[Nick Soulis]

Season 8
April



�� The Excellence Project – Season 8 Monthly Recap: April
An In-Depth Look at the First Month Across All 16 Clubs

As the sun sets on the first month of Season 8 in The Excellence Project, each of the 16 participating clubs has shown flashes of brilliance, vulnerability, and everything in between. From breakout stars to early-season MVP campaigns, April brought fireworks and clarity to the divisional races. Let’s dive into a full breakdown by league and division.

�� Award Winners Recap

SL1 Pitcher of the Month: Charles Bender (Philadelphia 1910) – 4-1, 4.07 ERA, 41 K

SL2 Pitcher of the Month: Babe Adams (Pittsburgh 1913) – 5-1, 2.25 ERA, 35 K

SL1 Hitter of the Month: Jay Buhner (Seattle 1990) – .367 AVG, 10 HR, explosive power

SL2 Hitter of the Month: Willie McCovey (San Francisco 1969) – .353 AVG, 9 HR, 23 RBI

�� AMERICAN LEAGUE

East Division

⚾ Philadelphia 1910 Athletics (12–9, 1st Place)
The A’s are riding the dominant right arm of Charles Bender, who has been superb with 41 strikeouts and only six walks in April. Offensively, Eddie Collins (.424) and Stuffy McInnis (.376) have kept the lineup clicking. With elite contact hitting and crafty starting pitching, this is a team built for consistency.

⚾ St. Louis 1947 Browns (11–11, 2nd Place)
A surprise second-place effort from a scrappy Browns team. Though lacking a true star, the lineup is finding timely hits, and the rotation has held its own. Their challenge moving forward will be bullpen durability.

⚾ Detroit 1994 Tigers (10–12, 3rd Place)
Detroit has struggled to find consistency, despite flashes from its offense. Cecil Fielder has yet to heat up, and the pitching has been erratic. If the bullpen stabilizes, they’re still in the hunt.

⚾ Boston 1953 Red Sox (9–13, 4th Place)
Ted Williams’ presence alone keeps pitchers cautious, but this team is not stringing together wins. The staff is allowing too many base runners, and their -21 run differential is a red flag.

West Division

⚾ Pittsburgh 1972 Pirates (13–9, 1st Place)
With names like Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente, the ‘72 Bucs bring power and leadership. The rotation is solid if unspectacular, but the bats have been clutch, especially late in games.

⚾ Minnesota 1998 Twins (11–10, 2nd Place)
The Twins are staying afloat thanks to timely offense and a surprisingly steady bullpen. Brad Radke is anchoring the rotation, and Ron Coomer has chipped in with key RBIs.

⚾ Seattle 1990 Mariners (10–12, 3rd Place)
Jay Buhner was baseball’s most dangerous man in April, slamming 10 HR and hitting .367. Yet Seattle’s pitching has let them down — particularly their starters’ inability to get past the 5th inning.

⚾ St. Louis 1945 Browns (6–15, 4th Place)
Already looking like a team destined for the bottom, the ‘45 Browns have no standout offensive contributors and a staff that ranks last in ERA. Barring a turnaround, this could spiral quickly.

⚾ NATIONAL LEAGUE

East Division

⚾ Pittsburgh 1913 Pirates (14–8, 1st Place)
This vintage team is thriving thanks to Babe Adams’ brilliance and a ferocious offense. Rennie Stennett (.446 AVG) leads all of baseball in hitting, and Owen Wilson has 9 HR and 21 RBI. Add in Hank Robinson’s 1.66 ERA, and the Pirates are an early juggernaut.

⚾ St. Louis 1926 Cardinals (11–11, 2nd Place)
Jim Bottomley leads the league in homers (10) and anchors a team that’s treading water. The pitching has been better than expected, but the bullpen lacks a true closer.

⚾ Washington 1965 Senators (9–11, 3rd Place)
While not an elite team on paper, Washington has shown grit. However, the offense ranks near the bottom of the league, and unless they get more out of Frank Howard, it’s hard to see a playoff push.

⚾ Chicago 1983 Cubs (7–15, 4th Place)
One of the worst starts in the tournament. Despite solid efforts from Ron Cey and Jody Davis, the rotation has been crushed, especially by left-handed hitters. Their staff has surrendered the most HR in the league.

West Division

⚾ San Diego 2013 Padres (17–5, 1st Place)
No team has been hotter. Winners of 10 straight at one point, the Padres have elite starting pitching (3.12 team ERA) and a deep bullpen. Chase Headley and Carlos Quentin are providing run production, and the defense has been nearly flawless.

⚾ San Francisco 1969 Giants (12–10, T-2nd Place)
Willie McCovey (.353, 9 HR, 23 RBI) is staking a claim as the league MVP so far. Juan Marichal (41 K) is striking out batters at will, though the bullpen has blown three saves.

⚾ Houston 2005 Astros (12–10, T-2nd Place)
Roger Clemens has been dominant (4-0, 1.70 ERA) and Morgan Ensberg is flashing power. The team is winning with a tight rotation and good defensive play. Their Achilles heel? Inconsistent run support.

⚾ Cincinnati 2015 Reds (10–13, 4th Place)
Despite a strong week from Marlon Byrd, Cincinnati remains inconsistent. Raisel Iglesias (1.95 ERA) and Homer Bailey (2.22 ERA) are giving them chances, but the offense lacks punch outside of Byrd and Todd Frazier.

�� Final Thoughts

Early MVP Watch: McCovey in NL and Buhner in AL

Best Rotation: Pittsburgh 1913, with Adams and Robinson leading a vintage shutdown staff.

Biggest Surprise: San Diego 2013, off to a blistering 17-5 start.

Biggest Disappointment: Chicago 1983 Cubs, with the league’s worst record and leakiest pitching.

As May begins, contenders will look to build momentum, while early underachievers must scramble to stay alive. With two elite Pirates clubs leading their respective leagues, could we be headed for an all-Pittsburgh finale? The Excellence Project’s eighth season is heating up.