corinth City has always been on the cutting edge of technology and innovation. The concept of a hyper-futurist urban neighborhood, complete with huge interlocking buildings and complexes, has seen several iterations in the city. One such neighborhood is known as Sector 17. When the Blazers were looking to build a new park, the Sector 17 neighborhood was in the planning phase. The Corinth City government decided they would make a sustainable stadium which would integrate seamlessly within the huge complex. Since the whole site was built by the city government, they chose to keep the new neighborhood name as the stadium name as well.

Ferris-Deltore Stadium: Waylook is known for being one of the big aviation cities in Drawkland. The aircraft, aerospace, and weapons manufacturer Ferris-Deltore has their headquarters and one of their biggest manufacturing plants in town, and thus they jumped at the chance to buy the naming rights for the Bombers' new stadium.

Guild Park: The ancient coastal city of Masteser was famous for harboring many guilds, some of assassins, some of merchants, some of tradesmen. In the modern era these guilds have faded into obscurity, closed down, or evolved into modern corporate entities. One of the major ones still standing is Guild Bank, which owns a partial stake in the minor league Dolphins. They funded a majority of the stadium, with the promise they would receive permanent naming rights.

Lake Malzi Stadium: Intersak is another more minor town which received a minor league team. Their stadium was built on the shores of Lake Malzi, and when the team hosted a naming contest for the new park, the basic and descriptive Lake Malzi Stadium won out.

ELLZIDAN'S SOUTHEAST

Ducentu Municipal Stadium: Though it's a somewhat modest name given its size and scale, Ducentu Municipal Stadium is what it says on the tin. When both the Brown Sox and the Glassmen needed a new stadium, the city of Ducentu answered the call and built the multi-purpose DMS with public funds and money from both pro teams. This was built after the original concrete donut fad, after the retro-classic boom. In a way, you could almost consider it retro-multi-purpose. With the evolution of technology and design trends, it bucked a lot of the problems that the original multi-use stadiums suffered. Still, it's owned and operated entirely by the city of Ducentu, and they've felt no need to give up naming rights.

ORTC Park: This stadium in Shire-Port was partially funded and the naming rights bought by a large trading company headquartered in town. ORTC is an acronym, of course, standing for Oreme-Revoda Trading Company. The Oreme Ocean covers the eastern seaboard of Drawkland, while the Revoda Sea serves as a barrier between the Navis and Oreme oceans, following Drawkland's southern coast. ORTC is actually a really old company, being founded in the initial age of sea exploration and the development of international trade.

The Root Diamond: The Root Field is just next door, with pretty much the same construction. Elstrund is located in the middle of a vast wilderness, far away from corporate conglomerates and with too minor of a baseball team to have iconic legends. The construction was technically free, as it was built by and of a sentient tree, so nobody had to pay for the construction. Hence, the most basic name prevailed for the park. It's in the roots of a huge tree, after all!

Two Rivers Ballpark: Technically this ballpark is only next to one river. However, the wide campus of Ducentu State stretches from the banks of one river to the banks of another, so the "Two Rivers" moniker is used throughout the university for many different buildings, including the basketball arena (on the banks of the opposing river, of course).

Blade Ballpark: Another stadium in Cemmendy to feature hyper futurist construction and a name bought by a local tech giant. Blade lost the bidding war with PyroSoft for the major league park, so they settled with sponsoring Cemmendy Tech's collegiate stadium instead. Blade is a more luxury tech brand, and considered a rival to PyroSoft. They've tried their best to fit the stadium out, but Tech fans still would rather go downtown to watch the Snakes for their baseball fix.

Bunsen Inc. Ballpark: One of the biggest scientific innovation companies, located in Drawkland's home of innovation, Bunsen Inc. has sponsored a lot in Corinth City. They've bought the naming rights for the pro basketball stadium of the Burners, and though they couldn't get the rights to Sector 17 Stadium due to how it was constructed, they settled for the next-best baseball franchise in town. Sadly, it's the much-maligned Corinth City University baseball team, but you can't win them all.


If you have any questions about the stadiums, please feel free to ask! I meant to write a lot more about them prior to the tournament but ran out of time, so this is just a substitute for now. More information may be forthcoming in the playoffs, for stadiums whose WBC teams are still in contention.

[South Newlandia]

Special things often happen on very ordinary days. It certainly was for everyone in Sophie City Field, on a rainy Thursday, with the Monarchs scheduled to host the Rüsselsheim Blue Sox. It was that part of the season where the novelty has worn off, but the playoffs are still far out of sight; and, with the rain retreating from the island early enough to play the game on time, the 29-23 Sox were looking to pick up some important wins against a team that had been relatively awful the previous year, and didn’t look much better thus far in the current season, standing at 20-32. If any Monarch fans had faint hopes of making the playoffs that season, there can’t have been much left.

With City Field about three-quarters filled, the Monarchs would give the ball to second-year starter Gregory Shaw; while the Sox gave the ball to Rudolph Vocar-Dijo. The veteran southpaw from Zwangzug had certainly played a lot of baseball games before, and this one didn’t shape up to be exactly memorable; he’d struggled somewhat early in the season. Entering his 11th start on the year, he had a record of 3-4, despite a solid ERA of 3.76. That included some clunkers, though, like getting lit up for 9 runs, seven of them earned, in just 2.2 innings by the Apple Valley Vipers a couple starts ago. It was always going to be a difficult season for the pitcher; it never gets easier when you have to worry about your future. For Vocar-Dijo, that meant his future with both the Zebras and the Blue Sox. As far as the Blue Sox were concerned, following a run to the LPB Multiverse Series the previous season, and anticipating another deep run this time, all the while having a variety of elite players in general and a deep pitching staff in specific, it seems unlikely that they’d be able to extend his contract. With the Zebra getting slowly up there in age, and the Blue Sox having the deepest pitching staff on tap, this may well be his final season pitching for the Sox.

At least this start would be one of the easier ones; not only had the Monarchs one of the weaker batting orders in general, but this game would see them play without Kai Liao, with the star shortstop from the Sherpa Empire being rested. However, the Blue Sox were concerned with load management too; with this being the last stop of a lengthy road trip, in which they’d previously visited Ruditown, the Newport Owls, and Echizen in Ko-oren. They would not be having regular catcher Naritoshi Tachikake, a fellow international player from Quintessence of Dust, or teenage third baseman Cade Templeton. Nevertheless, the team of Ember Marshall was not lacking for star power, and the proved it by Raitis Ranta drawing a walk and Rémy Weber doing his favourite thing to do, sending a sloppy, hanging slider out of the cavernous ballpark to put the Sox up 2-0 early.

With this early cushion, Vocar-Dijo quickly dealt with the first couple of innings, facing the minimum thanks to a 4-6-3 double play on Alicia Broughton after Cody Frazier had worked a walk. He ended the third on just 31 pitches, thanks to Alice Wheeler badly whiffing on a high fastball to strike out in three pitches. The Blue Sox weren’t done with run support, either; this time, Mitch Sneider got in on the fun, with the corner infielder smacking a curveball down the line to drive home Jack Theriault.

The fourth was more of the same with three quick outs on just seven pitches, but the pesky Sarzonian Cody Frazier reached base again when Sneider flubbed a groundball that should have been a very makable out; but Vocar-Dijo nevertheless got through it without too much trouble. With the lead still at 3-0, the Zwangzugian once again had little trouble in the sixth, but the seventh saw him get into some hot water, with a walk to Malika Bains. The Elephant took second after a passed ball, and Cody Frazier got a groundout to move her to third with two out; but the Zebra stayed calm and struck out Leo Jimenez. With 18 Monarchs retired, the pitch count of the Zwangzugian was just 68, and Rudolph Vocar-Dijo had still not allowed a hit.

In the top of the seventh, the Blue Sox added some more run support against the Monarchs’ bullpen, with Lucien Ramirez loading the bases before allowing a 2-RBI hit for Raitis Ranta, making it a 5-0 ballgame; and Vocar-Dijo kept cruising, facing the minimum again, assisted by an inning-ending 3-4 double-play. The eighth saw the Zwangzugian hit the pinch-hitting Andrea Montanari with an off-speed pitch, but Wheeler was unable to capitalise on the two-out baserunner.

That brought up the bottom of the ninth with the no-hit-bid intact; but the Zwangzugian would have to face the top of the Monarchs’ line-up. After striking out Arthur White, Malika Bains came to the plate; and the patient Elephant worked the count full. After fouling off a fastball, Vocar-Dijo went to the off-speed, but Bains managed to work her second walk of the evening. Cody Frazier was next, and a simple groundball could be enough to wrap this thing up. Instead, the Sarzonian went down looking, bringing up Leo Jimenez as the last man standing. The third baseman, playing in his second season, was rapidly improving, and was a widely popular player with the talent to take the position for the Elephants eventually; but he’d also been slumping. He was 0 for 3 tonight with two strikeouts, and had gotten just a single hit in his last fifteen plate appearances before that. Vocar-Dijo started him off with a fastball, well located, high and inside; and Jimenez ripped it down the 1st base line for a base hit.

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Stats time!
Here’s a graph showing all teams through 18 games, with Runs Against on the x-Axis, and Runs For on the y-Axis; and a teams’ winning percentage represented by how dark the accompanying dot is.


Cool! Keep in mind that Total Runs scored and allowed is not a perfect reflection of a teams’ abilities, because not all teams have played the same number of innings. For example, the Elephants didn’t have a single game go to extra innings (or, when the Elephants were at home, to the bottom of the 9th), so their pitching staff looks better than it actually is (because they allowed relatively few runs, but also had much fewer innings to deal with to get hit with them), while the bats are actually better than you might expect from this graph (because they had fewer opportunities to rack up those runs than any other team). Hold on, speaking of the Elephants – there are only 47 dots on this graph. I seem to have misplaced my Elephants. Can you please help me find my Elephants?

You found them!

I don't think the Elephants will like that very much. Another cardinal direction would be a nice change of pace, but probably not very succesful, either.

[Zwangzug]

The Kerlagrad Courier

Since this edition of the World Baseball Classic was billed as a "legendary road trip," we tried to make educated guesses about how various Zebras would behave if they were passengers on a long road trip vacation. (Most of this involved contacting our foreign correspondents for stereotypical behaviors people engage in on road trips, since we don't have a very good handle on it.)

Enrico Nieves-Gau: maps out the route to find cool detours that will take you by the biggest ball of twine in the state.

Shoba Dhamir: silently plays the "find all the letters in the alphabet from A-Z on passing billboards, license plates, etc." game against herself, gets bored and cheats by juggling several different permutations of the alphabet in her head.

Jenna McDonough: excitedly brings along fantasy novel to read aloud, is disappointed when the kids just want to listen to their music and play games on their phones.

Gwen Sae-Hyun: after parents get increasingly frustrated trying to sync their phones/mp3 players to the radio, takes pity on them and does it for them. When asked if she wants to add anything to the playlist, cites obscure foreign hip-hop group whom nobody has heard of and doesn't already have downloaded.

Jonathan MacSaruh: insists he can find a distant radio station to get the game, despite heavy static/distance.

Joseph Avery: always has to sit in the front seat or else he'll get motion sickness.

Minna Soin-Gardel: also has motion sickness, but is in denial about it because she assumes it's just chronic migraines.

Rachel Shapiro: taken off driver duty after wanton disregard for speed limits on rural highways and road rage at any amount of traffic.

Alyssa Kinnakeet: does almost all the driving after Shapiro is relieved of the privilege. People ask her if she wants a break but she says no, she's good, whereupon they relax because they didn't really want to drive and were just asking to be polite.

Griffith Puyo-Sachar: ignores low fuel warnings on the gas gauge and coasts on fumes into the last gas station for 50 miles, where he mutters under his breath about cartel economics.

Vincent Chavez: has astonishingly great grasp of the mechanics and can explain in detail how an engine functions to convert fuel into motion; when asked to estimate how long it will be until the destination, hastily backflips into the sun.

[Loyo]

The Play for Playoffs!

  Kayo's Eastlands (D)        Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 Super-Llamaland              18   15   3   115   71  +44    0.833
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo        18   14   4   111   54  +57    0.778
3 Loyo                         18   10   8    97   95   +2    0.556
4 Delaclava                    18    9   9    75   80   −5    0.500
5 Bohr                         18    3  15    54  118  −64    0.167
6 The Star Empire              18    3  15    54   88  −34    0.167

There’s two games left in WBC qualifying, and Kayo’s Eastlands has a few battles left. At the top of the conference sits Super-Llamaland, with one more win (15) than second place Quebec and Shingoryeo (14). The two of them have dominated the rest of the group’s competition, and there's no chance of either of them missing the playoffs. The question is, who’s going to win the conference, and take a trip to the Round of 16?

At the middle of the table we see Loyo holding onto the final playoff spot in the group with a win (10) over Delaclava (9), who hope to sneak past the Sunshine Tigers to the Round of 24. Bohr and the Star Enpire will be fighting for a 5th place finish.

Loyo 2-2 against Delaclava, +7 RD, +1 H2H RD

MD 19: @Super-Llamaland (Prediction: L 10-4)
MD 20: v.s. Quebec and Shingoryeo (Prediction: L 10-6)

Delaclava 2-2 against Loyo, -5 RD, -1 H2H RD

MD 19: v.s. Quebec and Shingoryeo (Prediction: L 10-8)
MD 20: @Bohr (Prediction: W 6-0)

Loyo will need to play good defensive baseball and upsetting one of the two giants of the conference would provide relative security. The team is 0-3 against SLL, and while they managed to steal a game off of Quebec and Shingoryeo, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to repeat it. The newcomers should end the tournament with two losses, but crazier results have happened this cycle. Limiting the number of runs is crucial, as that margin might disappear quickly.

Delaclava hosts the Grim Reapers on the second-to-last matchday. The two team’s last contest was one of the closest, as the two teams waited until the last two innings to produce any runs. The Reapers won that 2-1, and the series favors them, 3-0. If Delaclava loses that match, they will hope that their margin of runs against Bohr in MD 20 will be enough to surge past the Loyons and secure a playoff position.

Super-Llamaland 2-2 against Quebec and Shingoryeo, +44 RD -7 H2H RD

MD 19: v.s. Loyo (Prediction W 10-4)
MD 20: v.s. The Star Empire (Prediction W 12-3)


Quebec and Shingoryeo 2-2 against Super-Llamaland, +57 RD, +7 H2H

MD 19: @Delaclava (Prediction W 10-8)
MD 20: @Loyo (Prediction W 10-6)

If either of the giants manage to slip up, it may benefit one side or the other in the third-place fight. If Delaclava manage the upset on the first day, then Loyo will have to win against the Grim Reapers on the final matchday to have a hope of qualifying. The Reapers are in a great place to challenge for the top spot, and with the highest run differential in the group, and a positive H2H RD against SLL, they might be able to do it. However, they will need to hope for an upset against the team above them because the two will not meet on the field.

---

Lineup for MD 7 (@The Star Empire)
1B: #17 Shiryo Gerras, 31, R (St. Hayahoma’s)
RF: #22 Meung Boma, 30, L (United Sugar)
3B: #13 Jimi Fiazzo, 29, R (St. Yoosan’s)
SS: #18 Bo Ayoyara, 28, R (Narangara Motors)
LF: #20 Isabel Morata, 28, R (St. Yoosan’s)
DH: #9 Leo Miagara, 28, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
2B: #11 Ra Min-Joo, 26, R (St. Mianho’s)
CF: #6 Francis Koo, 29, L (St. Donghai’s)
C: #4 Misty Sang-Jun, 28, R (Narangara Motors)

Pitching: SP #15 Seung Hawoo, 27, R (St. Yoosan’s)
RP #25 Avery Min, 30, L (St. Yoosan’s),
CP #10 Ari Mun, 29, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)

Lineup for MD 20 (v.s. Quebec and Shingoryeo)
1B: #17 Shiryo Gerras, 31, R (St. Hayahoma’s)
RF: #22 Meung Boma, 30, L (United Sugar)
3B: #13 Jimi Fiazzo, 29, R (St. Yoosan’s)
SS: #18 Bo Ayoyara, 28, R (Narangara Motors)
2B: #28 Maru Deljefe, 34, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
DH: #9 Leo Miagara, 28, R (Loyo Athletic Reds)
C: #1 Hyon Shin, 27, R (St. Yoosan’s)
LF: #20 Isabel Morata, 28, R (St. Yoosan’s)
CF: #6 Francis Koo, 29, L (St. Donghai’s)

Pitching: SP #21 Lacy Cross, 29, R (Kamisusunai Steel)
RP #28 Marcos Avantaje, 29, R (St. Hayahoma’s),
CP #34 Ju Hajoon, 31, L (Kamisusunai Steel)

[Super-Llamaland]

SLAMALAND
GUNNLAUGSON'S SECOND GRAND SLAM SEALS DEAL AGAINST DELACLAVA
Michael De Morgan, LSN Baseball

Brünhild Gunnlaugson's seventh-inning grand slam, her second of the group stage and her eye-popping seventh home run in seventeen games, sealed the deal against Delaclava as the Tigers won their fourth consecutive game in Group D. While Gunnlaugson blew the game wide open, capping a two-out rally off of struggling reliever Mark Mitchell, the Tigers also benefited from excellent performances from ace Solveig Jørgensen (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 10 K/2 BB) and first baseman Gabriel Acosta, who drove in runs in the first and fifth innings. The win takes them to a strong 14-3 record, tied for first place with Quebec and Shingoryeo, who they will play tomorrow in a game that could determine the group title...

WLADECKI SHINES IN FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN
NAIL-BITER WIN OVER QUEBEC LEADS SLL TO TOP OF GROUP
Michael De Morgan, LSN Baseball

In a must-win game for both sides to determine control of Group D, Savanna Wladecki was scintillating, striking out eleven Grim Reapers over seven-plus scoreless frames to give the Tigers sole possession of first place in the group. The South Falls Athletic ace was never seriously challenged despite facing an offense that had scored a staggering 111 runs over the past fifteen games, showing the command and discipline that have skyrocketed her to stardom in the LPB. While the offense never quite got going, managing only one run off of Quebec, Noah Slater's fourth-inning solo shot off of Helene Bigras proved to be enough to get the Tigers over the line. Now, with just two games left before the playoffs, the Tigers now find themselves as a top-eight seed owing to their one-game lead over the Quebecois - a huge boost to their chances of making a deep playoff run for the first time in arguably twenty-six years...

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

OOC: A quick response RP to the ongoing environmental crisis and mass migration of farmers in Huayramarca.

Foreign Office, Her Majesty's Government of Quebec

Statement on the ongoing mass migration situation in Huayramarca and the Quebecois-Huayramarcan Border Situation

In the previous weeks, there have been monitored signs of mass movements by Huayramarcan farmers from southern half of the nation, who have been moving northwards and towards the Quebecois-Huayramarcan territory in search of further opportunities directly involved in their livelihood.

Said movements have been stated to be drawn by words of soil contamination from oil extraction projects in southern Huayramarca. The ongoing environmental crisis, further propelled by an inappropriate, irrational decision to place most of Quebecois territory as an Atlantis-esque territory in an insensitive matter of taken by the cartographic offices of Anaia region, have influenced the farmers to move further north to the borderlands territory between Quebec and Huayramarca that have been interpreted as de facto Terra Nullius.

These actions by civilians, while understandable due to its encompassment of the southern third of Yoseo-Manitoba province, constitute potential danger to the border security. Crossing the border without valid visa or citizenship status, while understandable due to the urgent nature of the situation, runs into the risk of conflict with the pre-existing Quebecois-Huayramarcan Immigration Agreement that were signed four years ago as a condition of Huayramarca joining the Quebecois Commonwealth as an affiliate state.

Thus the Home Office would advise the civilians to remain patient while in waiting for their respective immigration visas to be issued by the Home Office, and to follow the due process asked in turn. Her Majesty's Government, in turn, urges the government of Huayramarca to heighten their efforts on the borders situation, as well as to be open to seek open dialogue in order to resolve the situation.

In coordination with the urgent nature of the possible humanitarian crisis, Quebec and Shingoryeo will take following measures:

1) Quebec and Shingoryeo will provide 10,000 additional personnel members of the security, provided by the Royal Quebecois Coast Guard, the Royal Quebecois Army, and the Royal Quebecois Police, to further protect the Quebecois-Huayramarca border.

2) Quebec and Shingoryeo will provide additional checkpoints and immigration processing centres across its western inland border, which include expansion of the pre-existing facilities in Baja Calania (port and by land), Agawa (by land), Jolbonopolis (airport) and Tulcan (both land and port).

3) Quebec and Shingoryeo will provide up to 100,000 multi-year, renewable visas for individuals of the Huayramarcan Republic currently in waiting, with the condition that they reside in designated municipalities issued them upon arrival. Their visa will not expire in case they wish to return to Huayramarca following the conclusion of ongoing environmental crisis in southern Huayramarca.

The relevant offices, ministries and governmental agencies will proceed with aforementioned measures, with further edits and additions by Her Majesty's Government noted and implemented.

In case the situation deteriorates, Quebec and Shingoryeo will seek to take higher-level measures and will seek further opportunities of open dialogue with Huayramarca.

Quebec and Shingoryeo will continue to monitor the ongoing environmental situation in Huayramarca, and will be open to make efforts to improve the situation with Huayramarca where needed, standing alongside its people.