[Dukie98]

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk rebounded from a slow start (6-10) to take the Northeast Division with 95 wins, including a 16-game winning streak in late August and early September. Despite a subpar offense, which finished just 23rd in the league in runs scored, Buffalo's pitching staff dominated, allowing just 460 runs, and leading the league in nearly every pitching category. Crafty southpaw Ray Collins went 18-12 with a 2.11 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, while Tom Henke anchored the deepest bullpen in league history, earning 37 saves with a 1.09 ERA. Buffalo held off the upstart Boston Minutemen, who started hot and finished hotter, winning 94 games on their way to making their first playoff appearance. Boston was led offensively by center fielder AJ Pollock, who hit .308 with 20 homers, 99 RBI's, and 32 steals, and third baseman Gary Gaetti, who hit .285 with 28 homers and 88 RBI's, while Hideo Nomo anchored the pitching staff, going 16-11 with a 2.97 ERA and 231 strikeouts. In the Great Lakes Division, MVP candidate Lou Gehrig carried a balanced Cincinnati Spiders squad to the division title with 92 wins, as he hit .344 with 39 homers, 110 RBI's, and 22 steals. Don Drysdale went 13-7 while sporting a 2.47 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, while hard-luck Jim Palmer went just 15-12 despite a stellar 2.31 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Spiders edged out the London Werewolves, who were eliminated from playoff consideration in the final week of the season with 88 wins, as ace Cy Blanton went 17-11 with a 2.77 ERA and 243 strikeouts, while southpaw Bruce Hurst went 14-8 with a brilliant 2.23 ERA and a league-best 0.86 WHIP.

The Kansas City Mad Hatters dominated the Great Plains Division, winning a league-best 102 games, as their league-best offense was led by left fielder Kevin Bass, who hit .321 with 18 homers and 86 RBI's, while first baseman Gregory Bird pounded 28 homers and drove in 98 runs. Star second baseman George Grantham, despite a career-low batting average, nonetheless led the league with 126 runs scored and 76 steals. The Minneapolis Penguins rebounded from a dreadful 11-22 start to win 91 games, to claim their fourth straight postseason berth. Andy Van Slyke hit .296 with 68 extra-base hits, including 27 homers, drove in 98 runs, and stole 60 bases, while left fielder Cy Williams popped 27 homers and drove in 91 runs. Ace Madison Bumgarner rebounded from his injury-riddled 2019 after going 19-8 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. In the Northwest Division, the Vancouver Viceroys closed strong, ending the season on an 18-5 run (which included a 12-game winning streak) to win the division with 93 wins. Left fielder Jim Edmonds led the way with 22 homers and 83 RBI's, while first baseman Gil Hodges had a breakout season, hitting .296 with 18 homers and 80 RBI's. Reb Russell followed up his Cy Young-award winning season by going 17-10 with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The Seattle Whales returned to the postseason, despite losing Jake Arrieta for the season in spring training, as free agent signee Dontrelle Willis went 16-10 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. First baseman Ryan Howard led the way offensively, hitting .277 with 35 homers and 106 RBI's, while left fielder Heinie Manush hit .309, while ripping 21 homers, driving in 83 runs, and stealing 33 bases. The San Francisco Longshoremen took the final wild card spot with 91 wins of their own, as shortstop Troy Tulowitzki hit .273 with 25 homers and 80 RBI's, and center fielder Manuel Margot had a breakout season, hitting .311 with 18 homers, 92 RBI's, 102 runs scored, and 31 steals. Yu Darvish led the pitching staff with a 19-9 record, a 3.36 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts.

Continental League: The hard-hitting Virginia Beach Admirals made their maiden postseason appearance, leading baseball with 185 homers, as seven players ripped at least 20 homers. Star third baseman Bill Melton hit .303 with 34 homers and 95 RBI's, while catcher John Peters hit .300 with 25 homers and 79 RBI's. Despite stumbling down the stretch, the Charlotte Aviators earned their eighth straight postseason bid the hard way, eliminating the Jacksonville Gulls in a one-game playoff to earn their 89th win of the season. Aviators outfielders Tommie Agee and Cliff Heathcote each topped 50 steals on the season, as Agee hit .274 with 21 homers and 85 RBI's, and Heathcote hit .304, slugged .480 , pounding 20 homers and 92 RBI's. Left fielder Henry Rodriguez blasted a team-high 34 homers and drove in 98 runs. Jacksonville, after losing three starting pitchers to season-ending injuries, stumbled down the stretch, surrendering 21 runs in two one-game playoff losses to Dallas and Charlotte. Their league-best offense was led by Keith Hernandez, who led baseball with a .373 average, along with 23 homers and 109 RBI's, Bryce Harper, who hit .300 with 26 homers and 119 RBI's, and Wade Boggs, who hit .364 with a .453 on-base percentage, including 45 doubles, 11 homers, and 97 RBI's. The Nashville Blues dominated the Southeast Division, leading baseball with 106 wins on their way to their first postseason appearance. Right fielder Brian Jordan, first baseman Greg Luzinski, and third baseman Harmon Killebrew each topped 30 homers, with Jordan also driving in 116 runs. Dave Ferris and Bob Shirley led a league-best pitching staff, each winning 20 games with an ERA below 3.00, and closer Don Bessent had 41 saves with a 1.33 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. The Miami Flamingos returned to the postseason with 93 wins. Infielders Rube Oldring and Paul Molitor led a balanced offense, with Oldring hitting .289 with 22 homers, 83 RBI's, and 47 steals, while Molitor hit .317 with 38 doubles, 14 homers, 90 RBI's, and 26 steals.

The Oklahoma City Otters proved they were no one-season fluke, winning 91 games on their way to winning the Texas Division. Slugging left fielder Khris Davis led all of baseball in hitting 43 homers and driving in 130 runs, while hitting .316. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez ripped 28 homers and drove in 115 runs, while closer Dave Giusti had 36 saves and a 2.01 ERA. The Dallas Wildcatters returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2013, as third baseman Carney Lansford led a balanced offense, hitting .314 with 18 homers and 114 RBI's. Left fielder Rondell White and first baseman Cody Bellinger combined for 56 homers, with each topping 90 RBI's. In the Southwest Division, the Los Angeles Kangaroos finally showed signs of slowing down, winning "just" 99 games, ending a streak of 6 straight years over 100 wins. Trevor Story led a potent offense, hitting .319 with 27 homers and 108 RBI's. DH Glenn Davis continued to rake, hitting .299 with 28 homers and 105 RBI's, while right fielder Gary Sheffield hit .290 with 29 homers and 94 RBI's. Perrenial Cy Young Award candidate Brett Anderson had another strong season, with 21 wins, a 2.34 ERA, and a 1.01 WHIP -- each of which led the Frontier League. The Las Vegas Aces came from 10 games below .500 at the end of June to win 89 games, as third baseman Pablo Sandoval hit .290 with 27 homers and 118 RBI's, DH Dolph Camilli hit .290 as well, with 22 homers and 93 RBI's, and southpaw Chris Van Cuyk went 16-11 with a solid 3.04 ERA and 206 strikeouts.