World Baseball Classic 59 (IC thread)

by **Taxonomic Kingdoms** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 7:49 am

T. Rex looked ridiculous on the pitcher's mound with his bulky legs and hips taking up the whole mound, his long tail stretching back toward second base, and his stubby arms clumsily grasping at the ball. He could get some decent speed on his pitches, but that might have been a surprise to some of the people watching the way he bumbled around. It was the top of the second inning with one out, a runner on second, and the score tied at 1-1. Charles Bartlett stepped up to bat. The first pitch was a called strike. The second one, Bartlett hit a solid line drive that whizzed a couple of feet from T. Rex's head. Deinonychus made a spectacular leaping catch, snatching the ball out of the air and robbing Bartlett of a hit -- but then things got dumb. Deinonychus had caught the ball in his mouth, and his teeth got tangled in the ripped up covering of the ball. Instead of throwing out the runner to end the inning, he rolled in the grass frantically trying to pry the ball out of his mouth.

The other dinosaurs yelled at him in frustration, "Oh, come on! What are you doing?"

Then Velociraptor thought of something: "You can tag him with the ball in your mouth!"

The runner, Magnus Álfarsson, had already rounded 3rd and was heading for home. Deinonychus jumped to his feet and charged across the field. Álfarsson looked a little alarmed at how fast the feathery dinosaur was gaining on him, but he still made it across the plate before it could run him down. Tarchia helped Deinonychus extricate the baseball from his mouth while the Kytlerians celebrated their run.

Deinonychus was embarrassed about the whole incident, and the Kytlerians held the lead for the rest of the game. Things got worse for the dinosaurs when T. Rex left the game because he was overheating in the afternoon sun. Utahraptor replaced him on the mound and quickly gave up 3 runs because he was struggling with the placement of his pitches.

The game wasn't a blow out, but it felt like there had been a lot of missed opportunities.

by **Milchama** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 7:58 am

Karakorum Forum-Democracy-Times-Tribune-Sun-Stars-Gods-Men-Tribute-Fightin'-Picayune-Post-Gazette-Chronicle-Eclipsor-Ellipsor-Report-Spin-Connector-Deflector-News-Today-Yesterday-And-Tomorrow

Sports Section

Numarkez Complete Game Gives Warriors Good Start in WBC

The Milchama Warriors got off to a great start in the 59th World Baseball Classic with a win over Liventia, their theoretical closest rivals for the top of the group. Diego Numarkez was particularly impressive throwing a complete game on 114 pitches while only giving up a solo home run in the 5th inning.

The bats also did their part as the top of the order all did well with Batya Jones going 3-4 with a walk, Tali Mironer going 2-4 with a walk and Erez Goldman hitting a 3 run homer in the first as well as another two walks. The Warriors got off to a perfect start as Jones singled, Mironer singled and then Goldman hit a rocket out to left field to take a 3-0 lead and look like a team on a mission. Even if they couldn't capitalize from there despite a Maia Tennons single and a Elise Helfand walk the tone was set.

After setting down the Livetians in order in the bottom of the first Numarkez went to work, keeping Liventia hitless until the 4th, scoreless until the 5th, and only going 4 above the minimum in a 10 strike out performance. He said after the game, "I was just trying to execute my pitches and it was good to see them working." We promise next time to find a more interesting quote to give you here at the Karakorum Forum-Democracy-Times-Tribune-Sun-Stars-Gods-Men-Tribute-Fightin'-Picayune-Post-Gazette-Chronicle-Eclipsor-Ellipsor-Report-Spin-Connector-Deflector-News-Today-Yesterday-And-Tomorrow but for now this is what we got.

The big controversy, internally, for Milchama was about whether benching Marius McNeesh for Erez Goldman was a good move considering that a. it was Marius McNeesh and b. whether they wanted the experience of McNeesh, who can still mash, over the theoretical overall better hitting of Goldman. Toron chose Goldman and so far you have to say it worked out. Getting on base three times including a homer is exactly what Toron was hoping for and the type of move that is likely to pay off for Milchama.

Toron said, "It was nice to get off to a good start. It's always important to get that first win under our belts and we're excited to keep playing and win more."

We couldn't agree more. Let us have glorious victory!

by **Sarzonia** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 8:31 am

The first big in-match decision of Desmond St. John's managerial career happened in the bottom of the fourth inning of the Sarzonian national baseball team's contest against Caribbia.

Ace starter Mike Howe mowed through the Caribbian lineup in order for the first three innings, striking out five batters, needing only 31 pitches to do so. However, his second time through the batting order was a completely different story. He walked the leadoff batter on four pitches, then hit the No. 2 batter after a stolen base. After Howe went to a 3-1 count on the No. 3 hitter, St. John sent pitching coach Calen George out to talk to Rowe.

Meanwhile, St. John called bullpen coach Kyle Lund and asked him to get long reliever Cal Yelchin warmed up. Howe through a pitch well outside and loaded the bases. St. John caught Howe's glance and ... sat down.

"I wanted him to see I was going to give him a chance to work himself out of it," St. John said. "He's at the top of the rotation for a reason." Howe struck out the next two guys, and looked like he might get out of the inning unscathed, but shortstop Jaia Thornton uncharacteristically threw a routine flip to second baseman Lysa Beaupre wide, resulting in two runs scoring. Thornton threw the ball to third base, but it went wide of Lee Worthy and the third runner scored.

St. John remained seated as the third unearned run crossed the plate, not changing the stony expression on his face, even though these miscues were killing him to watch. Finally, Howe struck out the next hitter after throwing 36 pitches. When Howe trudged into the dugout, he angrily slammed his glove in the direction of Thornton.

That set St. John off. The skipper originally intended to give Howe another inning in the hopes that he would be able to spare the bullpen from being taxed just before the Zwangzug match. However, he wouldn't tolerate that.

"Howe! Clubhouse!" St. John said firmly, pointing to the door.

"Fuck you!" Howe snapped.

"Get your ass to the clubhouse! Now!" St. John snapped. He then charged toward Howe, forcing players and coaches to separate the two. Finally, Howe stomped to the clubhouse where he'd shower and leave without addressing anyone in the media.

St. John sent Yelchin into the match in the bottom of the fifth, deciding he wanted to force the opposing manager to decide whether to empty his bench and pinch hit for the lefties with a lefthanded pitcher in the match or stay with the lineup in case St. John brought in another righty.

The manager sent on pinch hitters and they hammered a hard hit single, a double and a two-run bomb that drew the match level. That still played into St. John's hands, and he sent in long reliever Matis Deutsch, a right-handed reliever. He settled the chaos, allowing one run in three innings before closer Dan King worked a scoreless ninth for the save in a 9-7 victory.

After the match, Rowe would apologise to St. John, Thornton and the media for his outburst.

"I let my frustrations get in the way of my judgment," he said. "That's still no excuse for what I said or did last night," he added. St. John noted that he was considering options for discipline beyond the $2,500 fine the Incorporated Baseball Federation issued.

"We'll have to see," he said. "All options are on the table."

Including a bullpen game on Matchday Six at Fleetwood Park?

"All options," St. John repeated.

by **Kamijiro** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 10:11 am

Kamijiroan Diamond IX, Part I: "Where the Hell is the Field?

Atsuji "Red Wolf" Akaminai is the ultimate city boy. Miraisaki, born and raised. The city is the largest in the country and is probably the most decadent. He's never really left the city before except for the occasional exhibition match elsewhere in Raijin-shi, the department in which Miraisaki is found. So when he, Tenshi "Death's Hand" Hikari and Maou "Devil King" Ashiya disembarked from their flight to Jiro Island, all they could say is... "what the hell type of place is this?"

Nothing like they'd ever seen before, there were no buildings taller than two stories, trees galore and the ocean was right there. Also, no roads. Jiro Island is mostly a nature reserve, with very few people living on it. Hence why it's a refuge for new immigrants, especially those who are more attuned to the world and preservation of it. Flipping open a ratty old flip phone, Atsuji called team captain Orielle de Côteaux. "Yeah, we're here, sweetheart..." "What, I can't call ya sweetheart?" "Alright, suit yourself. Anyway, we're at the airport. And us boys have no idea where we're s'pposed to be goin'..." "So you're sendin' those Phaëthons to pick us up? Too bad, I was hopin' to see you sooner than later, beautiful." "What, can't say that either? Alright, whatever, see ya soon."

So the Miraisaki lads brought out some cards and played a few hands of poker before their guides showed up. Ryuji and Emi Phaëthon, naturalized Kamijiroans living on Jiro Island. More specifically, a couple of the handful of residents of the village of Spolia. Their golden-blonde hair shimmered under the sunlight, giving them an aethereal look befitting of their namesake. "Come, children." Ryuji called. This, of course, riled up Tenshi and Atsuji, who felt patronized. But Maou just sprung up and started walking. "Where the hell's the field?" Tenshi asked, looking around. "You showed up pretty fast, it must be close." Before long, an extended finger pointed to a clearing in the woods behind the airport.

"Seriously...?" Atsuji asked. "This is where we're playin'? It's barely even regulation size. Quit messin', pretty boy. Where the hell's the real field?"

"It's got the largest capacity in the country, though." Emi replied, a soothing voice that instantly seemed to resolve the growing tension between the Miraisaki crew and Ryuji. "And it's still a nice field. The grass is perfect."

"Yeah, yeah, alright. Is that Orielle? Sweet." And so off ran Ryuji, his dyed red hair bouncing slightly as he made his way towards his captain.

Tenshi and Maou just set their bags down and laid out on the grass outside the field, soaking in the sun. It had been a very long time since either of them had gotten sunlight that wasn't somewhat marred by smog.

Before long, practice was well and truly underway. The pitchers were getting their arms warm and the batters were taking batting practice. Their first game against the Ochre Islands was set for the next day, and they wanted to be ready for it. Playing a ranked opponent in your first foray into international play? That's tough. But the team was confident.

The next day, the Ochre Islands team arrived and immediately had to call to find out where the field was because they too had ended up at the airport with no clear direction on how to get to the field. Ryuji and Emi reprised their role as guides and brought the visiting nation's team to the grounds. A few hundred Kamijiroans had shown up for the game by the time of the first pitch, ready to watch their nation's representatives go against a high-ranked opponent.

Atsuji took the mound, announced as "the Red Wolf of Miraisaki... Atsuji Akaminai." He was in an unusual uniform, a sleeveless hoodie with "Kamijiro" knitted on the front of it to match the rest of the team's. He picked it himself - "I don't like sleeves. Cut off the circulation, in my opinion." Then, the first pitch. High and inside. 98 miles an hour. "That'll show ya for crowdin' the plate," he called to the batter, who, in his defense, was definitely not doing that. From there, the game was afoot. Atsuji is a master of mind games - and he wasn't going to let up on that front.

The first inning was a 1-2-3 inning, with Red Wolf striking out two and popping up the other. The Kamijiroans didn't do much better, until the bottom of the second. Lucian Belvedere took the batters box, squinting at the bright lights. He took one pitch looking, then teed off on the second pitch. Gone. 427 to deep right. He jogged around the bases, grinning, his sharp pearly whites on full display. 1-0 to the Lightning.

From there, it was more Red Wolf fireballs. He only needed eleven pitches to retire the side in the top of the third. He gave up his first hit in the top of the fourth, but was able to ice the side out from there. Once he hit eighty pitches in the top of the sixth, he called for a reliever. Out came Miguel dos Santos, a.k.a. Tiger Claw. He finished the sixth inning and then Napoleon Sarre smacked one into deep center, which nearly got robbed but eluded the mitt of the Ochre Island centerfielder.

The top of the seventh saw Tiger Claw end up in a jam, with two ducks on the pond and one out. A single drove in a run, ending the shutout. Then, he forced a double-play to close the inning. The bottom of the seventh saw Lucian Belvedere tee off his second homer. A curveball that hung a bit too far over the plate was all it took to re-up the lead to two.

At the top of the eighth, it was time to call in the closer. Yes, an inning early, typically the closer doesn’t come in until the ninth. But Orielle wanted to be triple sure that the first official game in Kamijiroan history was a win for the Lightning. So out came Tenshi “Death’s Hand” Hikari. His plume of ice-white hair billowed in the late evening air as he jogged to the mound.

First pitch, much like Atsuji’s, was high and inside, a heater clocked at 96 miles an hour. Intimidation is how the Miraisaki pitchers roll. With that, he proceeded to throw some of the nastiest pitches he could. A slider stunned a batter - strikeout looking. The next batter popped out on a high fastball. And another slider for the last out. Two strikeouts looking. The middle of the Lightning’s order couldn’t drive in a run, with Markus “Corner Pocket” Blauuw striking out, Daijiro “Island” Kamada popping up and the “Devil King” Maou Ashiya lining out to the shortstop.

It didn’t matter much, though. Tenshi was on top of his game as a closer - he struck out the top two of the Ochre Island order before the third batter sent one deep into centerfield, where ‘Island’ Kamada was waiting with an open mitt. Les jeux sont faits.

High-fives were abound and the team took a picture for the news. 1-0 all time in international play? “That’s just what we do.” - Orielle de Côteaux.

by **Vaishnavaria** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 11:20 am

Vaishnavarian National Baseball Team Roster

Coaching Staff:
Manager: Arun Guptill
Hitting Coach: David Kimmins
Pitching Coach: Nikolai Petronolovski
Bench Coach: Jonas Berg
First Base Coach: Aiden O'Leary
Third Base Coach: Carlos Fernandez

Starting Lineup

Leadoff Hitter (Center Fielder): Kai Nakam
Second Hitter (Second Baseman): Ravi Deshakum
Third Hitter (Right Fielder): Miguel Santos
Cleanup Hitter (First Baseman): Dante Russo
Fifth Hitter (Left Fielder): Malik Brown
Sixth Hitter (Shortstop): Connor McGregor
Seventh Hitter (Third Baseman): Jamal Robinson
Eighth Hitter (Catcher): Liam Chen
Ninth Hitter (Pitcher): Sanjay Iyengar

Bench Players

Utility Infielder: Felix Johansson
Utility Outfielder: Emilio Perez
Backup Catcher: Hiro Tanaka-Smith
Pinch Hitter: Noah Steinmeir
Defensive Specialist: Amir Haddad

Starting Pitchers

Ace: Sanjay Iyengar (Indian descent)
Second Starter: Alejandro Martinez (Latino descent)
Third Starter: Ethan Carter (Caucasian descent)
Fourth Starter: Ravi Patel (Indian descent)
Fifth Starter: Kenji Yamamoto (Japanese descent)

by **Holy Marsh** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 1:55 pm

TEAM LOCKED IN AND READY FOR FEZZIKTOPIA; CHARITY RESULTS ARE IN

Frischberg, Zwangzug- The team prepares for their game tonight against Fezziktopia, with a mock game held early in the day with mostly reserves. Mock games are a major difference between Marshite pre-game rituals and the pre-game workouts of many other nations. Rather than batting practice and bullpen sessions, Marshite teams tend to play with a rotating cast of starters and reserves. Team K beat Team L 9-6 in the abbreviated 6 inning affair. Such mock games are always open to the public for view, with spectators who attended asked to donate to one of a number of causes that the National Team has partnered with while in Zwangzug. More than $62,000 was raised for a local shelter, a number matched by the National Team in a post-mock game ceremony.

This follows on the team’s Patchwork charity event held two nights ago. This marathon session involved not just the national team but top Patchwork players in Frischberg and raised another $180,000- with a matching contribution for the team. $484,000 was thus raised over the course of the team’s stay in Frischberg. “We thank the people of this fine city and we hope to leave them with a victory against Fezziktopia,” said Shaleen Tuli, who led Team K to victory in the mock game off the back of a 2-2 effort with a home run and three RBIs before being pulled.

In preparation for the team’s upcoming stay in Kerlagrad, copies of Codenames have been acquired and the team plans on ‘learning and mastering’ the game during travel to the city after tonight’s game has concluded. Ekjit Kaler is ready to take the mound tonight, excited to taste the attentions of the Rise Stadium home crowd. “Being able to experience the sensations of this great sport in front of a new nation, new peoples, new crowd is one of the joys of the international experience,” he said. During the mock game, he threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning for Team L.

Tonight’s Lineup and Rotation:
1. R SS Samara Aiju
2. R LF Sojara Saini
3. L RF Shaleen Tuli
4. L DH Nirmol Duhan
5. R 1B Didar Rai
6. S 2B Antara Abusaria
7. S CF Hannah Smartine
8. L 3B Savraj Sahani
9. L C Suneet Jatasra

Starter: RHP Ekjit Kaler

by **Eshialand** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 2:04 pm

Just the Beginning
Avisora 2-8 Eshialand

"And so, the Owls' first matchup of the 2030s ends in a whopping 8-2 win..."

For Ray Frounta, this finish was exactly what he knew the team needed. While the toughest matches of the group stage still lay ahead, this would set the scene for -- hopefully -- an incredible campaign to come. While there may have been questions about this team's trajectory back in WBC 58, now, those questions were starting to fade... instead, the only questions were about how things could turn around so quickly.

"You know, sometimes..." he told reporters who asked him about it following the game, "sometimes things just aren't working. A lot of people are afraid to admit when things have gone wrong, and instead choose to stick to their guns and improve with what they have... as for me, if there's an opportunity to make things work, missing the chance to fix things up would be an absolute shame to me."

That opportunity had indeed presented itself in a way that doesn't often happen. Many players were starting to retire, with even more getting close to joining them. That was a golden chance to find new prospects and bolster the roster, and one that he wasn't letting slip by. While the baseball fervor may not have been as wild as it used to be, there were still an entire generation of players out there coming up with skills that couldn't even be imagined a few years ago. Eshialand could be a baseball nation yet again... and Ray knew he had to make that happen while he still could.

This defining campaign for the Screwballs would next be headed to Srednjaci, who were just coming back from a rough 2-7 loss in Quebec and Shingoryeo. This was the type of matchup that they really needed to win if they wanted to prove they could come back to the knockouts, so there would be a lot of training and preparation going into this one. After that the Owls be heading back home for their turn to play the Grim Reapers, so being in a good position headed into it would be paramount in order to show that they meant business.

by **Diarcesia** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 2:41 pm

The Zug um Zug Railbirds started their tournament with a bang, defeating Diarcesia 6-1 in the first round. Being the complete neophytes that they were, there were some concerns about how the Diarcesian team would perform in the WBC; after all, this was their very first match in the tournament.

But for a consolation, they scored the first point and thought—oh, they thought—that they have a head start, only to be crushed badly in short order. That lone point was thanks to Ninoslas Chorvatski, who proved to be in top form by pitching a solid play and scoring a run, a testament to his skills. After allowing Zug um Zug their first run, everything unraveled for Diarcesia.

The Railbirds found their rhythm and exploded with four runs, showcasing their offensive prowess and taking full advantage of any mistakes made by Chorvatski and his teammates. Erin Davies pitched two scoreless innings in relief while also contributing at bat—she hit an RBI single during that explosive sixth inning rally.

The final nail on the Diarcesian pride's coffin came when Leticia Bannock caught Ninoslas's fly ball easily behind home plate at top 9^th; there wasn't even a need for the inning to be completed as the Railbirds confidently declared their victory.

With such a drab start for the losers, let's see see how far they, the Marionets (as the Diarcesian team is nicknamed), can go into WBC59!

by **South Newlandia** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 2:42 pm

King flirts with no-hitter as Ellies cruise to MD1 win

Left-hander Wolodymyr King took the responsibility of the MD1 start on the road seriously and had the Dotivijan lineup in a blender early on. Despite a second-inning walk, quickly erased when the runner was gunned down by Sofia Löfgren, the South Newlandian faced the minimum through the first three innings.

The run support had started to arrive in the third, with an Emil Hurley RBI double and Sofia Löfgren sacrifice fly giving the Elephants a 2-0 lead; and after King got through the fourth unscathed despite some traffic, the Elephants broke through big time, leaving a massive elephant-shaped hole in the wall. The Elephants bat around, including a trio of home runs by Joan Allen, Kevin Barros and Sofia Löfgren. When Emil Hurley grounded out to end the inning, the pachyderms led 9-0, Dotivija was already using their third pitcher of the game, and the result of matchday one was just about decided.

That left Wolodymyr King to work on his individual pursuits. Having gotten the second time through the order without a hit allowed, he would have the green light to pursue a no-no with the game well in hand, and not being scheduled another start until MD7. Excitement grew in the sixth inning, when the lineup flipped over again. At this point, the Dotivijan hitters got better plate appearances going, but defensive substitute Maria Phillips saved the no-hitter by making a beautiful diving grab in left to send the game to the seventh.
There, the Dotivijan first baseman finally managed to break through, punching a single up the middle to end the left-handers no-hit bid. Sofia Rasmussen immediately proceeded to the bullpen, with King having already tossed 93 pitches. Despite some more traffic and two scattered hits, Darlene Le and Brandon Jackson, mopping up the last two innings in relief against the team he will start against on MD6, were able to preserve the shutout.

In the eighth, pinch-hitter Shawn Zimmerman managed to add to the score with a long single into right to get the game to its final score of 10-nothing.
Whether that can be read as a statement of intent for the rest of the group stage remains to be seen. According to Rasmussen, “it remains important for us […] to keep playing one game at a time here, and prepare for an opponent that is certainly uniquely dangerous”
According to insider information, Rasmussen has been in contact with Ryan Hunter about ‘how to not get eaten by your opposition’, something that might be a very real concern in the next game, when the Elephants will play their home opener.

Asked about leaving Wolodymyr King in for the seventh despite a heightening pitch count and wavering command the third time through the order, Rasmussen was disinterested in elaborating on her decision; only noting that she believed that King had a shot at Elephant history. Arguably, he still achieved to make some, being the first South Newlandian to get as far into a WBC no-hitter as he did.

logo credit: Sacha

Rüsselsheim Blue Sox Preview

Starting Pitchers
SP Hailey Clark (South Newlandia)
SP Shrifflu Whootung (The Kytler Peninsulae)
SP Jack Guzman (Dhemixia)
SP Owen Tanner (Xanneria)
SP Tommy Bellflower (Ochre Islands)
6th SP Mark Warren (Sanford)
Bullpen
RP Roger Weiß (South Newlandia)
RP Alexandra Graham (Dhemixia)
RP Jordan Frazier (Super-Llamaland)
RP Mark Ellis (South Newlandia)
RP Facundo Saavedra Cicerón (Montaña Verde)
RP Paula Günther (South Newlandia)

Starting Fielders
C Ryan Marshall (The Kytler Peninsulae/GRF)
1B Albert Vaughn (Super-Llamaland)
2B Oscar Villacrés Chicote (Montaña Verde)
SS Jaxson St. James (Dhemixia)
3B Benjamin Ígorsson (The Kytler Peninsulae/GRF)
LF Fiona Niemi (Super-Llamaland)
CF Roland Dolmer (Ochre Islands)
RF Kyle Anderson-Hoag (Xanneria)
DH Watts Phillipson (Xanneria)
Bench players
C Ryan Flamerty (Ochre Islands)
3B Kelvin Hill (South Newlandia)
2B Ludwig Schwarz (South Newlandia)
LF Emilia Hou (Super-Llamaland)
OF Amber Jia (Super-Llamaland)

After some successful years in the early LPB era, including a South Newlandian Championship and four consecutive playoff appearances, the Blue Sox now haven’t made the postseason in either of the two previous seasons, while each of their division-mates have been in that time. Last season, they finished with a new low of 68 wins, which at least gave them access to the 7th-overall pick – but the road back to contention will not be a short one.

The first move for the Blue Sox was installing a new manager to head the team. This responsibility was given to Kytlerian Angufams Pentove, who worked as a bench coach with the Kytlerian national team in the past.

Besides manager Rick Velsman, the Blue Sox also had other departures to deal with. Quodite trio Theriault, Sakaguchi and Watanabe, who were each instrumental to the success of Rüsselsheim in the past, have left the team. The Blue Sox were also involved in a pair of high-profile offseason trades. For one, they sent Elephant third baseman Leo Jimenez to Apple Valley in exchange for future draft capital. Unquestionably the bigger trade of the offseason, though, was the addition of young Elephant superstar Hailey Clark. The right-handed pitcher had wanted out of Peninsulara, and the Blue Sox were able to acquire her services. In return, they have up some picks and recent first-round selection Julia Horn. Horn had been the shortstop for the AAA Kinjestad Peacocks.

The Blue Sox weren’t done adding there, either. Having sourced talent from inside the LPB, they turned their attention beyond the league, and were able to secure contracts with three Kytlerian players. The Phoenix have been quite successful in their unranked appearance in the last WBC, with the multiverse taking note. Left-hander Shrifflu Whootung, catcher Ryan Marshall and 3B Benjamin Ígorsson each signed with Rüsselsheim, and are sure to give the team a significant jolt.

This leaves the team improved from the previous season on the whole, but they’ll still need to prove they actually work together – and the roster is also not without its weaknesses. The Starting Rotation includes stars in Hailey Clark and Whootung, who will still need to settle into a new environment, as well as ascending left-hander Jack Guzman. Beyond them, the rotation is a bit thinner, with veteran Xannerian Owen Tanner, Ochre Islander Tommy Bellflower and Mark Warren of Sanford, who each have been hot and cold in the past.

The bullpen is perhaps the highlight of the Sox’s roster, as they have six legitimately good arms there; starting with Roger Weiß, who is on a fast track towards becoming an Elephant, and Dhemixian star left-hander Alexandra Graham. The unit is rounded out by experienced players like ex-Tiger Jordan Frazier and WBC-experienced former All-Star Facundo Saavedra Cicerón, as well as Paula Günther, a young South Newlandian right-hander.

The lineup of the Blue Sox is certainly an interesting one. You may remember the issue the Sox had the previous season, where they had three second baseman at the same time. They addressed that by signing second baseman Ludwig Schwarz in Free Agency. The ex-Dolphin will provide some more defensive depth at the position.

On a more serious note, the Sox have one of the better backstop duos in the league with Ryans Marshall and Flamerty, and have a very strong left side of the infield with young, ascending players – those being shortstop Jaxson St. James and 3B Ígorsson. The rest of the roster remains rather star-shy; with a few decent roleplayers like Kyle Anderson-Hoag and Roland Dolmer in the outfield. Too many players in the lineup, however, are quite old. None of Vaughn, Villacrés Chicote, trade addition Fiona Niemi and Watts Phillipson are likely to factor into the long-term plans of the Blue Sox. At least for now, the latter two are still producing, but everyone on that list is at least 34 years old. While they are providing helpful guidance to the young stars on the squad, they are likely on the last step of their careers here.

On the flipside, the Kinjestad Peacocks are one of the deepest minor league teams in South Newlandia, currently considered the third-best in the SNL. The Sox cached their 7th-overall pick into their current top prospect, right-hander Janet Powell, and her mix of off-speed stuff and command out of NCTU. Left-hander Marco Khan is also still with Kinjestad and likely expecting a callup at some point this season.

Otherwise, the Sox drafted a pair of second baseman, because of course they did. South Newlandian Ludovica Serra, also out of NCTU, likely projects as a corner outfielder long-term despite a relative lack of power, and Llamanean Fang is more of a power hitter with a lack of speed, and may be more likely to play third base in the long run. Left Fielder Cassidy Schubert is also still here, having been selected in the second round in the previous draft as a disciplined hitter and good defender.

All in all, it’s tough to know what to make of this team. In the SNL Central, the two Newport teams are likely going to be the main favorites, but with all their improvements and deep pitching staff, the Sox should improve compared to last season. While they may not win the championship in four games, a record around .500 seems achievable, especially if reinforcements arrive from the Peacocks, and a wildcard appearance should be just around their ceiling for this season. Long-term, however, the Blue Sox seem set up for success – especially if the LPB changes to a version of baseball that includes multiple second bases somehow.

Sophie City Monarchs Preview

Starting Pitchers
SP Griffin Gonzalez (Super-Llamaland)
SP Eddard Friend (Chromatika)
SP Darby Nikolasson (South Americanastan)
SP Melissa Moore (South Newlandia)
SP Emily Rosen (Super-Llamaland)
6th SP Liam Soares-Nuñez (South Newlandia)
Bullpen
RP Kayla Sandlin (Cassadaigua)
RP Wally Quinn (South Americanastan)
RP Isabella Romero (South Newlandia)
RP Khris Kirchenbaum (Super-Llamaland)
RP Penny Herrera (Super-Llamaland)
RP Divyansh Thakur (South Newlandia)

Starting Fielders
C Will Gutierrez (Super-Llamaland)
1B Cody Frazier (Sarzonia)
2B Ludwig Pohl (South Newlandia)
SS Jack Goodson (South Newlandia)
3B Kristen Martorella (Cassadaigua)
LF Frank Monteforte (South Americanastan)
CF Tommy Vincent (South Americanastan)
RF Raffaele Pohl (South Newlandia)
DH Kai Liao (The Sherpa Empire)
Bench players
C Kyoko Daha (Chromatika)
3B Angel Tai (Super-Llamaland)
2B Juan Alvarez (Soldera)
OF Nat McCann (The Licentian Isles)
OF Harriet Wright (The Licentian Isles)

Few teams were as disappointed with the outcome of the previous season as the Sophie City Monarchs. After a pair of wildcard berths saw them unable to actually reach the SNLDS, they are now the only team in the LPB era to have never been to that stage. Then, in the last season, the bottom completely have out, and the Monarchs fell to a losing record again, missing the playoffs by a wide margin – although they won a very nice 69 games.

On their quest back to the top, the Monarchs started by installing a new manager, signing Cassadaiguan Samantha Owens, who has previously worked with the Fillies on their recent championship run. They also managed to avoid losing any of their key pieces – with the exception of second baseman Malika Bains, who chose to retire after a successful career with the Elephants and the Monarchs. That meant new contracts for a few key pieces – Chromatik Eddard Friend and Elephants outfielder Raffaele Pohl each received hefty new deals.

In return, the Monarchs were more cautious in Free Agency, making only two medium-sized additions; bringing in Isabella Romero from the Stingrays and Jack Goodson from the Dachshunds.
They still had one avenue remaining to improve, and that’s their top-notch minor league system. The North Oldsea Swans were stocked up again nicely in the draft, and in return, the Monarchs called up both contact-happy 3B Angel Tai and, more importantly, Llamanean former first-round pick Khris Kirchenbaum, who impressed with his high velocity fastball. While sometimes wildly effective, too often he remains effectively wild, and will start out in the bullpen for the Monarchs.

Generally, the roster remains largely unchanged, and still certainly effective. The starting rotation is coming together nicely, headlined by Llamanean Tiger Griffin Gonzalez, Chromatik left-hander Eddard Friend and Darby Nikolasson, who still seems a little wobbly after a trpi through the wormhole. On the upside, he emerged far younger than expected. If former fifth-overall pick Melissa Moore can finally start to pay big dividends for this team, this rotation could be extremely dangerous – even though they lack depth.

The bullpen relied on Kayla Sandlin a lot last season, but the Cassadaiguan was able to rise to the occasion, winning the Reliever of the Season award in the process. She has help from Wally Quinn, as well as newcomers Romero and Kirchenbaum, which should keep this unit competitive.

At the plate, the team has a fun mix of superstars and veterans. Catcher Will Gutierrez has long become one of the best hitting catchers in the league, and Cassadaiguan Kristen Martorella is a genuine superstar and MVP candidate for this team. Players like Kai Liao, Jack Goodson and Cody Frazier bring valuable experience to the mix, while the outfield trio has major upside as well. The two South Americanastan Bears, Monteforte and Vincent, enter the season with a chip on their shoulder after a lot of struggles in the previous campaign. They are joined by Raffaele Pohl, fresh off her new contract, who is looking to continue to ascend towards being a superstar – her rightful place as a former second-overall draft selection.
The bench is largely unremarkable, with veteran backstop Kyoko Daha likely on his last trip. The two Licentian Islanders, Nat McCann and Harriet Wright, are not only clubhouse favorites, but also genuinely valuable depth in the outfield.

Even after promoting Kirchenbaum, the Monarchs still have the second-highest ranked AAA team in the country. The North Oldsea Swans had three first-round picks in the most recent draft, which they spent mostly on younger players. Right-hander Virginia Bai was drafted out of High School and has a good, well-rounded skillset. Left-hander Kiaan Nayak, also out of High School, stands out for extremely rare command abilities for his age. Center Fielder Louis Clement, meanwhile, was instrumental for EVSI in college, being good with the bat and the glove.
The Monarchs also had some more picks in addition to those, including another High School pitcher in Brynn Fitterer and power-hitting NCTU corner infielder Helen Ellis, as well as High School outfielder Isabel Pedro, who fell all the way into round three despite being beloved by analysts. It seems likely that this draft class is going to make or break the long-term fortunes for the Monarchs – if they hit on enough of these draft picks, they should be able to get back towards the top soon enough. For now, this team looks competitive, but likely only a wildcard threat at best in a challenging SNL Central. This is a team built for the long haul.

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 3:16 pm

"I used to wonder why the scouting scale in baseball was traditionally a 20-80 scale rather than a 0-100 scale," admitted Phoenix manager Kevin Anderson after his team opened their WBC59 campaign with road victory over a distinctive Taxonomic Kingdoms opponent. "I guess 20-80 is for humans and then these other creatures get the full 0-100."

Dinosaur gods, in this case, were the "other creatures," and despite apparently having had their powers nerfed so that they were essentially domesticated and very faintly human, certainly some of them were extreme one-tool players. Take Velociraptor Mongoliensis. 20 power would be an extremely generous assessment; 80 speed wouldn't begin to cover it. What this profile was doing at third base and the cleanup spot rather than an up-the-middle position and leadoff was beyond Anderson, but at the plate you knew what the approach was; bunt for a hit, steal second, probably steal third too. This is exactly how the home side scored one of their runs, in fact.

Starting pitcher Tyrannosaurus Rex didn't have such a good time though, giving up runs in each of the first three innings. The second, coming after Dilophosaurus absolutely yeeted a Frepresis Whaariny splitter into another dimension, was an absolutely comical play that appeared to be the epitome of this bizarre team; Charles Bartlett was seemingly robbed of an RBI hit by a leaping grab from shortstop Deinonychus Antirrhopus, but said grab was with his teeth and he couldn't get the ball out, meaning Magnus Álfarsson was able to score from second anyway as Deinonychus only belatedly realised that he could tag the runner whilst still half-nomming the ball. (To score that E-6 would seem both entirely appropriate and extremely harsh, given that almost any human shortstop would simply have seen the ball flash by them for an RBI single. Assuming a human-height pitcher didn't at least get a glove on it first, given that it went that way...)

T. Rex settled in well through the middle innings to hold the score at 3-1, and then the Velociraptor bunt-steal-steal combo was cashed in with a sac fly to make it a one-run game. Unfortunately, that was when a pitching change was forced, not by arm fatigue - what arm? - but overheating. Reliever Utahraptor Ostrommaysorum came in and promptly issued consecutive walks, before Benjamin Ígorsson yoinked a middle-middle fastball onto the batters' eye for a game-changing three-run homer.

"Adapting to this opposition was definitely a real test, it's not something you usually prepare for because funnily enough most of our games until this were against humans," Anderson laughed. "But a win is a win and we'll look for more as we go through the group stage, I know more than half the teams advance but with so few games in it every contest matters and we want to make a statement ahead of the playoffs. Plus, we want to impress our home fans out in Zube." That's where the team headed, via a mysterious teleportal made available specifically for this tournament. How can players go to and from different places - very different places, in this instance - and still maintain a normal-ish schedule?

Baseball... finds a way.

(O.O) · by **TJUN-ia** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 3:21 pm

Baseball. A sport TJUN-ia is decent enough at where winning it all could be classed as 'plausible' by the oddsmakers. But that time out, the Battin' Jaguars of TJUN-ia fell well short of expectations by crashing out of the group stage with a losing record - a rarity in the modern era of TJUN-ian Baseball. A lot of people were angry with Phillip Hellas-Verona for that shambles of a showing from a program that had just won the IBS with the U23s...but the TB still had faith in their man and so they were hoping that disaster was nothing more than a 1-time fluke. Khin Marlar Tun is now in the starting lineup and Peter Glendinning is now a part of the Starting Pitching core...but while the personnel have changed little, the mood certainly has - a mood that wants to be serious and get on with the job. This team wants to bounce back and that, above anything else, is the aim in this group stage.

Game 1, Hapilopper, Hap City, Nathan Ellis Field at Capital Stadium. Usually, TJUN-ia vs Hapilopper is something that brings great sporting drama and great wars of men and women alike...but not this time. The bust-ups of the past were more for NSSCRA and Football, not for the Pasttime known as Baseball. This game was more respectful, with no bench-clearing scuffles or baseless anger to talk about - just pure baseball and baseball alone. It really was respectful, through and through, and it started that way as well. Kimi Holvanen would start against Todd Kemp and things kicked off immediately, with both teams scoring twice in the 1st inning. We added two more in the 2nd and this 4-2 lead would stick around for a while before the Haps came fighting back, tying the game in the 5th (forcing Khamis Ali Makame out to play) before taking the lead in the 7th. At that point, with Kenny Ridley entering the frame, we look destined to start at 0-1 in this campaign. But then, late on, Ridley fell apart...and we took full advantage.
Palila Kalawai’a was Walked before Anastasia Mykvinich took the leas off an insane shot to the 2nd deck...which was immediately followed by a deeper shot to 3rd deck by twin sister Svetlana. The Mykvinichs read Ridley like a fucking book...and that was all they needed to get us the 8-6 win.

1-0. Our first home game is upnext, Halvrim at Rounders Field. GO BATTIN' JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group 3)
MD1: @Hapilopper (54) - Nathan Ellis Field at Capital Stadium, Hapilopper City W 7-5 (2nd)
MD2: vs HaIvrim (UR) - Rounders Field, Portside
MD3: @Juldonia (UR)
MD4: vs Dhemixia (UR) - Rounders Field, Portside
MD5: @Super-Llamaland (4)
MD6: vs Hapilopper (54) - The Diamond in The Gardens, New Washington
MD7: @HaIvrim (UR)
MD8: vs Juldonia (UR) - The Diamond in The Gardens, New Washington
MD9: @Dhemixia (UR) - Brigantine Park, Columbus
MD10: vs Super-Llamaland (4) - Rounders Field, Portside

by **Tikariot** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 4:16 pm

Tikariot Roster
Trigramme: TKT
Nickname: The Owls

COACH
Manager: Anderson McVeigh, 59

ROSTER
Starters
LF #12 Raymond J O'Neill, 26, R - Meriador Mudhens

RF #31 Emily van Oorderen, 25, L - Toroyra Titans

3B #26 Fransesco Aravetti, 23, R - Dhun Lagarr Bulls

C #22 Gerrard Thatcher, 22, L - Avanaroch Nightwatch

CF #67 Kristina Fagerström, 24, R - Fort Viljan Northmen

1B #88 Vatharra Carson, 27, R - Soharr Highlanders

2B #42 Morven Garrity, 23, R - Emerald Coast Phantoms

SS #2 Warren Sheridan, 21, L - Alcassar Eagles

Reserves
RF #33 Rab Carver, 25, L - Silicon Triangle Wizards

OF #20 Duncan Stringer, 21, R - Pyathora Sailors

OF #52 Bernadette Bedingfield, 22, L - Samakar Sabreheads

OF #33 Darrel Hawkes, 23, R - Morannon Militia

2B #7 Liza Atkinson, 25, L - Tikariot Thunderforge

IF #6 Magdalena Daniels, 22, L - Xanark Sluggers

IF #16 Claudette Woodley, 24, R - Thorncliff Venom

IF #26 Padraig Solomon, 22, R - Fort Cafragilis Warriors

C #27 Nicholas Copping, 27, L - Soharr Scimitars

Starting pitchers
RHP #37 Leonidas Coates, 24 - Tikariot Thunderforge

LHP #72 Ingalill Åhlén, 23 - Avanaroch Nightwatch

LHP #18 Gösta Törnkvist, 26 - Baraldhur Behemoths

RHP #9 Shonagh Clarke, 22 - Xanark Sluggers

RHP #3 Alison Whitaker, 25 - Paladon Citadels

Bullpen
Long reliever: RHP #11 Grant Nichols, 25 - Ceramadhion Vipers
Long reliever: LHP #1 Theodore Hayden, 23 - Emerald Coast Phantoms
Left-handed specialist: LHP #17 Nathalie Curran, 24 - Tikariot Thunderforge
Middle reliever: RHP #41 Karen Whitehead, 25 - Paladon Citadels
Set up reliever: RHP #13 Johnson Bunning, 22 - Tovaca Tigers
Closer: LHP #32 Royston Hodgson, 26 - Silicon Valley Wizards

RP Permissions
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: Yes, within reason
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes, within reason
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: TG for approval
Godmod other events: How about, uh, no?

by **Dhemixia** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 5:42 pm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Columbus Dominion(Est.1873)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pitchers' duel for the ages needs extras to be settled; Serpents edge out Hammers 3-2

In their first game of international play, the Serpents got the job done and claimed their first win in an extra-innings thriller. Playing at HaIvrim against ace Neta Rothsenns, pitching phenom Jack Guzman was lights out through 6, only allowing 1 run, allowing 2 hits, and walking 1. On the other side, though, Rothsenns was also rock solid, only allowing 2 runs on 3 hits through 7.2 innings, but the bullpen was where it started to get interesting.

In the bottom of the 8th, Travis Sellers got into some trouble, loading the bases with but a single out. This moment could have decided the game one way or another, almost like a coin flip of who wins, but even more intriguing, what actually unfolded was more similar to the coin landing on its' side, refusing to let a team win. The runner from 3rd came in to score off a sac fly to deep center, before Sellers struck out Dillon Marks with a devastating 3-2 Sweeper down and away, ending the inning even at 2.

This tie ended up continuing into extra innings when Gustavo Benson struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th, before the 20-year-old 1st baseman, Kassandra Dawson, took a 1-1 Changeup for a drive to deep left field that ended up being a 402-foot home run, making it a 3-2 ballgame in favor of the Serpents. With a lead in the bottom of the 10th, stud Russelsheim Blue Sox closer Alexandra Graham locked it down and recorded her first international Save, and the team's first international win.

After this, the Serpents come home to Dhemixia as they get ready to face off in their first WBC home game, against Juldonia under the lights in Brigantine Park. With young gun and #2 starter Morgan Andrews on the bump making her first international start, it should be interesting to see how she and the team as a whole deal with the pressure of playing in front of their home fans.

Schedule
*blue signifies a home game
----------------------------------
~~@ HaIvrim (Jack Guzman vs. Neta Rothsenns)~~ W 3-2
vs. Juldonia (Morgan Andrews vs. __________)
@ Super-Llamaland (Cael Robertson vs. August Tai)
@ TJUN-ia (Hayden Young vs. Joseph McAlbo)
vs. Hapilopper (Jack Guzman vs. Pete Lord)
vs. HaIvrim (Morgan Andrews vs. Bella Thoron)
@ Juldonia (Cael Robertson vs. __________)
vs. Super-Llamaland (Hayden Young vs. August Tai)
vs. TJUN-ia (Jack Guzman vs. Joseph McAlbo)
@ Hapilopper (Morgan Andrews vs. Pete Lord)

by **Drawkland** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 5:55 pm

Disclaimers:
* the majority of work (player movement, graphics, and the league) have been coordinated by South Newlandia and Super-Llamaland. the typed words in the post have been done by yours truly. grade accordingly.
* this RP series may, on occasion, mention numbers about your players. if you don't like them, cry about it

"South Newlandian" League

Team Preview

Jaffro Drawks

Departures
Last year, the Drawks were gutted in the offseason. A handful of players retired, several others left as their contracts expired and weren't re-signed. As the dust settled, Jaffro had to fill ten roster spots in the big-league club, and there wasn't exactly a glut of players in AAA Trunkst ready to come up. Somehow, the Drawks pulled off a masterclass signing bonanza and draft, filling the roster with solid talent and achieving their first playoff berth in Jaffro.

This season, it's a little different. The team core is locked up for the next few seasons. The only "notable" player to leave in free agency was backup catcher Fred Burn, who was picked up from the waiver wire last season for depth. This offseason wasn't one to pull off a mini-rebuild, but to supplement an already-solid lineup and pitching staff. After all the signings made this offseason, Adam Freeman and Isaac Sabathia were waived and eventually picked up by Stingrays and Saints, respectively. Besides that, not many went through the out door going into LPB season 7.

Additions
Despite all the retooling that happened last season, the Drawks still didn't really have a competent outfield. Nobody will deny that the Jaffro infield is absolutely loaded, and after the Wilkinson trade, the rotation is similarly stacked. The bullpen is even pretty good. The weakest link was once again the outfield, as it has been for several seasons. With few players leaving and a little bit of spending money left, it was time to target a decent outfielder in free agency. Center fielder Bella Ashton came from the Llamanean side, casting off from the Denison Dynamo and looking for a change of scenery. Ashton isn't a national teamer, but an actually notable name heading the outfield is better than what the Drawks were trotting out all last season.

You can always use some more help for the bullpen. One Drawkian reliever from the nearby Pittsennat Reds in the PBL, Denny Mathers, had his contract expire, and found the concept of playing in LPB action interesting. Though Mathers isn't really national team material, he's still a solid lefty for the pen, and the Drawks jumped at the chance to solidify their middle relief options. Speaking of lefties in the pen, Judy Ahmed was called up from Trunkst. She's definitely aiming to be a starter, but with the rotation pretty solid already, young Ahmed was brought in with hopes that she'll provide a nice spot-starting/long-relief option. It may seem redundant, as the Drawks also signed former Saint righty Rishi Mondal for a similar role, but Ahmed was performing well in AAA, and getting some innings in the bigs may provide insight as to whether she's ready to be a bona fide rotation option.

With Fred Burn leaving, the need for a backup catcher behind Cooper Calebs was apparent. Former Saint and Dachshund Nick Albrecht was signed to fill this gap. He's mostly a defensive option, an excellent framer but a little lacking offensively. He likely won't be getting much playing time, but a few starts every month to give Calebs some rest won't hurt.

The draft was pretty uneventful for the Drawks. Their first round pick was property of Sophie City thanks to their trade for Carter Wilkinson at the previous deadline, so the likelihood of Jaffro landing a starting-level player in the draft was unlikely. Their first pick came at #34, grabbing catcher Lucas Jena from New Colk Tech for organizational depth at the catcher position. He'll be plying his trade as the starting option in Trunskt for the foreseeable future. Elephant Valley grad Halifa Jaeye came next, an outfield prospect who happens to be the brother-in-law of Banijan national team wide receiver Gabriel Yafet. Do marital relationships transfer speed skills? Ratzupalfu corner outfielder Ekku Subalo was the next pick for Jaffro, another Banijan (this time from the Esportivan Territories). Both outfielders will begin their tenure in the minors, but with both of Jaffro's starting corner outfielders reaching free agency soon, the hope is that these Banijans will develop quickly. Jaffro's roster already has pretty solid talent across the board, so the pressure will be off for them to perform immediately in that case.

Outlook:
Last season, the Jaffro Drawks had their first playoff appearance since the franchise moved to Drawkland. Of course, they couldn't match the dominance of the Elephant Valley Snow Bears, but a solid winning record at 88-72 and a wild card appearance? That's improvement from the previous season's second-half implosion and playoff miss. Obviously, the goal is to make the playoffs again and create some more magic.

The thing is, this core is almost entirely unchanged. You have Aaron Frost continuing his consistent play, Lolong Fadiya continuing to develop, Ted Honeycutt gaining muscle and power, and Jesse Griffith as an elite veteran power presence batting cleanup. Cooper Calebs and Grant Faulkner, even as they age, are almost unfair in the middle of the order. Adding Bella Ashton to the mix is just more fuel in the fire. This is a lineup that can hit with the best of them. If the the Llamanean corner outfielders get on hot streaks, then it's really over. Few pitching staffs could compete against this lineup.

It's a similar story in the rotation. The worries of having too many lefties in the rotation were quieted last season. Namatiwa, Boone, Wilkinson, and Huang-Phillips is lowkey crazy for a domestic rotation. That's arguably a playoff-ready staff already. If the Oscioran Octave Pavia gets going, it just increases the fear factor for opposing lineups. Then you have Judy Ahmed and Rishi Mondal available to fill the gaps when needed, plus a bullpen including guys like Trevor Bell, Danko Novak, and Amano Sachi. Hold on, are the Drawks actually going to cook this season?

Really, it comes down to execution. Assuming this lineup and rotation can play consistency, this team has the chance to steal the division title away from Elephant Valley for the first time in what feels like forever. If we're being honest, though, this team needs a hero. Jaffro has national team talent across the roster, but none of them are The Guy that pulls a club from good to great. If any one of these players can ascend to the elite level, it could be the spark that brings the Drawks to the playoffs, perhaps a divisional title, perhaps even further. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out!

by **Zwangzug** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:07 pm

Let's get ready for Matchday Two!

Group 1

Yakk                               0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Quebec and Shingoryeo              2 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 X  6

Eshialand                          0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4  5
Srednjaci                          0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  2

Crpostran                          5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  7
Avisora                            0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

* Group 1                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Crpostran                           2    2   0    18    3  +15
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo               2    2   0    13    2  +11
3 Eshialand                           2    2   0    13    4   +9
4 Srednjaci                           2    0   2     4   12   −8
5 Avisora                             2    0   2     3   15  −12
6 Yakk                                2    0   2     2   17  −15

Group 2

North and South Slavo-Baltia       0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0  3
Drawkland                          1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3  6

So uh lab here                     0 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 0  6
New Jarwel                         0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0  4

Tikariot                           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
StrayaRoos                         0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 X  2

* Group 2                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Drawkland                           2    2   0    13    7   +6
2 So uh lab here                      2    2   0     9    6   +3
3 North and South Slavo-Baltia        2    1   1    13    9   +4
4 StrayaRoos                          2    1   1     4    3   +1
5 New Jarwel                          2    0   2     8   13   −5
6 Tikariot                            2    0   2     3   12   −9

Group 3

Super-Llamaland                    0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1  5
Hapilopper                         0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

HaIvrim                            0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2  3
TJUN-ia                            0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 X  4

Juldonia                           0 0 3 0 0 2 1 0 0  6
Dhemixia                           0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0  4

* Group 3                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Super-Llamaland                     2    2   0    15    6   +9
2 TJUN-ia                             2    2   0    11    8   +3
3 Juldonia                            2    1   1    10   14   −4
4 Dhemixia                            2    1   1     7    8   −1
5 HaIvrim                             2    0   2     5    7   −2
6 Hapilopper                          2    0   2     7   12   −5

Group 4

Liventia                           0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2  3
Ardsk                              0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Fezziktopia                        0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 2  5
Holy Marsh                         0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0  3

Milchama                           2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2  5
Valanora                           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

* Group 4                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Milchama                            2    2   0    11    1  +10
2 Valanora                            2    1   1     9   11   −2
3 Liventia                            2    1   1     4    7   −3
4 Ardsk                               2    1   1     7    6   +1
5 Fezziktopia                         2    1   1    11   12   −1
6 Holy Marsh                          2    0   2     6   11   −5

Group 5

United States of Nova Calania      0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1  4
Oclea                              0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0  3

Caribbia                           0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 1  9
Vaishnavaria                       0 2 0 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 10

Zwangzug                           0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1  4
Sarzonia                           0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1

* Group 5                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 United States of Nova Calania       2    2   0     8    5   +3
  Vaishnavaria                        2    2   0    17   14   +3
3 Zwangzug                            2    1   1     6    5   +1
4 Sarzonia                            2    1   1    10   11   −1
5 Caribbia                            2    0   2    16   19   −3
  Oclea                               2    0   2     8   11   −3

Group 6

South Americanastan                4 0 1 2 1 0 3 0 0 11
Kamijiro                           0 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  6

Libonesia                          0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0  5
Ochre Islands                      1 0 1 0 0 2 3 0 X  7

Abanhfleft                         1 1 3 0 0 0 2 0 0  7
The Fortem                         0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  2

* Group 6                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 South Americanastan                 2    2   0    15    9   +6
2 Kamijiro                            2    1   1     9   12   −3
3 Ochre Islands                       2    1   1     8    8    0
4 Abanhfleft                          2    1   1    10    6   +4
5 Libonesia                           2    1   1    13   11   +2
6 The Fortem                          2    0   2     6   15   −9

Group 7

Farfadillis                        0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1  3
Mercatoren                         1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

Dod Rava                           2 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0  6
Kronbia                            1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

The 189                            0 2 0 1  0 0 0 0 0  3
Ko-oren                            0 0 0 0 10 0 0 4 X 14

* Group 7                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Dod Rava                            2    2   0    10    4   +6
2 Ko-oren                             2    1   1    16    7   +9
3 The 189                             2    1   1     9   14   −5
4 Farfadillis                         2    1   1     3    8   −5
5 Mercatoren                          2    1   1     6    6    0
6 Kronbia                             2    0   2     5   10   −5

Group 8

Panay Islands and Guimaras         0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  4
Dotivija                           0 2 0 3 0 0 1 0 X  6

Taxonomic Kingdoms                 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
South Newlandia                    7 0 0 1 5 0 1 2 X 16

Equestria                          0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  2
The Kytler Peninsulae              0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4  6

* Group 8                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 South Newlandia                     2    2   0    26    0  +26
2 The Kytler Peninsulae               2    2   0    12    5   +7
3 Dotivija                            2    1   1     6   14   −8
4 Panay Islands and Guimaras          2    1   1     6    7   −1
5 Equestria                           2    0   2     3    8   −5
6 Taxonomic Kingdoms                  2    0   2     3   22  −19

Group 9

Oscioru                            0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1
Nationy Mcstateface                3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X  3

Zug um Zug                         0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  2
Kanmer                             0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1

Banija                             0 0 0 0 2 6 1 0 3 12
Diarcesia                          3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  4

* Group 9                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
1 Banija                              2    2   0    20    8  +12
2 Zug um Zug                          2    2   0     8    2   +6
3 Kanmer                              2    1   1     4    3   +1
4 Nationy Mcstateface                 2    1   1     4    4    0
5 Oscioru                             2    0   2     5   11   −6
6 Diarcesia                           2    0   2     5   18  −13

by **Holy Marsh** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 8:02 pm

LATE BULLPEN COLLAPSE LEADS TO LOSS

Frischberg, Zwangzug- Hema Pilania gave up a two-run home run in the 10th and Didar Rai missed a walk-off three run home run in the bottom of the frame, leading to a 5-3 defeat in extra innings. Ekjit Kaler went seven innings and gave up two earned runs, but a Didar Rai error in the top of the 6th proved decisive as the tying run that would lead the game into extras. "I think we played a very good game in general, but the mistakes we did make were crucial and you can't make those mistakes and win games in the Classic," manager Vendaloop said after the game. Indeed, the Theocratic National Team recorded twice as many hits and had many good scoring chances, but two close plays at bases that became outs and several warning-track flies led to frustrating results. Kaler pitched stupendously and only allowed three baserunners over his frames. They would come around to score, however, proving frustrating for the team.

Nirmol Duhan hit a home run to lead off the second. The ball traveled 435 to left field, a monster shot that was not the only hard contact made. Indeed, while in their previous loss the Marshites proved unable to make solid contact, against Fezziktopia it was made early and often. Three warning track flies and another three outs in the outfield with an xBA of over .750 led to a subdued run output. "I think we had the right approach today. They made excellent plays out there. Caps off to them and we hope to achieve a better result next time we play them," . Six of the starting nine got at least one hit, with Shaleen Tuli leading the team with two. They also stole two more bases, but a potential monster fifth inning was stopped cold after a close play at home with Hannah Smartine being cut down turning into a double play with Suneet caught at third. "Foolish mistake, that," he admitted after the game.

Kaler was dominant for much of the game, not allowing a base runner for the first three innings. A ten pitch walk followed by a two-run shot in the 4th was a setback, but he was perfect until a double in the 6th. He struck out the next batter- his 9th for the game- and got the next batter to fly out. What should have been a routine ball to end the inning scoreless turned into an error when Didar Rai had the throw to first bounce off his glove, allowing the runner on third to score. "Had I just made that play, we would have won," Rai stated, but Kaler was dismissive. "Errors happen. I allowed the baserunner on in the first place."
Jagjot Beniwal pitched a breezy eighth and Rimpi Harl an easy ninth. In the time, Pilania was called upon. Her two earned runs were the most she has given up in over a year. "I screwed the pooch. Gotta be better."

Group Overview:
Milchama beat Valanora 5-0.
Liventia beat Ardsk 3-1.
Fezziktopia beat Holy Marsh 5-3.

Next Game:
The Marshite National Team faces off against group leader Milchama in the third game of the Classic. Right-Handed Non-Human Starter Ekjit Kaler takes the mound against Milcham, who is coming off of two straight five run victories. LHP Aslesha Anaadi takes the mound against RHP Erin Aarons.

Schedule:
July 30: Holy Marsh (0-2) @ Ardsk (1-1) L 3-6
Ikbal Sehgal (0-1, 109.00 ERA) vs -----
July 31: Fezziktopia (1-1) @ Holy Marsh (0-2) (Frischberg: Rise Stadium)
vs Hema Pilania (0-1, 18.00 ERA)
August 1: Holy Marsh (0-2) @ Milchama (2-0)
LHP Aslesha Anaadi vs RHP Erin Aarons
August 2: Valanora (1-1) @ Holy Marsh (0-2) (Kerlagrad: Moore Field)
vs LHP Manjaap Warraic
August 3: Holy Marsh (0-2) @ Liventia (1-1)
RHP Simrita Sial vs
August 5: Ardsk (1-1) @ Holy Marsh (0-2) (Spenson: The Worm Hole)
vs RHP Ekjit Kaler
August 6: Holy Marsh (0-2) @ Fezziktopia (1-1)
LHP Aslesha Anaadi vs
August 7: Milchama (2-0) @ Holy Marsh (0-2) (102d: X Park)
vs RHP Jagtaran Sehwag
August 8: Holy Marsh (0-2) @ Valanora (1-1)
RHP Simrita Sial vs
August 9: Liventia (0-1) @ Holy Marsh (1-0) (Arlington: Paddock Park)
vs LHP Manjaap Warraic

by **Super-Llamaland** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 8:27 pm

LPB7: SLL RECAPS

12. South Falls Athletic

Last Season: 65-95 (fourth in LPBN)
This Season: 50-110 (fourth in LPBN)
Home: Diamond Park (Ruby Falls, SLL; cap. 33,000)
Manager: Derrick Armstrong (SLL, R)

Starting Lineup:
1. DH Ella Carlson (34)
2. SS Carina Reyes (25)
3. 3B Kylie Jorwen (31/CMT)
4. LF Killian Hansen (30/SNL)
5. 1B Nile Cameron (25)
6. 2B Emma Gonsalves (22)
7. C Jackson Kästner (24)
8. RF Eric Zhu (20)
9. CF Vera Larsen (22)

Starting Rotation:
1. Banda Kujabi (20/BNJ)
2. Lucien Ramirez (26)
3. Jack Joseph (35/DEL)
4. Phil Dunn (34/SNL)
5. Micah Moody (20)

Notable Reserves: P Soren Anselm; P Nahia King; P Jimena Ferrer-Bailey; 2B Mia Cole
Offseason Additions: SP Banda Kujabi (drafted #1), P Soren Anselm (drafted #20), LF Killian Hansen (FA)
Offseason Subtractions: SS David Drum (retired), RF Samuel Carlini-Mwambutsya (retired), LF Jude McCallum (retired)
Trade Deadline Moves: Traded CF Ella Carlson, SP Jack Joseph to the Dynamo for CF Christina Wu, SP Eddie Hedley, RP Kent Manzanillo, and a future pick
Best Pitcher: SP Lucien Ramirez (7-12, 161.2 IP, 3.64 ERA, 140 K/32 BB, 2.8 WAR)
Best Hitter: SS Carina Reyes (.271/.330/.394, 20/23 SB, +6.8 DRS, 2.3 WAR)

This was always going to be a multi-year rebuild for a South Falls Athletics team that had been great eight years ago but had lost most of its core to age. Even when the team won the pick-off tournament to secure the number one pick, Banijan superstar-in-waiting Banda Kujabi, it didn’t help much. Kujabi was solid, but not brilliant, and missed significant time to injury in his rookie season. Combined with the loss of the team’s entire starting outfield, everyone knew rookie coach Derrick Armstrong had signed up for another tanking season.

And that is…exactly what happened. In the first half of the season, they at least looked like a regular bad team, going 26-34 in their first sixty games. Despite a rough patch in the next sixty, they were still 43-77 coming out of the trade deadline. They proceeded to win an inexplicable seven games over the rest of the season, finishing with the league’s worst record by a considerable distance. The team trading away their most consistent pitcher in Delaclav veteran Jack Joseph and their best position player in national-team outfielder Ella Carlson at the deadline probably wouldn’t have helped, there. All in all, the team’s 7-33 end to the season was the worst of any Llamanean team in recent history.

Were there bright spots? A few. The pitching looks more solidified, with Lucien Ramirez validating the team’s bet in her to be a starter, second-round pick Micah Moody establishing himself in the rotation, and the likes of Kujabi and Soren Anselm likely to join them soon. But the rest of the staff imploded, especially after Joseph’s departure and a number of late-season injuries that led to a decent-on-water staff finishing worst in the league. And the bats they’ve drafted recently don’t seem to be coming along very quickly, with catching prospect Jackson Kästner batting under .200, and Eric Zhu one of the worst regulars in the entire LPB. While another top pick should help them round out their lineup, the rebuild looks far behind schedule - and it’s not clear how they can catch up.

11. Corbin Island Chariots

Last Season: 68-92 (fourth in LPBS)
This Season: 68-92 (fourth in LPBS)
Home: The Seashell at Corbin (Avalon, SLL; cap. 31,500)
Manager: Nora Jun (SLL, 2)

Starting Lineup:
1. CF Annalise Bright (30)
2. 2B Samuel Singh (26/SNL)
3. C Anaïs Wu (20)
4. RF JP Valencia (23)
5. LF Matthew Bianco (24/SNL)
6. DH Stephen Hughes (28/SNL)
7. 1B Reagan Rasmussen (23)
8. SS Megan Herrera (32)
9. 3B Roberto Villa (28/SNL)

Starting Rotation:
1. Angela Wu (28)
2. Anton Kühn (21/SNL)
3. Dylan Wilson (23/SNL)
4. Myron Pacheco (35/SNL)
5. Lama Melo (21/BNJ)

Notable Reserves: P Jace Mariano; 3B Jake Victorino; C Jed Barkley
Offseason Additions: C Anaïs Wu (drafted #6), 2B Samuel Singh (trade), P Dylan Wilson (drafted #12)
Offseason Subtractions: CF Elijah Tatum (trade), C Sana Dixon (FA), RP Sophie Palmer (FA)
Trade Deadline Moves: None
Best Pitcher: SP Angela Wu (11-9, 167 IP, 3.85 ERA, 120 K/24 BB, 1.8 WAR)
Best Hitter: 2B Samuel Singh (.269/.341/.402, 12 HR, 6.5 DRS, 1.9 WAR)

The returns from year two of the new stadium/Nora Wu era are in, and the Chariots remain uncompetitive with no clear path to improvement. One of the worst things you can be as a small-market team is bad at drafting: and yet, despite taking bust after bust in the LPB era and churning through GMs and coaches alike, much of the core scouting infrastructure remains the same due to budget restrictions. One of the few picks they got right, five-tool centerfielder Elijah Tatum, was shipped out in the offseason over fears that he wouldn’t re-sign, although they at least got keystone prospect Samuel Singh out of it. But while GM Michael Arguiz and Manager Nora Jun both get a lot of credit for bringing stability to the team, without reliable draftees or free agent money, it’s unclear how they’ll make it to the playoffs for the first time in LPB history.

After the insanity of the Michael Shelby/Will Gutierrez/Apollo Sündstrom era, where two future superstars and one of best development coaches of all time combined for zero playoff appearances before tearing themselves apart, some stability has been nice. And former video coordinator extraordinaire Nora Jun has certainly delivered stability, with the Chariots delivering back-to-back sixty-eight win seasons defined by quiet developmental progress and good vibes in the clubhouse. Combined with an uncharacteristically good draft anchored by Anaïs Wu, who Arguiz will be hoping will become a franchise cornerstone at catcher, everything came together into a 26-34 start that is considered “scorching” in Chariotsworld, with some major upsets to boot.

Unfortunately, Corbin Island’s dreams of making a run at one of the wild card spots were immediately dashed by some significant regression-to-the-BABIP-mean from the offense, with a season-ending injury to Wu (.269/.325/.458 the returns from her rookie campaign) rubbing salt in the wound. Wu’s injury meant that the Chariots would ride out the season with a full seventy-five games of the Jed Barkley experience, as the world learned why the Kingfishers cult hero was released after his postseason heroics. But another solid season from Singh and a surprisingly-good rotation anchored by Angela Wu and rookie Dylan Wilson (a 3.94 ERA in 148 innings pitched) give at least hope that this team can scrap their way to .500 in future seasons. Beyond that? Something will have to change.

by **Milchama** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 9:38 pm

"You know last World Baseball Classic we talked about how you couldn't trust the bullpen"

"True"

"And now it looks like we found a solution"

"What is the solution?"

"Just have the starters throw complete games every single time"

"Oh yeah that does mean you don't need a bullpen does it"

"Pretty much"

"Between Numarkez going the distance and only giving up one run and now Benny Miller going the distance and giving up zero runs we're doing pretty well"

"Yeah but Miller was going against semi pros"

"Sure but it's still Margaret's favorite team"

"Oh definitely, one can never count out Valanora but the result itself is not surprising"

"No, not at all, it's a good result and we're off to a good start"

"Batting wise, sure, especially with Goldman's second home run in the first inning in 2 games. That's positively brilliant batting but the pitching is really what I'm talking about"

"Yeah that's true, a 3 hit, 1 run, 10 strike out complete game in the first game and now a 4 hit, no walk, complete game shut out. That's some damn good pitching"

"It's some really really good pitching"

"So when do we fall back to earth?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well there is no way our pitching can sustain like this"

"Why not? We're playing winless Holy Marsh next and they're a theocracy"

"Oh yuck, will we be allowed in the country? Will they brand us heretics? Do we need to guard ourselves against a pogrom?"

"Look, we were able to play in the Archregimancy with no problem, we'll be fine in the Holy Marsh but my point is that we will still probably have very good pitching"

"Ok that's fair"

"The other thing is that even if our pitching isn't great our offense has been solid, especially the top of the order"

"That's true, Goldman is hitting, Mironer is hitting, Jones is walking so there's not much more needed there"

"I would appreciate Tennons hitting a little bit better but she hasn't been bad or anything, just not getting the results we expect"

"And, of course, it's two games so it's such a small sample size that I'm not going to worry about it too much"

"That's fair"

"So regardless I think we'll be fine"

"That's true and that helps me feel better"

"Good, now use your emotion and feel it, really feel it"

"Why?"

"Feel the anger flowing through you"

"What do you mean? I'm not about to use the force"

"Oh, you're not? Nevermind"

"Oh good, glad to hear, how do you feel about Nirvana?"

"I think that's the wrong religion, Holy Marsh seem Christian and not Buddhist"

"You're not going to entertain me? Here I am now entertain me, I feel stupid and contagious"

"If you're contagious then leave"

"No"

"Ok well I'll go"

"No don't go"

"Why not? You said you were contagious"

"Yeah contagious with victory"

"Victory?"

"Yes Glorious Victory!"

"Oh yeah Glorious Victory! Let us have Glorious Victory!"

"All hail Glorious Victory!"

"Glorious Victory!"

"Glorious Victory!"

"Glorious Victory!"

by **Taxonomic Kingdoms** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 9:41 pm

Much like their mortal creations, the dinosaur gods had not set foot on Earth since the Cretaceous. The mortal realm had changed a lot in that time. Elephant Valley was the first human city they had ever seen, and it was quite an experience. The larger dinosaurs had to be careful not to step on anyone, and the smaller ones had to be careful not to get stepped on. Since the gods of extinct species are not invulnerable, they had to be mindful to stay out of trouble. Microraptor flitted across rooftops and treetops to avoid getting trampled by the locals. Therizinosaurus nearly got hit by a bus on his way to the stadium because he didn't understand how streets and traffic worked. He was very upset. Parasaurolophus and Gallimimus had to stop him from attacking the bus and gently explain what a walk signal was. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

Things didn't go any more smoothly after they got to the stadium. Before the game even started Kunbarrasaurus got his head stuck in a locker and his teammates had to help him extricate himself.

The long claws of Therizinosaurus looked very intimidating, but they weren't the most precise tool for handling small objects like a baseball. The fact that Therizinosaurus was feeling nervous and jittery after the bus incident only made things worse. He walked a couple of batters, threw a couple of wild pitches, and when he did put a pitch in the strike zone there was a good chance one of the Elephants would hit it. He didn't even make it out of the first inning.

Pachycephalosaurus came in to stop the bleeding, and pitched a couple of good innings. By the end of the 4th inning, he was starting to get a little tired, the Elephants were starting to get a little too familiar with his repertoire, and the dinosaurs were still not producing the offense they needed. They'd stranded a couple of runners, but not scored any runs. Pachycephalosaurus came back out to pitch the bottom of the 5th, but soon realized it was a mistake and handed the ball off to Oviraptor. That was a mistake too. Oviraptor gave up 4 runs, allowed an inherited runner to score, and only got 1 out. Utahraptor came in and got out of the inning, but by this point it was pretty obvious which way the game was going. They were already down 13-0. Utahraptor and Dromaeosaurus gave up a couple more runs in the last couple of innings, but it didn't matter much when they were already so far behind.

It had not been a good visit to Earth, but they still lingered for a little while after the game. They sat in a plaza a little way north of the stadium and watched the city bustling around them. It was hard to believe this was the same Earth where their mortal creations had once lived. It all looked so different from how they remembered it. Some people gave them a wide berth, visibly intimidated; but others came over and asked to pet them or take pictures. A couple of people offered them snacks, which they happily ate.

by **StrayaRoos** » Thu Aug 01, 2024 1:52 am

WBC 59 - Group 2 - Matchday 1      1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H  E 
StrayaRoos                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2  2  5  0
So uh lab here                     0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1  3  4  1
T. 3:14. WP: Unknown (1-0)  LP: Lahni Berlva (0-1)
Scoring Summary
▼7 LAB  Unknown    Single - LF advances to 1st, C scores                      1-0 
▼7 LAB  Unknown    Double - SS advances to 2nd, RF advances to 3rd, LF scores 2-0 
▲9 STR  Z. Hloa    Double - Hloa advances to 2nd, Reoana scores               2-1
▲9 STR  L. Tearta  Double - Tearta advances to 2nd, Hloa scores               2-2
▼9 LAB  Unknown    Home Run - SS scores                                       3-2

Today's match against the peculiarly named So uh lab here wasn't the return to international baseball that the Emus were hoping for. The new-look team, made up of the SPB's brightest young talents, lost 3-2 away to the opposition, who hadn't provided any identifying information about their players, in a game that ended with a walk-off in the bottom of the 9th. However, the defeated Emus showed some promising signs, such as the 9th-inning fightback, despite the chances of a victory in the scenario being pretty much zero.

The game started slowly, both of the starting pitchers didn't record a run against them, with Berlva even managing not to record a hit against her before being taken out in the 5th. The breakthrough came in the bottom of the seventh, where the opposition's Catcher, having hit a triple a few pitches earlier ran home with a single from the side's Left Fielder. Then their Right Fielder drew a walk, pushing the LF up to second, before a double from their Shortstop made it 2-0, and the Roosian team took a bit to respond, but they sure did respond.

Jake Reoana started the 9th inning with a bang, hitting a double off the very first pitch, before Hamish Preyua was caught, and then Zoe Hloa stepped up to the plate, and she had a strike recorded against her with the first pitch, and a foul ball with the next, then, with the third pitch of the plate appearance, she sent the ball rolling down the centre of the field, somehow being missed by the Pitcher, Shortstop, second base, AND Center Fielder, which was enough to get her to second, and Reoana home, making it 2-1. Next in was Rachel Jalonek, who sent the ball straight up, and was promptly caught.

Luke Tearta then stepped up for his 3rd plate appearance of the match, where he first hit a foul ball, then had a strike and a ball. However, the fourth pitch was where the magic happened. The ball was sent sailing to the fence, and the Roosian fans in the stands were running around like madmen, but the moment was cut short when the ball sunk slightly too fast and hit the fence, bouncing once before reaching the opposing centre fielder's glove. Tearta, who thought it was a guarenteed home run, was then sent scrambling back to second, but Hloa had already made it home, making it 2-2. The next batter, Adam Treyta, was promptly struck out, and the Emus needed to shut out their opposition in the 9th inning to have any shot at winning.

⅔ of the way through the bottom of the 9th, The Emus' chances of managing a comeback win were looking promising, having two strikes, two outs and no runners on base. The only thing that needed to happen now was for closer Ben Aoua to get a strike to get out the opposition's shortstop and send the game into extra innings. But that wasn't what happened. The pitch landed in the sweet spot, making perfect contact with the bat, and sailed over the outfield into the stands for a walkoff. As the opposition swarmed the field, the entire Emus side collapsed to their knees. They had so nearly done it. and then they lost in the most heartbreaking of ways. Perhaps the next group games would provide some better results for them.

by **Crpostran** » Thu Aug 01, 2024 3:38 am

The Crpostranian Baseball Association
presents
The Tigers
for
World Baseball Classic - 59

National Information
Nation: The Karmic Republic of Crpostran
Region: Karma
Trigramme: CRN
Demonym: Crpostranian/Crpostrani
Capital City: Crpostown
Official Language: Crpostranian, English
Currency: Crpostranian Florin (Cƒ)
Population: ≈ 695 million
National Anthem: Säkkijärven Crpostrani
Time Zone: UTC+9
Internet TLD: .cr
National Animal: The Crpostranian Eagle
National Baseball Governing Body: Crpostranian Baseball Association (CBA)
Current Team Ranking: UR (debut)

General Team Information
Manager: Alma Materon
Captain: Burke Balthasar
Home Stadium: Brugstadt Baseball Complex
Nickname: The Tigers (Los Tigres)
Fanbase: The Claws

STYLE MODIFIER: +3.5

Position              Player                Age
-------------------------------------------------
 Starting Pitcher      Iapetos Maxwell       28
 Relief Pitcher        Ranjit Vasu           25
 Closer                Clodovicus Fulcher    27
 Catcher               Kazimir Przemysław    29
 First Baseman         Burke Balthasar       26
 Second Baseman        Tomek Michel          24
 Third Baseman         Tudor Postumus        28
 Shortstop             Ciril Anaxagoras      23
 Left Fielder          Shigeru Gunther       27
 Center Fielder        Hades Guillerme       26
 Right Fielder         José Koios            25
 Designated Hitter     Denis Przemo          30
 Utility Infielder     Gaheris Rab           24
 Utility Outfielder    Moritz Odo            22
 Bench                 Felicjan Maitland     28
 Bench                 Mahihkan Durward      24
 Bench                 Tarun Fergus          26
 Bench                 Algautr Otwin         27
 Bench                 Hercule Djehuti       25

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Lineup: No
RP Game Events: As long as its funny
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Yes (minor)
Godmod Other Events: Yes, go wild

The CBA wishes all the teams a good time at the tournament. Viva la Crpostran!!

by **Panay Islands and Guimaras** » Thu Aug 01, 2024 5:45 am

A CLOSE ONE FOR THE PANAYENSES
Zwischen, Zwangzug

The first defeat of the Panayenses was against Dotivija, where the Dotivijans are showcasing their prowess against the debutants. The Panayenses started off their match with 3 runs against the Dotivijans with scores from Belivaldo Legazpi, Adalberto Yoo, and captain Giraldo Salvador. Until in the 4th inning, the Dotivijans scored three runs from their players who are positioned at the bases after a home run. In the 7th inning, Luís Zaragoza got his own homerun to get the upset win, until a Dotivijan scored his own, ending the game 4-6. "We did well even though we lost.", says Giraldo. "But hope our next opponent would give us a win." "We might be losing the game but we did a good job.", says Solórzano. "We still have hope and qualify to the next round and then win the WBC." The Panayenses will have their chance to win again against the Taxonomic Kingdoms team.

by **Eshialand** » Thu Aug 01, 2024 12:03 pm

Just the Beginning
Eshialand 5-2 Srednjaci

"We're headed back up in the world, absolutely no doubt about that. I know it's early days, but you can feel the energy in the air. This year, we're not just going back to the playoffs, but we're finally breaking our Round of 16 curse."

Ray Frounta had the right to feel optimistic following a second Owls victory, but whether this run would be headed as far as he would hope still had a lot of unpredictable factors going into it. First off, Eshialand's next game would be a major determiner. Sure, you can beat Avisora and Srednjaci, but how you fare back at Yeshley against Quebec and Shingoryeo is the sort of game that really shows just what sort of team you really are.

Paul Haskell would have his work cut out for him, pitching against a team that had beaten Srednjaci 7-2 and blanked Yakk 6-0. This wasn't a team that you wanted to let your guard down against at all, and any slip-up from the pitching staff would lead to this team being put into an incredibly uncomfortable position, a hole that would be tough to dig themselves out of.

While this would be a tough game by all metrics, it was also the sort of game that would give the team a chance to truly shine. With 3 teams on 2-0 after 2 games, this would be their first chance to break ahead, and they weren't ready to waste that opportunity.

"Honestly," Ray said when asked a couple days later, just before the game, "this is an electric group of teams. Lots of exciting games all around, with everybody showing their best stuff and showing why this WBC is the best one we've seen in a while. Even if we don't end up making it, I can already say we can be proud of this team and can look back at this as the most fun we've had in this tournament, moreso than we've had in a long time."

"We're still going to go to the playoffs though, mark my words on that one."

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Thu Aug 01, 2024 1:12 pm

There is nothing that infuriates Kevin Anderson more than his Phoenix losing to "no-names" - teams who enter a competition but do not provide an official roster. The practice remains widespread across most team sports, with only occasional events (most notably the Di Bradini Cup in soccer) enforcing a rule against it. As far as he's concerned, the World Baseball Classic should follow that lead.

"You cannot, cannot prepare for players you don't even know about. Look at what that Kiwi side (New Kiwi Repurikana) did when they beat us. We went righty out of the pen to get a favourable matchup because we didn't know they had a switch-hitting leadoff, and he promptly hit a huge homer. And to see an experienced team like Equestria doing it... grinds my gears. We're literally going to have to operate completely off the hoof."

One aspect was known and planned for - that being the asymmetrical dimensions of the multi-purpose "Donaldson Diamond" facility (officially EyeEye Field @ Donaldson Olympic Park for a long time now, but everyone calls it the Donaldson Diamond) that does double duty as a baseball and lacrosse field. The two LPB-acquired lefties - one of whom called this his home park in the KBL - have both been saved for home games to take advantage of the way right-handed batters, who get the platoon advantage with a southpaw on the mound, have their power potential nerfed by the notoriously deep outfield to their pull side (109.3m to the left foul pole - that's over 350 feet, and 10% further than the 98.4m to the opposite corner). Equestria countered with... do we even know if their team is human or equine at this point? The players that took the field seemed to be a hybrid, with human-ish form but a bottom-heavy build with short arms and powerful hindquarters. Anyway, they all batted righty, not that this really mattered when their offense was primarily of the bunt-and-run variety. And it worked well enough for them to take the Phoenix to extra innings. Plural. Anderson was ready to absolutely lose his mind if he lost to another group of no-names.

But in the bottom of the 12th, as the clock struck midnight in Zube, the Phoenix drew walks to load the bases for Benjamin Ígorsson - and he's not only a bomber but a lefty, even throwing with that arm from third base which is highly unorthodox. After working the count to 3-1 - and with the potential for a walk-off walk in play - he got served a meatball up the middle, deposited it literally out of the park as it cleared the right-field bleachers, and the Phoenix secured their second straight win by the highly unorthodox score of 6-2 in 12. "Completely normal, just like playing mysterious creatures you've never met before," snarked Anderson. You could forgive him for being as excited as the fans for the two games against the South Newlandian Elephants that will likely decide top spot of this group. "Yeah, I'm hyped for the Ellies game too, that's going to be when we feel like a real contender to have that kind of game where people across the multiverse will have at least one eye on us. I'm sure they're excited to face real competition too after their two huge wins so far."

But mostly, he wasn't thinking about playing South Newlandia. He was just relieved that a man who now plays in South Newlandia had secured a walk-off win over no-names.

by **Dod Rava** » Thu Aug 01, 2024 1:50 pm

PREVIEWS

Rawa Marineros
Coach: Tymon Zyms (50)
Colors: Yellow and Brown
Home: AGD Arena Rawa (20,000)
Most Recent Season: -
In: -
Out: -
The oldest professional team in the country established in the 1960s by local sailors and shipyard workers is probably the most prepared one to face the first competitive and fully professional season in years. They have everything they need, the players, the facilities, the fans and tradition.
The city even founded the expansion of their iconic stadium, near the capital's harbor. Under the watchful eye of coach Tymon Zyms experienced players like Ernest Gronek, Włodzimierz Biały and Waldemar Styś alongside the young one's notably third baseman Arnau González and pitcher Henryk Kabat are sure to shine and dominate the league.

SP Ernest Gronek       34
SP Włodzimierz Biały   38
SP Marek Kowalczyk     22
SP Bartosz Tomaszewski 21
SP Przemek Kowalski    23
SP Ignacio Bonet       19


RP Henryk Kabat        20     
RP Jarek Jabłoński     23
RP Wojciech Kozłowski  28
RP Dariusz Gortat      22

C  Hugo Szałwia        28
1B Gerard Pena         24
2B Waldemar Styś       35
3B Arnau González      21
SS Ariel Albelda       23
LF Robert Czarniecki   29
CF Matias Padrón       32
RF "Maciuś" Martin     31

Notable Reserves: 
1B Yaguati Palau       18
2B Julian Wiater       26
LF Vicenzo Arias       23
CF Idoia Huertas       30
CF Marcin Rutkowski    23

KSSP Belchatow
Coach: Felix Bado (27)
Colors: Blue and White
Home: Stadion "Górka" (10,000)
Most Recent Season: -
In: -
Out: -
A pretty well established team in Dod Rava that has produced some national team level talent. Established in the 1980s in an industrial city of Belchatow the team over the last years has been disbanded and brought back multiple times already.
It is a beloved team for sure, sporting wise they don't have anything special going for them with just one national team player, they have their own small stadium which official capacity is 5,000 seats but the thing that makes it special is the "Górka" in its name or hill in English. It's located behind the outfield, the grass covered hill doesn't have any seats and has cheaper tickets but thanks to it KSSP capacity is increased to 10,000. They will be coached by Felix Bado that used to play for the team and the national team as the third base man but a gruesome injury forced him to retire early aged just 25.
Bolesław "Bolo" Angielski, Marcin Maciejewski and Pablo Soto are the player's to watch during this campaign.

SP Adán Sabbattini     29
SP Marcin Maciejewski  22
SP Axel Ortega         34
SP Youssef Pliego      24
SP Jose Angel Dávila   24
SP Maciej Szewczyk     21

RP Cristofor Lombardo  29
RP Krzysztof Jasiński  23
RP Jan Lis             22
RP Vicente Galindo     25
RP Santiago Manzanedo  26

C  Andrzej Chmielewski 22
1B Galeno Esteller     23
2B Manuel Alcabú       19
3B "Bolo" Angielski    33
SS Pablo Soto          24
LF Adelmar Malavia     26
CF Lukasz Nowak        20
RF Miroslaw Sikorski   20

Notable Reserves: 
2B Neizan Fernandino   18
3B Michal Kamiński     20
3B Patryk Kowalski     19
SS Sergio Gisbert      32
LF Mirosław Jasiński   22
RF Youssef Iglesias    26

Wrony Koronki
Coach: Agnieszka Biel (40)
Colors: Red and White
Home: Amica Baseball Arena (13,000)
Most Recent Season: -
In: -
Out: -

A new team, established just two years ago in Koronki, one of the smallest cities in the league but one of the richest in the country. Thanks to their generous sponsor Amica they have great modern facilities and almost unlimited budget, but they lack in quality of player's.
Best players were already either playing abroad or in established team, and they weren't willing to move to Koronki, not because of the town itself but the sponsor that often proves to be controversial, thanks to the rumors about their unethical tactics.
So Wrony are mainly composed of other team rejects, failed college players with a bit of handpicked talent like Grzegorz Kabacki and Omar Pliego that were swayed to join thanks to the huge amount of money.

SP Grzegorz Kabacki    18
SP Matias Guillén      30
SP Lukasz Nowicki      25
SP Renaldo Ortega      36
SP Marcin Kaczmarek    26
SP Jadiel Hopson       23

RP Jan Nowak           25
RP Jarosław Kowalczyk  33
RP Diego Alejandro Val 21
RP Damian Dudek        24

C  Hector Pellegrini   29
1B Omar Pliego         21
2B Alonzo Bertone      26
3B Pol Toscano         27
SS Marcin Wasilewski   25
LF Rafal Nowicki       26
CF Xavi Botín          26
RF Milton Herrera      33

Reserve: 
SS "Seba" Lewandowski  26
SS Marcin Kamiński     28
LF Piotr Nowak         21
LF Yaguati Iadanza     23
CF Witold Malinowski   25
CF Gerard Gómez Cortés 22
RF Ezequiel Grosso     22

Szczylek Gorals
Coach: Aleksander Vega (34)
Colors: Red and Black
Home: Stadion Miejski (8,000)
Most Recent Season: -
In: -
Out: -

Gorals are a result of two teams merging, Górale Szczylek and Szczylek Revolution. The merge happened not so long ago, because both teams were struggling financially and had problems with attendance.
The new team is playing on the city's multipurpose field, and they also train there. Szczylek has one of the best fielders in the league just behind the Marineros, with players like Henryk Hudak and extremely experienced Jan Angel Drabik. But they are struggling with pitchers, their best one Tomasz Duda has been average at best, and their prospects don't seem promising with one exepction. The exepction for the team might be a dual national named Maya Fontana-Mróz, she should be another great addition to the team's already strong list of fielders.
Also, there are three relief pitchers named Krzysztof, and they are not related.

SP Tomasz Duda         25
SP Marian Czarnecki    27
SP Eduardo Lombardo    32
SP Piotr Baran         36
SP Dariusz Nowak       21
SP Pablo Beausejour    23
SP Borja Sahagún       25
SP Nehuen Miguélez     18

RP Curcio Aaron        29
RP Robert Baran        32
RP Krzysztof Kowalski  29
RP Krzysztof Kamiński  22
RP Krzysztof Czarnecki 22

C  Mateo Triguero      29
1B Henryk Hudak        29
2B Maya Fontana-Mróz   20 (DOR/SNL)
3B Piotr Wilk          32
SS Dariusz Mazurek     27
LF Pavel Herrera       22
CF Jan Angel Drabik    39
RF Mikel Laprovittola  19

Notable Reserves: 
C  Jacek Zawadzki      26
SS Luis Miguel Barrios 24
LF Piotr Olszewski     32
CF Adam Kowalski       19

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