Here Comes The Paragon Baseball League!

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Won by Larry Walker (Carolina).

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Won in dramatic fashion by the Northwest, who - despite 2 HR from Johnny Mize - walk it off 7-6 on a Roger Connor single off Tommy Bond.

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The Beacons get out into a double-figure lead in the North but then slip up late, allowing the Gothams to narrow the gap back to 5. Still tight in the other three.

Monthly Award Winners

Northwest League

• Batter – Frank Robinson (New Jersey): 312 / 11 HR / 26 RBI
• Pitcher – Rube Waddell (Portland): 3-1 / 0.64 / 17 K / 14 IP / 10 SV

Southeast League

• Batter – Willie McCovey (Kansas City): 379 / 12 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – Charles Bender (Florida): 5-1 / 1.65 / 30 K / 49 IP

Weekly Award Winners

• 1st: Freddie Freeman (Connecticut) / Todd Helton (Florida)
• 8th: Greg Maddux (Boston) / Larry Walker (Carolina)
• 15th: Fred Clarke (Boston) / Carl Yastrzemski (Washington)
• 22nd: Arky Vaughn (Boston) / Carl Yastrzemski (Washington)
• 29th: Frank Robinson (New Jersey) / Josh Gibson (Washington)

Milestones

• 100 HR: Frank Robinson, Cody Bellinger

Other Observations and Points of Interest

• Frank Thomas almost a non-factor at Carolina so far this season.
• It takes Jose Cruz 184 AB to belt his first HR for the season.
• Mark McGwire hits just his 2nd PBL homer and first since 1961. Same for Manny Ramirez.
• After belting at least 20 HR in each of his first three seasons, Joe Gordon has just 2 so far this year.
• Martin Dihigo back into the rotation at Las Vegas.
• Chris Sale into the rotation at Atlanta.
• Roy Halladay into the rotation at Carolina.
• CC Sabathia back into the rotation at Connecticut.
• Harry Brecheen into the rotation at Las Vegas.

Top 20 Hitters by WAR




Top 20 Pitchers by WAR

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A day out for Sir Roy.

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Just one pesky walk away from a perfecto, but I'm sure Satch won't mind too much...

Just the 6th in PBL history and the first this season. It's also the first by an Arrows pitcher.

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Reggie hasn't done much at all so far in somewhat limited action in his PBL career, actually sitting in negative WAR territory, but he has a fine game here.

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Yogi Berra's PBL career has been unspectacularly solid so far. Slashing 244/298/395 with 21 HR, 184 RBI and just over 6 WAR while handling backstop duties at an average rate (1.0 career ZR), he seems to be nudging ever closer to his IRL equivalent with each season. He puts together a memorable game here, providing nearly all the offence in a win over Portland.

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Bit of a lean run for Juan Soto since his fantastic 1962 campaign. Here's hoping this is the start of him returning to that sort of form.

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It's taken him a while, but Jetes seems to be hitting his straps now.

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The West remains the closest division of the four, with just 5 games from top to bottom and Seattle back in front. Still no decisive moves in the other 3, with the fact that New Orleans is 4 clear in the South and that 43-64 Atlanta is currently dead last and 11 GB in the same division both equally surprising. After a slow start, Frank Thomas has come to life and, with Larry Walker having a breakout season, the Trips look ready to put some space between them and the rest of the East.

Milestones

• 100 HR: Ken Griffey jr

Other Observations and Points of Interest

• Mark Buehrle into the rotation at Los Angeles.
• Bert Blyleven now closer at Boston, Frank Tanana into the rotation.
• Portland plays back-to-back 14-inning games, losing 10-7 to the Canaries and then 4-3 to the Stallions.
• Mark Langston back in the rotation at Las Vegas.
• Zack Wheat hits just his 4th PBL HR.
• John Henry Lloyd hits his first homer since 1962.
• Hurley McNair and Roger Bresnahan each hit just their 2nd PBL homer.
• Wes Ferrell gets just his 4th career win.
• Andy Messersmith into the rotation at Los Angeles.

Monthly Award Winners

Northwest League

• Batter – Ted Williams (Connecticut): 326 / 6 HR / 19 RBI
• Pitcher – Greg Maddux (Boston): 5-1 / 1.05 / 44 K / 51.1 IP

Southeast League

• Batter – Frank Thomas (Carolina): 327 / 9 HR / 21 RBI
• Pitcher – Al Spalding (Virginia): 5-0 / 2.57 / 23 K / 49 IP

Weekly Award Winners

• 6th: Roberto Alomar (New York) / Willie Mays (Virginia)
• 13th: Fred Clarke (Boston) / Lou Gehrig (Kansas City)
• 20th: Bullet Rogan (Los Angeles) / Robin Yount (Atlanta)
• 27th: Cristobal Torriente (New Jersey) / Mookie Betts (Indianapolis)

Top 20 Hitters by WAR




Top 20 Pitchers by WAR

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A couple good offensive performances from Jim Wynn and John Olerud.

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What a season Doc Halladay is having - 10-0 / 1.81, with this just another superb outing by the Carolina hurler.

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Another solid season in progress for Trouty and it might just be that one I suspected the Rainiers had in them when everything falls their way and they make a title run. His continued productivity like in this excellent win over the two-time defending champs will be key. What the recap fails to mention is that 2 of those 3 hits went out of the park and he knocked in 6.




Meanwhile Billy Herman has a 6-hit game in a losing cause as Florida go down 11-12 to Atlanta.

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A gritty 11-inning 6-hitter from Mordecai gets the Stags a hard-fought 3-0 win over the Stallions.

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Just the third cycle in PBL history and the first since the inaugural 1961 season.

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"The Year of the Minnows" continues with perennial cellar-dwellers New Orleans and Seattle still atop their divisions and, while this exercise is more about the players, I'd love to see these two square off in the WS.

Neither is home yet by a long stretch, with each leading by just 4. Same goes with Boston, although they are slightly better-placed. Only Carolina looks home and hosed at this point.

Greg Maddux is putting up numbers yet to be seen in the PBL, and looks guaranteed to set a new seasonal wins and ERA mark. Lou Gehrig is still in with a great chance for the Triple Crown.

Milestones

• 100 HR: Adrian Beltre; Albert Pujols

Other Observations and Points of Interest

• Mike Piazza hits just his 3rd PBL HR, as do Luke Appling and Tim Raines.
• Lou Whitaker hits his 4th, Ryne Sandburg his 5th and 6th.
• Hooks Dauss in the rotation at Connecticut.

Monthly Award Winners

Northwest League

• Batter – Jim Wynn (Seattle): 278 / 11 HR / 27 RBI
• Pitcher – Greg Maddux (Boston): 4-0 / 1.95 / 23 K / 50.2 IP

Southeast League

• Batter – Lou Gehrig (Kansas City): 327 / 7 HR / 25 RBI
• Pitcher – Lefty Grove (Atlanta): 5-0 / 3.05 / 28 K / 44.1 IP

Weekly Award Winners

• 3rd: Jim Wynn (Seattle) / Harry Heilmann (Atlanta)
• 10th: Turkey Stearnes (Boston) / Willie McCovey (Kansas City)
• 17th: Mike Trout (Seattle) / Willie McCovey (Kansas City)
• 24th: Frank Robinson (New Jersey) / George Davis (Carolina)
• 31st: Bobby Doerr (Boston) / Johnny Damon (Virginia)

Top 20 Hitters by WAR




Top 20 Pitchers by WAR

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Mike Mussina has to be one of the most improved pitchers this season. He entered 1964 with a 39-55 record and coming off losing 23 games in '63 but is having one heck of a year including his first All-Star appearance, with this gem the best of his PBL career to date.

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The Blues are making a run at New Orleans in the South, now trailing by just 3 with 20 to play as Bucky helps them to a win over Florida.




The two meet in a key series starting tomorrow.