Limited Schedule Shows Little Change in OL I156
 

Terra Incognita continued to hold a slim lead after yesterday's sims, which saw limited OL action. No team is eliminated from the mix. Vlora and Sierra Vista, however, could likely not afford more than a single loss, if that, given their limited OL schedules.

I'll take this for a tourney reward pack on the Rangers. He's around 31k on on the AH so I think that'll go back into the team, rather than getting used. Between the 15k yesterday, and the 31k today, that's a nice payday.

Now to figure out where to upgrade....

Nice pack! Annandale pulled a 91 OVR Gary Sanchez from its regular achievement pack, so that was a welcome infusion of PP. They have not earned much aside from that, since they are doing a good job of maintaining a .500 record.

Seeing this gives me hope...
 

My "pack opening slump" has to end soon. Over the last 15 or more packs, I've pulled one live diamond, who was low enough to quick sell for 4,000 rather than auction. There were a couple of live golds and salable silvers, but they've been really poor overall. The one bright spot was an OL Jim Pagliaroni, a gold 86 I remember seeing play, so he's getting a run now. I like when people post about their packs. It helps me remember the good ones are out there. Just takes that next good one to make it all right.;)

Stone
 

We have a tight race for bragging rights in Stone

Daytona Beach (10-9) leads Jefferson Valley (12-11) by .004. Ft. Huachuca (4-6) is still in the mix.

There are seven OL games left Daytona Beach is involved in all of them. They travel to Ft Huachuca for 4 games and close the season with 3 games in Jefferson Valley.

The LabRats (80-54) went 17-9 yesterday and jumped into first place in the AC East.

Jefferson Valley(71-62) has a 3 game lead on Ft. Huachuca for the second WC spot in the NC. Toronto holds the top WC spot 1 game up on JV. Still possible with good Septembers we could get an OL WC matchup.

Bronze
 

Brigadoon has a magic number of 3 to clinch a crown. The only team that has a mathematical chance to catch Highlanders is Port Ruppert. The Mundys have 3 games left against both Transylvania and Krikkit. They will need to win all 6 while hoping Brigadoon drops 7 of its last 9 vs Annadale, Otonakizaka and K-Town.


Bronze Playoff Picture:

American:

Coney Island is the only division leader who bounced back yesterday after a couple of up and down months (I attribute that to me taking the day off from PT yesterday after posting standings before work)

Krikkit has a near lock on the first WC with Waffletown holding a .5 game lead over Port Ruppert for the second spot.

National:

Brigadoon trails in the Central by 6 games but has a magic number of 7 to clinch a WC spot.

Without a historic collapse the NC playoff picture is pretty clear.

Cary Still in Catbird Seat in OL S279, but Feathers May Fly in Final Month
 

The term "keeper." in fishing parlance, means a catch of legal size and suitable to take home and enjoy as the spoils of victory. One wag in OL this season, has re-coined the term as "asylum," meaning an OL win against the lowly Keepers, which this season most resembles fishing of the "shooting in a barrel" type.


That said, there are plenty of OL games left, and although it will be a daunting task and take a very strong finish, either Palolo or Weston Pointe can still catch the Southpaws for the crown. Highland has been eliminated. The Puppies would need to go 13-3, but also have 10 remaining "asylums" which they have a perfect 9-0 mark in snagging this year. Weston Pointe needs at least an 11-2 record down the stretch, and have just four "asylums" left. It should be noted that the Caspers have the "worst" catch rate for "asylums," succeeding at a "mere" 67% rate. Interestingly, unless the OL teams beat up on each other enough in the other 12 remaining OL games to render the point moot, the chase could come down to the final day because all four OL teams still playing league games will end up facing each other.


Perhaps most interesting, and definitely odd, is how such a lousy season by the Keepers could turn out to be so key in one that has been a resounding success for the other, more accomplished, OL teams. Weston Pointe and Cary could easily meet for the S279 World Series, and both Palolo and Highland are outside of the playoffs now, but probably mostly due to being stuck in the same division. I do believe, had PT split the OL teams better, they would each have an easier path, considering their success as it is so far. However, the Puppies are 3-1/2 games out, and the Raccoons 10.


Asylum seems to have benefited from being in that division, because as they were making their annual hot run to escape relegation by a game or two, the OL has come to the rescue with a heavy schedule of games that have pushed them back into relegation. The team is in need of a more competitive schedule to help earnings toward improving.

Rustlers Comeback Clinches OL I156 Crown
 

Sierra Vista, playing like a team bent on a hot finish to snag the Iron crown, blasted Terra Incognita ace Adam Wainwright from the game, posting a 6-0 lead after three innings, only to be shut down by Jeremy Fikac and Dick Ellsworth over the final six frames, while the Rustler offense came alive, plating 7 runs in the home 8th to gain a 10-6 win and clinch 2026 OL Iron crown.


As far as PT playoff implications go, Hooterville has a comfortable 8-1/2 game lead in the AC East, Hartford has a 4-game loss column lead in the AC Central, and Terra Incognita is in a flat-footed tie for the second AC wild card spot. Bluffton is five back of a wild card slot, but has been hot of late, posting a 7-3 mark over their last ten.



In the NC, Sierra Vista has also gone 7-3, and is now 4-1/2 games from a wild card entry and 5-1/2 back of the lead in the NC west. Vlora sits 13-1/2 games out and would need a most prodigious run to get back into the race.

is it wrong that I'm hoping Waffletown limps their way clear of the post season? Last thing they need is to make the playoffs, get lucky in a series or two and end up promoted :rolleyes:

Or you could be like me, burning offerings to JoBu that the Asylum Keepers finally get relegated. Stagnating above their ability in silver has really held back earnings. And oddly, the great pack luck that pushed them there has gone completely cold, way worse than my other two teams.

Not at all. With my other team the Rebels, I sort of want to stay in Stone and not get promoted. I have been window shopping in the AH but not buying until after the season. I assume winning the WC game gets me promoted since 8 teams go up.

Weston Pointe Last Contender Standing in S279
 

The Caspers task is straight forward. Win at least 9 of their last 10 OL games and they edge Cary for the Crown. The have three at home and three away against Highland with four "asylums" in between.


Apparently JoBu cannot be called upon for negative outcomes. This was the first time I checked since I posted the altar and Asylum has just lost their first game (1-0, in 12 innings) after seven straight wins since the incense offering. They are now clear of relegation by five games in the loss column, and seemed doomed to another week of silver purgatory. Their faint hope is that they play their last 11 games of the season against OL teams, but I fear that may not be enough at this point.:crying:

picked up Hanlon earlier from the AH to see if he can do anything better than my slugs in centerfield (he's batting below the Mendoza line like the rest of them :rolleyes:)... just chalking this season up to being the hitless wonders for the most part and looking towards next season...

only players I'm looking for in the AH right now are Boss Schmidt and Ira Thomas to finish off the mission for the Cy Young card (not the greatest version, but figured might as well since I already had the vast majority of the cards on that mission before it dropped... and he'd be better than a lot of my current pitchers so he'll fit in nicely)

Caspers Can't Catch Cary
 

Weston Pointe just dropped their second of three in a home set against the Highland Raccoons and that clinches the the S279 OL Crown for the Southpaws. I believe it is last year's Founders Cup winner's first of PT 21(I assume it is the same team).


Palolo and Highland still in the hunt for wild card, with the Puppies 1-1/2 back an the Raccoons, 4-1/2 behind.


The Asylum Keepers have even won an OL game, running their JoBu influenced record to 10-5, and are resigned to another year in Silver, hopefully a more competitive one. With six packs, at least, to open with tomorrow morning's coffee, they've changed their JoBu worship focus to trying to invoke his help with turning around their pack luck. Good night and good luck to all the rest of the way.

With me slowing down my activeness in PT, the Otonokizaka Muse have suffered. Badly. I can't even get them an upgrade because they don't make points.

They are well on their way to relegating all the way down to rookie where they belong!

Bronze Finals
 

The Brigadoon Highlanders led wire to wire and are the 2026 OL Crown winners. Congratulations to the management and players on a fantastic OL campaign. Port Ruppert held off a late charge by Coney Island to finish second.


Bronze 220

In the American Conference Coney Island finished first in the East and will face the Folsom Warhawks in the Divisional Series. Folsom won four of the seven regular season meetings.

The gang from Port Rupppert needed a 163rd game vs. Waffletown to clinch the second wildcard with a 5-3 win at the Spile. Mike Boddicker pitched seven strong innings for the win. No rest for the Mundy’s as they travel to take on the Krikkit War Robots. During the regular season the teams met seven times with Port Ruppert winning four.

In the National Conference the OL Champion Highlanders will host Ouran in the wildcard game. Brigadoon took four of seven from Ouran during the regular season.

Stone Recap
 

The battle for bragging rights in ended in a dead heat. Daytona Beach and Jefferson Valley had identical 14-12 records with Ft. Huachuca ending at 5-9.

League play saw Left Coast who went 24-6 since September 1st head to the playoffs as the top seed in the American Conference.

Jefferson Valley grabbed the second wildcard and face the Oneonta Zebras.

I assume since 8 teams get promoted the Left Coast is heading to Iron next week and if Jefferson Valley wins the WC game they will be moving up as well.

Capturing Crowns as they Climb!
 

Congratulations!

What Does Willie Think?
 

Haven't checked in with the Highlanders' Super Fan in a couple of seasons.

Cary Crown Fait Accompli
 

This makes it official. Weston Pointe and Cary are the only two OL teams to make the PT playoffs, one from each league, so an internecine World Series is a possibility. I don't know that we've had two teams from the same organization meet in the World Series. Both should be going to gold.



Palolo, Highland, and Asylum will be staying put. In the end, I'm glad the Keepers remain, since that should give us enough teams for a crown chase next week. Besides, under JoBu worship, the team went 16-6 overall and even 7-5 in OL play. We'll see later this morning if it helps pack luck. If it does, expect it to remain part of the Asylum routine. That'd be crazy good.