Here Comes The Paragon Baseball League!

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[luckymann]

A late-August stumble by the Lizards has opened the door in the West, with their lead back to just 4. Otherwise, it is smooth sailing for the leaders. Carolina, currently at 96-43, are a decent chance of breaking their 1971 PBL record of 116 wins.

On the topic of records tumbling, it's almost a given that the HR record - 48, shared by Willie McCovey and Adrian Beltre in 1962 - is going to fall. The only questions are, to whom and by how many? Dan Brouthers is also having a run at 400.


Standings and Leaders





Monthly Award Winners

July

Northeast League

• Batter – Larry Walker (Carolina): 396 / 7 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – George Cuppy (Virginia): 1-0 / 0.60 / 13 SV / 6 K / 15 IP

Southwest League

• Batter – Albert Pujols (Florida): 375 / 10 HR / 29 RBI
• Pitcher – Pete Alexander (Kansas City): 5-1 / 1.53 / 46 K / 53 IP

August

Northeast League

• Batter – John Olerud (Carolina): 418 / 10 HR / 31 RBI
• Pitcher – Johan Santana (Washington): 5-0 / 2.09 / 59 K / 51.2 IP

Southwest League

• Batter – Dan Brouthers (Las Vegas): 430 / 4 HR / 21 RBI
• Pitcher – Roger Clemens (Los Angeles): 4-1 / 1.09 / 59 K / 49.1 IP

Weekly Award Winners

July

• 2nd: Mel Ott (Carolina) / Todd Helton (Florida)
• 9th: George Sisler (New Jersey) / Jimmie Foxx (Los Angeles)
• 16th: Joe Cronin (Carolina) / Dan Brouthers (Las Vegas)
• 23rd: Larry Walker (Carolina) / Heavy Johnson (Florida)
• 30th: Dustin Pedroia (New Jersey) / Heavy Johnson (Florida)

August

• 6th: Roberto Alomar (New York) / Thurman Munson (Portland)
• 13th: George Davis (Carolina) / Todd Helton (Florida)
• 20th: Hurley McNair (New Jersey) / Johnny Mize (New Orleans)
• 27th: Jake Beckley (Indianapolis) / Jesse Burkett (Las Vegas)

Milestones

• 400 HR: Ted Williams (first to this mark)
• 300 HR: Willie Mays
• 2500 hits: George Sisler

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Second no-hitter for the season and the second in the career of Portland's Cole Hamels.

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Another miserable season for the Grays collectively, with this beauty from Josh Gibson a rare highlight.

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One of the least eventful PBL races so far comes to its conclusion. Carolina just misses the wins mark but that +420 run diff shows just how dominant they have been.




Batting crowns to Ted Williams (367 / 2nd win) and Dan Brouthers, whose 391 mark is a new PBL high. Williams also breaks the marks for OBP (486) and OPS (1.130), while Larry Walker does so as well with his 680 SLG.

Unbelievably, we now have a four-way tie at 48 HR after Mel Ott and Mark McGwire reach that figure this season. Master Mel also ties Teddy B's single-season RBI record with 142.

Pete Alexander's 12.42 pWAR are another new record, with his 24 wins leading the league. Sam McDowell repeats as King of K with 341, while Cannonball Redding registers the lowest ERA this year with 2.38 and Jack Powell again leads the league with 45 saves.


Final Top 20s and Leaders






Monthly Award Winners

Northeast League

• Batter – Reggie Jackson (Connecticut): 329 / 13 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – Mel Harder (New York): 4-2 / 1.88 / 24 K / 52.2 IP

Southwest League

• Batter – Duke Snider (Kansas City): 304 / 11 HR / 29 RBI
• Pitcher – Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles): 5-1 / 1.26 / 58 K / 50 IP

Weekly Award Winners

• 3rd: Eustaquio Pedroso (Indianapolis) / Johnny Mize (New Orleans)
• 10th: Turkey Stearnes (Boston) / Johnny Mize (New Orleans)
• 17th: Freddie Freeman (Connecticut) / Todd Helton (Florida)
• 24th: Charlie Gehringer (Indianapolis) / Duke Snider (Kansas City)
• 1st: Cristobal Torriente (New Jersey) / Jose Cruz (Atlanta)

Milestones

• 250 wins: Nap Rucker

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NE League

Carolina Triplets (115-53) v Boston Beacons (95-73)

Best of seven, Triplets with home-field advantage.

Game 1



Game 2



Game 3



Game 4



Game 5



Game 6



Carolina wins series 4 games to 2

SERIES MVP: George Davis (CARO)

SW League

Kansas City Blues (105-63) v Las Vegas Lizards (93-75)

Best of seven, Blues with home-field advantage.

Game 1



Game 2



Game 3



Game 4




Kansas City wins series 4 games to 0

SERIES MVP: Miguel Cabrera (KANC)

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Carolina Triplets v Kansas City Blues

Best of nine, Triplets with home-field advantage.

Clearly the two dominant teams this season make it to the final showdown and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us.

Blues to break through for their maiden title in a gripping nine-gamer for mine.

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Game 1 in Carolina

TRIPLETS OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT WITH STRONG GAME 1 WIN

WP: Roy Halladay (1-0) 9 IP / 7 H / 3 ER / 0 K
LP: Pete Alexander (1-1)


CARO: John Olerud 2 HR [2] / 3 RBI. Larry Walker 2-4 / 2B / 3 RBI. Roger Bresnahan 2-run 2B. Dick Lundy 2-4 / 2B / RBI. Frank Thomas 2-4.

KANC: Willie McCovey 2-4.


PotG: John Olerud (CARO)

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Game 2 in Carolina

BLUES SQUARE SERIES AT 1 AS GEHRIG SHINES

WP: Robin Roberts (1-0)
LP: Nap Rucker (0-2)


KANC: Lou Gehrig 3-5 / HR [4] / 4 RBI. Lou Whitaker 2-4 / RBI. Elmer Flick 2-3 / 2B. Bill Dahlen 2-6 / RBI.

CARO: Frank Thomas HR [2] / 2 RBI. Reggie Smith 2-4 / solo HR [1].


PotG: Lou Gehrig (KANC)

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Game 3 in Carolina

KC HEAD HOME WITH NOSES IN FRONT AFTER WILD GAME 3 WIN

WP: Eppa Rixey (1-0)
LP: Larry French (0-1)
SV: Dennis Eckersley (2)


KANC: Cody Bellinger 3-5 / 2B / SOLO HR [2]. Hank Greenberg 2-run 2B. Lou Gehrig 2-4 / 2B / RBI.

CARO: Roger Bresnahan 2-4 / 2-run HR [1]. Larry Walker 3-4 / solo HR [5]. Eddie Collins 2-4 / 3B / RBI.


PotG: Cody Bellinger (KANC)

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Game 4 in Kansas City

SERIES TIED AT 2 AFTER TRIPS GET TIGHT ROAD WIN

WP: Old Hoss Radbourn (3-0)
LP: Claude Osteen (1-1)
SV: Jack Powell (3)


CARO: John Olerud 2-5 / HR [4] / 2 RBI. Dick Lundy 2-2 / RBI. Jackie Robinson 2 RBI. Roger Bresnahan 2 2B.

KANC: Lou Gehrig 2 RBI. Willie McCovey 2-4 / 2B. Cody Bellinger 2-4 / RBI. Bill Freehan 2-4.


PotG: Dick Lundy (CARO)

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Game 5 in Kansas City

GEHRIG LEADS BLUES BATS ON RAMPAGE IN 20-3 ROUT

WP: Pete Alexander (2-1) 9 IP / 7 H / 3 ER / 5 K.
LP: Roy Halladay (1-1)


KANC: Lou Gehrig HITS FOR CYCLE 4-4 / 2B / 3B / HR [5] / 7 RBI. Willie McCovey 4-5 / 2B / 2-run HR [1]. Miguel Cabrera 3-5 / HR [2] / 3 RBI. Cody Bellinger 3-6 / HR [3] / 2 RBI. Bill Freehan 2-3 / 2 RBI. Duke Snider 2-run HR [2]. Bill Dahlen 2-5 / RBI.

CARO: Eddie Collins 3B / 2 RBI. Roger Bresnahan 2-4 / 2B. Dick Lundy, Larry Walker 2-4.


PotG: Lou Gehrig (KANC)

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Game 6 in Kansas City

KC ONE STEP FROM GLORY AFTER DOUR GAME 6 WIN

WP: Robin Roberts (2-0)
LP: Nap Rucker (0-3)
SV: Dennis Eckersley (3)


KANC: Hank Greenberg 2-4 / 2B / 2 RBI. Bill Dahlen 3-4.


PotG: Robin Roberts (KANC)

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Game 7 in Kansas City

TRIPLETS JUST STAY ALIVE WITH LATE RALLY TO EXTEND SERIES

WP: Jack Powell (2-1)
LP: Dennis Eckersley (0-1)


CARO: Dick Lundy 2B / HR [1] / 2 RBI. George Davis 2-3 / 2 BB / solo HR [2]. John Olerud 2-5 / 2 RBI. Frank Thomas 2-4 / solo HR [3]. Reggie Smith 3-5.

KANC: Elmer Flick 2-5 / 2 RBI. Bill Dahlen 2-4 / RBI.


PotG: George Davis (CARO)

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Game 8 in Carolina

SERIES GOES TO DECIDER AFTER TITANIC WIN FOR CAROLINA

WP: Jack Powell (3-1)
LP: Bob Welch (1-1)


CARO: Old Hoss Radbourn 7 IP / 5 H / 2 ER / 3 K. John Olerud 2B / 2-run HR [5]. Larry Walker2-4 / 2-run HR [6]. George Davis solo HR [3]. Eddie Collins 2-4.

KANC: Lou Whitaker 2-4 / 2-run 2B. Cody Bellinger solo HR [4].


PotG: Old Hoss Radbourn (CARO)

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Game 9 in Carolina

BLUES PREVAIL IN EPIC SERIES

WP: Pete Alexander (3-1)
LP: Roy Halladay (1-2)


KANC: Lou Gehrig 2 HR [7] / 5 RBI. Willie McCovey 4-5 / 2-run HR [2]. Elmer Flick 3-5. Cody Bellinger 3-6. Lou Whitaker 2-5 / RBI. Miguel Cabrera 2-3.

CARO: Dick Lundy 2 RBI.


PotG: Lou Gehrig (KANC)


KANSAS CITY WINS SERIES 5-4
SERIES MVP: Lou Gehrig (KANC)

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Gold Glove

Platinum Stick

Veeck Medal - Manager

NE: Joe McCarthy (Carolina)
SW: Wilbert Robinson (Kansas City)

Connecticut didn't even wait until season's end to fire Jake Mead, and call in the big guns - replacing him with Muggsy McGraw. Tommy Lasorda is cut by the Stallions and replaced by Hitting Coach Adam Orr, while Florida sends Gene Mauch packing and fills the vacancy with the unknown Jason Miller.

Chadwick Medal - Best Reliever

The second for Jack, the first for the recently-converted Ray.

Adams Medal - Pitcher of the Year

Nap's third, Old Pete's second.

Rickey Medal - Most Valuable Player

For the third straight year, a pitcher wins in the SW - it is Pete's first such award. For Larry, it is number three.

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Time for one more rotation for the PBL, which will cover its final seven seasons.

The two new groupings will be called the Latitude and Longitude Divisions, and they will be comprised thus:

Here are some stats as we enter this final leg.

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Plus ça change...

2003 LTMs, so just off the peak PED era. We may never see that 50-HR season.

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First-timers

Dolph Luque, Herb Pennock, Freddie Freeman.