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2023 Regular Season
Western League Review
In the Midwest division Denver under the stewardship of the NABL’s first Japanese manager Yoshizaku Tanaka, surprised everyone (except maybe themselves) riding the western league’s second-best pitching and the Jamie Boden (.322, 39 HR, 117 RBI) led offense, to the clubs second division title while winning 102 games along the way. Oklahoma City improved from their 2022 showing by winning 97 games to finish second and qualify for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Minneapolis (86-76) slipped to third in the division while Kansas City finished in the basement for the second year in a row with an 82-80 record. It was the fourth time in NABL history that all the teams in a single division had finished with winning records, all four times it had been the Midwest division (2015, 2017, 2020 and 2023).
After the midseason trade for Dixon Bodean (.385, 45 HR, 138 RBI), Houston pulled away from the pack to take the Southwest division crown with a 91-71 record, the signing of Bodean helped propel their offense to another level (in 89 games with Houston he batted .399 while hitting 29 HR with 98 RBI’s). Dallas led by 3B Rizalino Nolasco (.303, 34 HR, 100 RBI) and pitcher Earl Stone (18-8, 2.52 ERA) were the best of the rest finishing 75-87 their best record since winning the division in 2019, Las Vegas (71-91) held back by their starting pitching finished third. Phoenix slipped to a disappointing 66-win season whilst Austin slumped to the clubs worst ever record, finishing the season 57-105.
In the Pacific division, with Gabriel Mendez (.282, 36 HR, 113 RBI) leading a banged-up offense, Los Angeles (102-60) leaned heavily on their pitching staff led by Jimmy Chien (18-9, 2.97 ERA), Raul Vazquez (16-8, 2.58 ERA) and Max Castle (16-10, 2.97 ERA) to cruise to their sixth straight division crown and fourth consecutive 100-win season while drawing over 4 Million fans to their games. Despite ace pitcher Pedro Escobar’s heroics (19-7, 2.52 ERA), San Diego (83-79) could only finish a distant second, their fourth straight runners-up slot, Sanfranscisco finished the season with a .500 record while San Jose, despite boasting a top five pitching staff finished 79-83. Bringing up the rear, yet again, was Seattle (62-100) dropping 100 games for the second time in three years.
Final Standings
Midwest Division
Denver 102-60*
Oklahoma City 97-65*
Minneapolis 86-76
Kansas City 82-80
Southwest Division
Houston 91-71*
Dallas 75-87
Las Vegas 71-91
Phoenix 66-96
Austin 57-105
Pacific Division
Los Angeles 102-60*
San Diego 83-79
Sanfrancisco 81-81
San Jose 79-83
Seattle 62-100
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