Halfway through the season (well, one game off at the end of June): 960 games, 18,234 hits, 1,411 home runs, 1,373 stolen bases, 10,739 strikeouts, and 1,762 double plays. Who’s ready for another round of that?
The first All-Star Game kicks off in Palmerston North (home of the Manawatu Vikings) on 4 July, and the trade deadline is set for 31 July. There’s a lot to look forward to after the break -- but for now, let’s take a look at what happened in June.
In
Australia North, the Newtown Jets hold onto their division lead despite a fairly mid month. Newtown 1B Jeremy Mason kept racking up the steals (still on pace for 168), though his batting production dipped slightly. The Parramatta Rebels are one to watch — they went 18–8 in June and got a no-hitter from their #2 starter, Boyd Dean.
In
Australia South, the Preston Bears went 14–12 and were completely outpaced by the Fitzroy Bohemians, who finally looked like the championship contenders everyone expected, posting a 20–6 month and taking the division lead.
In
New Zealand North, the Bay of Plenty Magic cling to the division despite a middling month. The Waikato Morepork actually took the lead mid-June, then had a brutal second half and dropped back to third place.
In
New Zealand South, the Wellington Bees slumped to a 10–16 record after losing May’s Hitter of the Month Stu Avon to injury. Meanwhile, the Vikings went 18–8 off the back of some stellar pitching to surge into first.
Statistical Feats (Half Way Projection)- We’ve said it before: Jeremy Mason (Newtown) already has 83 stolen bases. He’s projected to finish with 168. He’s also scored 101 runs -- the next best is 66. That puts him on pace for 205 runs, a full 71 ahead of the next closest.
- A Batting Triple Crown looks unlikely. Guy Pearce (Fitzroy) leads all of baseball with 20 home runs, well clear of anyone else in Australia. He’s close in RBIs, but far off the pace in batting average. In New Zealand, there's no clear front-runner, though Dean Goodwin (Bay of Plenty) is best placed: 2nd in RBI (5 behind), 4th in HRs (4 behind), and 7th in AVG (.040 behind the leader).
- Counties Manukau 3B Greg Taylor leads all of baseball in RBIs... despite the Stallions having the worst record in the league.
- Fitzroy LF Guy Pearce is currently on pace for a 41 HR / 57 SB season.
{*]]Pitching Triple Crowns are also unlikely. Seth Fitzpatrick (Hawthorn) and Fletcher Espley (Manawatu) are both top 3 in ERA and strikeouts, but have been unlucky in the win column.
Injury News- Waikato Morepork LF Brian Smith is expected back in early July after a torn quad. He had been batting .316/.494/.508 for a 179 wRC+ with 4 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.
- Also due back in early July: Preston Bears CF Kelly Seay, returning from shoulder bursitis. He was hitting .365/.430/.571 for a 171 wRC+ with 8 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases.
Contract News- Speaking of Kelly Seay, he spent some of his injury downtime negotiating a new deal -- an 8-year, $11.6 million extension with the Preston Bears, featuring an opt-out after Year 3. If he opts out, he’ll hit free agency at age 30. If not, he’s locked in until 34.
- Waikato Morepork 1B Carl Abbruzzese signed a 4-year, $2.4 million extension. He’ll hit free agency again at age 31. He’s been hitting .392/.455/.600 for a 190 wRC+, though he’s only just broken into the starting lineup after Dwight Pennock’s injury. It'll be interesting to see how Waikato juggles the roster once Pennock returns.
- Lastly, the Bay of Plenty Magic extended SP Chance White to a 4-year, $2.76 million deal (final year is a team option with a $130k buyout). White is currently 6–2 with a 3.10 ERA (134 ERA+), 4.0 BB/9, and 5.2 K/9.