Changes at the top (of the bottom)!

DC:  W, 7 – 2.  (.412, .444, .471;  8.7 ip, 3 er). The Balk seized their chance and blew past the Twins yesterday with this outstanding offense and solid pitching. I estimate the Balkan hold on 39th place to be by about 0.2 games: not a massive lead but the way the Balk and Twins are playing, it may be a safe lead.

That’s one way to look at it, but it might be colored by the Wolverines’ cultural background in the top fringe of the EFL where finishing above someone else is the ultimate goal.  Perhaps from a bottomist perspective this is a tragic fall — er, bounce in Balkan fortunes since they no longer are leading from the back like they were, Kerry Irish-style. And worse: they aren’t leading for the first draft pick next spring any more.

Look, D.C., if you want to get rid of that burdensome first pick and all the pressure that goes with it, we can find you a partner who’ll give you his later, low-pressure pick for your too-brightly-lit one.  In terms of the overall benefit of the league, you should grab that first pick so we can put the best possible rookies into our market.

Cottage: L, 0 – 7. (.097, .152 .129;  9.7 ip, 8 er). … and now the Balk are only 7.9 games behind the Cheese!  All things come to them who wait.  Including the Cheese, rocketing up the draft board as they come.  In the last week they’ve subpassed the Diamondbacks, the  A’s, the Rays and the Reds, shoving them all back into less desirable draft spots.  Now they have the poor helpless Padres in their sights. But then, the Padres are led by Crooked A.J. Preller, who has his team embroiled in a nasty scandal over his shady trading practices. I don’t know if the Head Cheese can match Preller’s knack for the sly move. Preller would find a way to steal the Balkan draft pick, if he knew about it. Can the Cheese get there first?

Flint Hill: W, 5 – 3.   These two teams at the beginning of the month came to a place where two paths diverged in a wood.  Kaline took the one leading back into quiet, gracious living.  The Tornados took the one that led to a struggle to reach .500.  Both are nearing their goal. I don’t know for sure how Kaline will know it has arrived. But the Tornados are one itty bitty win from reaching the bright line of .500.

Peshastin: W, 15 – 5. (.385, .529, 1.077 !!;  5 ip, 2 er).  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pears had visions once of doing this every day: cudgelling opponents with a massive offense while stifling them with suffocating pitching.  But, come on, you’re Pears!  Only at the end of your season, when fruit is dropping constantly, could a Pear cudgel anybody.  This is when it occurs, on this day and almost no other. Plan next year with this in mind: be closer to first when the fruit starts dropping.

Canberra: L, 3 – 4. (.235, .316, .353;  11.7 ip, 5 er).

Portland: L, 2 -5.

Pittsburgh: W, 5 – 3.  These teams deserve more attention, but I’m almost out of time and I have to get to the Dragons!

Old Detroit: W, 5 -3.  (.283, .345, .679;  1 ip, 0 er)

Haviland: W, 8 – 3.  (.306, .375, .528;  12.3 ip, 3 er)  Consider these two offensive lines.  You would think they’d produce similar offensive results. But the W’s got about 4.7 runs out of their 1.024 OPS, while the D’s got 8 runs out of their .903 OPS. What gives?

Allocation.  Allocation is what gives.   Old Detroit’s Brandon Drury went 4 for 5 with a double, a homer and two walks. That was the heart of the W’s big day.  He’s allocated 0%.  The Dragons will probably win, and it could be because Wolverine management left Brandon Drury and his .449, . 534, .837 September in the minor leagues.  And I soured on Preller because he won’t promote Austin Hedges?