I must say this morning’s flurry of email activity caught me by surprise. I haven’t known my fellow comrades to so easily give up in the midst of a tight pennant race at the end of the season. But it seems as though that is the case for at least the two closest competitors. Even though both of those competitors will have 2 games tomorrow when the Tornadoes play none, and could conceivably find themselves mere percentage points behind the leader. Instead? They have already started looking to next season (Haviland), and thrown their Rookie of the Year candidate to the wolves (Kaline)!
But not everyone has given up – look, the Cheese have taken back the top spot in the BCCCDC Cup, and the Roos have created enough separation in the Mock the Mock Cup to begin preparing his season-ending roast of his dad.
There is still drama left to experience! There is still excitement remaining for those who don’t walk away! There are still races to be run, trophies to be engraved, and legacies to be created or solidified. This is your time, EFL owners! Your players won’t easily forget the lack of faith you showed in them this season, even after all they gave to you while playing during a worldwide pandemic. They need you to believe in them! And the EFL needs you commit to your cause for 5 more days. Will you accept the challenge?
EFL Standings for 2020
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
RS |
RA |
| Flint Hill Tornadoes |
32 |
24 |
.563 |
— |
282.3 |
264.3 |
| Kaline Drive |
28 |
26 |
.521 |
2.4 |
230.8 |
216.7 |
| Haviland Dragons |
28 |
26 |
.516 |
2.6 |
252.1 |
240.4 |
| Peshastin Pears |
28 |
27 |
.503 |
3.3 |
287.5 |
281.3 |
| Cottage Cheese |
26 |
29 |
.473 |
5 |
284.6 |
301.1 |
| Bellingham Cascades |
26 |
29 |
.470 |
5.2 |
276.8 |
306.3 |
| Canberra Kangaroos |
23 |
32 |
.418 |
8 |
263.8 |
310.4 |
| D.C. Balk |
23 |
32 |
.416 |
8.1 |
242.0 |
287.2 |
| Old Detroit Wolverines |
22 |
34 |
.393 |
9.5 |
252.0 |
315.1 |
| Pittsburgh Alleghenys |
19 |
36 |
.346 |
12 |
243.9 |
335.5 |
| Portland Rosebuds |
16 |
39 |
.289 |
15.1 |
245.7 |
385.8 |
Flint Hill: “W,” 4-4 (46PA; 3.4IP)
| AVG: 0.200 |
OBP: 0.304 |
SLG: 0.275 |
OPS: 0.579 |
The Tornadoes gained .01 games over the Drive and .02 games over the Dragons, hardly enough gain to spell impending doom, but enough to apparently spell distant doom. Max Kepler’s bat has awoken this last week of the season, which is a welcome sight. He went 3 for 5 with a game-tying HR. Willi Castro continued his strong September with 2 hits. Mike Trout collected 3 BBs but no hits, and the rest of the team collected an additional 2 hits and 3 BBs. Not a great showing, but enough.
Kaline: L, 3-4 (41PA; 1IP)
| AVG: 0.200 |
OBP: 0.268 |
SLG: 0.257 |
OPS: 0.525 |
Kaline dropped another game, apparently due to the rapid decline of their former stud, Kyle Lewis. Lewis went 0 for 4 yesterday, and his September OPS is .609, nearly .300 points below his August OPS. So I suppose Drive management has reason to complain. But Aaron Judge returned to earn 3 hits, and the temporarily lost Kevin Pillar added in two more hits and 2 SBs. However, the Drive did drop .01 game behind the Tornadoes, which in the scheme of things isn’t that much, but was, apparently, too much to give them any hope.
Haviland: L, 3-7 (50PA; no pitching)
| AVG: 0.289 |
OBP: 0.347 |
SLG: 0.378 |
OPS: 0.725 |
For a September day, that’s a pretty good offensive line for the Dragons. Still shy of what I imagine their owner is wanting to see, it should give him some hope that there is still a flicker of flame to be stoked for a final push. Dylan Carlson and JT Realmuto both contributed 3 hits on the day, and all but three hitters added at least one more hit. Luis Robert, who many thought to be the prize pick-up at the trade deadline, has very quietly had a horrible September, OPSing .347. As a side note, Brandon Nimmo, whom the Cheese pried away from the Dragons for Robert, is OPSing .993.
Peshastin: W, 6-5 (54PA; 8.7IP)
| AVG: 0.244 |
OBP: 0.352 |
SLG: 0.467 |
OPS: 0.819 |
The Pears win was earned almost exclusively by three players. Gio Urshela and Ozzie Albies combined to go 7 for 9 with a 2B and a HR, and Dustin May pitched 5 innings, giving up 2ER. Everyone’s else contributed in ways detrimental to a win, but thankful those three overpowered the rest, and they are now just .7 games behind the Dragons for third place.
Cottage: W, 11-2 (31PA; 10.3)
| AVG: 0.429 |
OBP: 0.484 |
SLG: 0.607 |
OPS: 1.091 |
The Cheese sent 8 players to the plate, and 5 of them collected multiple hits on the day, leading to a most excellent 11 runs scored. Joey Bart led the way with 2 2Bs, and the Coreys once again showed that there is strength in a name, combining to go 6 for 7 with a HR. The pitchers were also very good, led by happy guy Drew Smyly’s 5.3IP and 1ER. The Cheese gained .8 games on the leading Tornadoes, and are now in control of the BCCCDC Cup by .2 games.
Bellingham: W, 6-0 (34PA; 8IP)
| AVG: 0.281 |
OBP: 0.324 |
SLG: 0.594 |
OPS: 0.917 |
Not to be outdone by the Cheese, the Cascades kept pace by contributing their excellence on the day. They were led by Marcell Ozuna who had the best offensive day in the entire MLB, going 4 for 5 with 1 2B and 2 HRs. Ozuna is OPSing 1.214 this month – just think of how he would have helped Portland stay out of the cellar had he remained a Rosebud! But now Ozuna has something to play for – the BCCCDC Cup! Brett Anderson and Devin Williams combined for all of the pitching, leading the Cascades to a convincing win.
Canberra: W, 7-0 (39PA; 6IP)
| AVG: 0.343 |
OBP: 0.410 |
SLG: 0.457 |
OPS: 0.867 |
Perhaps the Cup should be renamed the BCCCCK Cup, because the Roos are now in the hunt for it! On a strong showing from Kyle Tucker (4 for 5 with a 2B and a SB) the Roos managed to convincingly separate themselves from their dad, a feat also done by the Tornadoes yesterday. Kolby Allard and Caleb Smith redeemed their Septembers a bit, combining to give up 0 runs in 6 IP.
DC: W(-1), L2 (-1)-13 (34PA; 1.4IP)
| AVG: 0.156 |
OBP: 0.206 |
SLG: 0.219 |
OPS: 0.425 |
The Balk are thankful for a new day every day, I am sure of it, but perhaps a little more thankful for a new day today after yesterday’s stinker. 5 hitters got a hit, but 3 hitters hit into double plays. 3 pitchers pitched, but each of them gave up several runs, led by David Phelps who gave up 3 runs without recording an out.
Old Detroit: L, (-3)-5 (49PA; 6.3IP)
| AVG: 0.106 |
OBP: 0.143 |
SLG: 0.149 |
OPS: 0.292 |
Ljay, AJ, and JJ combined for an excellent day on the mound, pitching 6.3 innings and giving up only one 1. But the hitting was simply atrocious except for Trea Turner (bet he will be a hot commodity in the free agent draft next year!), who collected 3 of the 5 Wolverine hits. Rafael Devers, on the heels of what has been an excellent September, contributed 4 strikeouts, otherwise known as the Golden Sombrero.
Pittsburgh: W, 6-5 (39PA; 12.7IP)
| AVG: 0.211 |
OBP: 0.231 |
SLG: 0.579 |
OPS: 0.810 |
The Allegheny owner was the first to chime in this morning after the news of Baseball Reference being down. He wondered aloud who could be so eager to see the stats. Turns out it was him! Wins have been difficult for Pittsburgh (both the Alleghenys and the Pirates) to come by this season, and he had a hunch a win was in order – and he was right! (The Pirates also won yesterday – how rare!). The Alleghenys got their won on the strength of 4 HRs (Swanson, Muncy, Buston and Vazquez), which was enough to overcome a mediocre start from Frankie Montas (4IP and 5ER), whom the Tornadoes almost traded for…just imagine what that would have been like!!
Portland: W, 2-(-2) (27PA; 11IP)
| AVG: 0.091 |
OBP: 0.259 |
SLG: 0.273 |
OPS: 0.532 |
Look at that sterling pitching line! Adbery Alzolay and Bryse Wilson combined to pitch 9 innings and give up 1 run. But the Rosebud hitting was not great. The team did collect 5 BBs, but only 2 hits.
Combined MLB + EFL Standings for 2020
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Tampa Bay Rays |
36 |
20 |
.643 |
— |
| New York Yankees |
32 |
23 |
.582 |
3.5 |
| Flint Hill Tornadoes |
32 |
24 |
.563 |
4.5 |
| Toronto Blue Jays |
28 |
27 |
.509 |
7.5 |
| Baltimore Orioles |
23 |
32 |
.418 |
12.5 |
| Old Detroit Wolverines |
22 |
34 |
.393 |
14 |
| Boston Red Sox |
21 |
34 |
.382 |
14.5 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Atlanta Braves |
33 |
22 |
.600 |
— |
| Miami Marlins |
28 |
27 |
.509 |
5 |
| Philadelphia Phillies |
27 |
29 |
.482 |
6.5 |
| New York Mets |
25 |
30 |
.455 |
8 |
| Washington Nationals |
23 |
32 |
.418 |
10 |
| Canberra Kangaroos |
23 |
32 |
.418 |
10 |
| D.C. Balk |
23 |
32 |
.416 |
10.1 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Chicago White Sox |
34 |
21 |
.618 |
— |
| Minnesota Twins |
34 |
22 |
.607 |
0.5 |
| Cleveland Indians |
31 |
24 |
.564 |
3 |
| Bellingham Cascades |
26 |
29 |
.470 |
8.2 |
| Detroit Tigers |
22 |
31 |
.415 |
11 |
| Kansas City Royals |
22 |
33 |
.400 |
12 |
| Pittsburgh Alleghenys |
19 |
36 |
.346 |
15 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Chicago Cubs |
32 |
23 |
.582 |
— |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
27 |
25 |
.519 |
3.5 |
| Milwaukee Brewers |
27 |
27 |
.500 |
4.5 |
| Cincinnati Reds |
28 |
28 |
.500 |
4.5 |
| Cottage Cheese |
26 |
29 |
.473 |
6 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates |
16 |
39 |
.291 |
16 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Oakland A’s |
33 |
21 |
.611 |
— |
| Kaline Drive |
28 |
26 |
.521 |
4.9 |
| Haviland Dragons |
28 |
26 |
.516 |
5.1 |
| Houston Astros |
28 |
27 |
.509 |
5.5 |
| Los Angeles Angels |
25 |
31 |
.446 |
9 |
| Seattle Mariners |
24 |
31 |
.436 |
9.5 |
| Texas Rangers |
19 |
36 |
.345 |
14.5 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Los Angeles Dodgers |
39 |
16 |
.709 |
— |
| San Diego Padres |
34 |
21 |
.618 |
5 |
| Peshastin Pears |
28 |
27 |
.503 |
11.3 |
| San Francisco Giants |
27 |
27 |
.500 |
11.5 |
| Colorado Rockies |
24 |
30 |
.444 |
14.5 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks |
21 |
34 |
.382 |
18 |
| Portland Rosebuds |
16 |
39 |
.289 |
23.1 |
