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Pool 5, third check in
Standings after nine seasons of play (pennants and championships in parentheses):
GB
--- 2019 Astros .554 (3-1)
11 1911 Giants .546 (4-2)
11 1970 Orioles .546 (2-1)
12 1969 Twins .545 (4-2)
38 1953 Dodgers .527
39 2017 Dodgers .526 (3-1)
48 1909 Cubs .519
60 2018 Dodgers .511 (1-1)
65 1936 Yankees .507
88 1907 Cubs .491
90 1903 Pirates .489
130 1934 Tigers .460
137 1922 Giants .455 (1-1)
149 1938 Yankees .447
162 1974 Dodgers .444
169 2013 Red Sox .432
Justin Verlander earned two Pitcher of the Year awards (28-8, 2.67 ERA and 23-12, 3.06) to propel the 2019 Astros to two pennants in the last three seasons.
The Astros surged into first place atop Pool 5 with one season to go. The 1970 Orioles, who led through the first seven seasons, lapsed into a second-place tie with the 1911 Giants, 11 games back.
The 1969 Twins won the last two championships, and are lurking just one game behind the Orioles and Giants. Harmon Killebrew hammered out two MVP seasons (.271, 48 HR and .284, 35 HR). His teammate, Rich Reese, was Killebrew’s MVP runner-up one season. After a slow start, the Twins have played .571 ball over the last six seasons.
Roy Campanella (.300, 34 HR) picked up an MVP to help the 59th-seeded 1953 Dodgers into fifth place with a .527 win percentage.
Three-Finger Brown of the 1909 Cubs continued to monopolize the POTY award in League 2, claiming three more to give him seven in a row. His season marks were 19-14, 2.44 ERA; 16-11, 2.45; and 23-12, 1.80. The Cubs are seventh at .519.
The 2018 Dodgers, seeded 65th in the Quarterfinals, have put up a .511 win percentage in pool play, and will be the lowest-seeded team to advance from this pool.
Bill Dickey (.330, 30 HR) got his second MVP for the 1936 Yankees, who are at .507 and should advance to the Semis, barring a disastrous final season.
At this point, nine teams have the opportunity to finish pool play with win percentages comfortably above .500, thereby clinching a spot in the 48-team Semifinals.
On the other hand, two highly seeded teams are on the verge of elimination. The 1903 Pirates (seeded 29th) are at .489 and will need a Herculean finish to have a chance of surviving. Bill Dickey just earned two MVPs (.315, 37 HR and .336, 32 HR) for the 17th-seeded 1938 Yankees, but they’re 14th in the pool at .427.
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