[rockford]

Standings after nine seasons of play (pennants and championships in parnetheses):

GB
--- 1909 Pirates .566 (5-4)
18 2017 Nationals .553 (6-1)
40 1910 A’s .537 (1-0)
56 1941 Yankees .525 (1-1)
58 1992 Braves .524 (2-1)
69 1939 Yankees .516 (1-1)
77 1969 Orioles .510
88 2019 Dodgers .502 (1-0)
96 1962 Giants .496
98 1940 Tigers .495
99 1931 Yankees .494 (1-1)
116 1939 Cardinals .482
131 2003 Yankees .471
144 1927 Yankees .462
153 1966 Orioles .455
203 1922 Browns .419

Howie Camnitz (22-12, 2.80 ERA) notched his third Pitcher of the Year award and Honus Wagner (.340, 23 HR) got his sixth MVP to help the 1909 Pirates nab another championship, but the Bucs have not quite been able to lock up the pool title heading into the final season.


The 2017 Nationals rattled off three straight pennants, giving them four in a row, as they vaulted from fourth to second place, just 18 games behind the Pirates. Max Scherzer (24-10) and Stephen Strasburg (23-7, 3.01 ERA) each won POTY awards, and Bryce Harper was an MVP runner-up.


The 1910 A’s also moved up, from fifth to third, with Chief Bender claiming two more POTYs – 23-13, 2.95 ERA and 21-16, 2.89 ERA.


The 1939 Yankees went on a tear to claim their first championship and improve their win percentage from .505 to .516 over the last three seasons. Joe DiMaggio had two MVP runner-up finishes.


The 1941 Yankees and the 1992 Braves have slid a bit in the standings, but look like good bets to advance to the Semifinals. Dimaggio got his second MVP (.333, 36 HR). The 1969 Orioles also appear to be in good shape.


The 2019 Dodgers rallied to boost their overall winning percentage from .495 to .502 in the last three seasons. But they’ll need one more good season to punch their ticket to the Semifinals.


Although there are still two more pools of 16 teams waiting to compete, current standings indicate a .498 winning percentage may be good enough to qualify for the Semifinals. Three teams are hovering just below that mark headed into the final season. The 1962 Giants (.496), 1940 Tigers (.495) and 1931 Yankees (.494) all need winning seasons to have a chance. Thirty-six-year-old Babe Ruth won two of the last three League 2 MVPs (.319, 42 HR and .324, 44 HR).


In League 1, a younger Ruth won his sixth and seventh MVPs (.300, 55 HR and .299, 50 HR), but the 1927 Yankees are still 14th in the standings, and his bat will be silenced after the next season.