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Stars shape up the free agent field.

 This year is marked by one of the better Free Agent classes in RWBL history.  Thanks to the stunning inability of Milwaukee to resign 29-year old ace Michael Phillips, he is set to potentially set a new record for RWBL annual salary when he inks his free agent contract.  Meanwhile Toshimi Toyoaki will hit the Free Agent market after declining a 14 Million per season offer with Oakland.    FWIW a free agent all star team:

SP:  Phillips (MIL), Alex Helt (TEX),  Olen Sturgill (SF), Shayne Lomanto (SD),  Pablo Valido (NYY)

RP: Jesus Coronas (MIN), Alejo Losada (TOR), Alfred Yanes (LA), Jeronimo Martinez (CHI), James Luoma (CHI), Trey Avent (COL)

C: Roland Wilson (SD), Calvin Blackmore (BAL)

1B: Keith Mifflin (SEA)

2B:  Travis Oyer (PHI), Ruben Eller (TEX), Juan Justiz (SF)

3B: Thomas Kratochvil (NYY), Oriol Sancho (DET)

SS: Toyoaki (OAK),  Peter Forbes (OAK)

OF: Erik Kummer (TOR),  Jose Triado (NYY),  Chad Mannino (CWS),  Patrick Lewis (ANH), Alberto Mijares (NYM), Raymond Willcox (FLA)

Not a bad 27 man roster and it hits most of the league.  Happy shopping!

The Orioles and Blue Jays will play one game for the right to advance to the ALDS.

 It has all come down to this, one game for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays to duke it out for the right to face the Minnesota Twins in the American League Divisional Series.  The loser goes home, lets take a look at the teams.

During the season the Blue Jays won the season series 13-9 and as a result, will host the playoff game.  Toronto won the season ending series two games to one, but it was the Orioles, needing one win to force the playoff pulling through with the 14-7 victory.  Surprisingly both teams were better on the road then they were at home this season, potentially giving the edge to the Orioles. 

Baltimore has become beset by injuries during the end of the season push, but the Orioles have a rested ace in Herman Caballero who figures to get the start.  Caballero was 18-6 during the season, but has dropped his last two decisions.  Toronto’s starting choice is much more difficult, as their top two starters went the final two games of the season, Curet is definitely out, Baca could perhaps come back for an inning out of the bullpen, but you can’t expect him to start with only 1 day of rest.  That would seem to leave Michael Hoyle on 2 days rest or Donald Finnell as the candidates to start for the Jays.  Hoyle beat Baltimore 6-2 in his last start, while Finnell, who’d be going on full rest, beat Boston the day before.

The lineup for Toronto shows superstar Tony Fain and outfielder Eric Kummer seeming a little fatigued, while the Oriole lineup shows starting leftfielder Donald Anderson tired, as the club works around 8 injuries in their organization.  The Orioles are lead by Urso Collazo’s 31 HR and Willie Payan’s 26 dingers, while the Jays rely on the incomparable Edwin Ryan and SS Harry Wilson.

So who’s it going to be in today’s game… this writer is picking Baltimore 5-3 behind Herman Caballero and getting just enough offense thanks to game MVP Willie Payan.  Best of luck to both teams.

The White Sox are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2017.

As the teams come to the wire the National League races appear to be all set with Atlanta, Cincinnati, San Diego, and Los Angeles all set to return to the playoffs.  The only question is who’ll be the NL West champion and who will be the Wild Card, also know as, who doesn’t have to face Cincinnati in the first round.  The Reds again hold the NL’s best record heading down the stretch, while the Braves again have stayed on top of the weakened NL East (move the Braves to the AL East and they’d be in 4th place).  The American League Central and West look as though they will remain in the hands of the Twins and Athletics, respectively.  Minnesota owns the RWBL’s best record and have been virtually unbeatable in the second half of the season.  Oakland has managed to hold off a Texas team that despite spending a ton, could not overcome a mid-season swoon brought on by the loss of Marin and Marquez.  The A’s turned once again to their old reliable, the starting rotation, lead by Jose “Juice” Muniz.

The only race down the stretch is in the American League where Baltimore, Chicago, and Toronto are duking it out for 2 spots.  The Orioles made the postseason last season and are riding the strong right arm of Hernan Caballero in their efforts to make a second straight appearance.  Toronto has spent the last few seasons in the AL East cellar and were the odds on pick to remain at the bottom of the division this year.  However, GM Sean McIndoe had some other ideas and bolstered by the stunning acquisition of Edwin Ryan the Blue Jay offense has pushed the team to the brink of the postseason for the first time since 2029.

The biggest surprise may be the resurgent Chicago White Sox, not only getting past Detroit and into the race, but leading the AL Central for a good chunk of the year.  After boasting about not only making the playoffs, but winning the World Series Chicago was widely mocked after starting the season ice cold and in last place of the division.  My how things have changed; the Chisox haven’t been to the postseason since 2017, but at this time have  a 3.5 game lead for the AL Wild Card.  The secret for Chicago, they walk, walk, and walk some more.  The White Sox are on a pace for the 4th largest number of walks by a team in RWBL history and the most since the record was set in 2006.  Couple that with an underrated starting rotation and the White Sox may have walked themselves into the postseason.

The first month of the 2033 season is in the books and so lets take a look around the league.
AL Surprise Team:  Detroit Tigers
Sometimes the best deals are the ones you didn’t make.  The Tigers tried in vain to deal Kevin Chick all offseason.  Well Chick is 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA and the Tigers are in first place not just in the Central but in the AL with a 15-7 mark during April.  The Tiger offense leads the league in batting average and is second in runs led by 2B Ralph Birmingham.  The starters are currently 5th in the league in ERA thanks to Chick and Eugene Rich who seems to be putting his immense talent together this season.

AL Surprise Player:Willie Payan
Thanks to a database glitch league has known about Willie Payan (and his nearly 50,000 career hits) for awhile. But this season he’s showing that maybe it wasn’t just the glitch we should have known him for. Payan is hitting .383 with 8 HR and 34 RBI during April. He leads the league in RBI, Slugging, and OPS. He’s 2nd in HR and 4th in average. His offense is a big part of the Orioles edge in the AL East.

AL Disappointing Team:Chicago White Sox
All the press out of Chicago this offseason centered on the playoffs and even the World Series. However, the White Sox have stumbled mightily to a .381 winning percentage and a 6.5 game deficit for the AL Central lead. The culprit has been the White Sox pitching staff, which to put it mildly has been awful, posting the league’s second worst ERA.

NL Surprise Team: Chicago Cubs
Lets stay in the Windy City, the Cubs flew under the radar this offseason, with scarcely a move made during the offseason.  That said, the Cubs have roared to life during the regular season with a RWBL-best 16-4 mark winning 80% of their games.  The Cubbies are undefeated on the road and in one-run games.  The pitching staff has lead the way allowing the league’s fewest number of runs and posting the 2nd best ERA.  Cubs starters have posted a 12-1 mark with a ERA under 4.00 this season.

NL Surprise Player:  Moses Lamberth
Who?  Exactly.  Moses Lamberth has gone from washed up starter on the pitching-poor Anaheim rotation, to surprise stud in the vaunted Cincinnati Red rotation.  He’s posted a 2-1 record with a 1.08 ERA in 4 April starts.  Lamberth has held the opposition to a paltry .149 average during that time.  Lamberth came up with some promise, but no one would have ever projected this kind of performance, even over just a 4 game span.  If he can keep it up the Reds could have a 4th ace to go with Krohn, Jaramillo, and Lemus.

NL Disappointing Team:  Cincinnat Reds
There aren’t any true disappointments in the NL so far, but in part, because of the Cubs hot start, and the Cardinals resiliance in the face of the Caldas injury, the Reds find themselves, at 12-10 and in 3rd place in the NL Central, already 5.0 games back of the Cubs.  The Reds are the 9-time defending NL Central Champions and I would be stunned if they didn’t make it 10 straight this season, however 3rd place and 5.0 games back is a odd place for Cincinnati, even during April.

During the first 30 years of the RWBL there were several things that could be counted on each season:  Schmidty would threaten to quit at least once, Toronto prospects would get killed during development, at least one beloved former owner would rejoin the league, and the Philadelphia Phillies would win the National League East.

The Phillies missed the postseason only once prior to the 2030 season and won 10 National League pennants and 6 World Series titles.  After the 2030 season there seemed to be some signs that the dynasties star might be fading, the winning percentage was the second worst in franchise history (only the 2007 team that missed the postseason was worse) and the team suffered its third straight first round exit from the postseason.   The downturn, coupled with the departure of legendary GM BSak seemed to foreshadow the coming time, but who knew it would come like this.

This season saw the full blown rebuilding of the Phillies begin.  The fighting Phils lost an amazing 28 Million dollars last season, after losing 32 Million the year before.  Having lost 60 Million in two seasons the club had to do something.  It has, the new look Phils feature only one star, Mauricio Grasso, who is only with the club by virtue of his untradable $30 Million dollar per year contract. 

 Gone through free agency are SS Bruce Nuckols, CF Martin Manriquez, and C Lester Carter.  Nuckols, arguably the most complete SS in the RWBL headed to St. Louis for 4 years and 58 Million dollars.  The 29-year old Carter signed a deal with the usually frugal Oakland Athletics for 4 years and 42 Million dollars, while the veteran Horndog Manriquez was the first to depart, inking a deal with NL East rival Atlanta for 2 years and 17 Million.

  Free Agency took care of the Philly offense overhaul, while trades took care of the Philadelphia pitching staff.  Philly management traded Thomas Deady, Jorge Valentino, and Jim Constance.  National League powers San Diego (Deady) and Cincinnati (Constance) were more than happy to send the Phillies some younger and cheaper alternatives for the rotation.  Valentino at just 27 years of age probably brought the best haul, adding a future top of the lineup hitter in Fernando Maya and a potential contender for this years rotation in Miguel Gutierrez.

Its been a time of change across the RWBL.  First the announcement of new rules designed to promote greater competitive balance, for the 2035 season; then no fewer than 5 teams found themselves under new management.

Boston - The Red Sox are once again owned by RWBL legend Alan T.  Alan owns the 2008 RWBL Championship, beating the Cincinnati Reds in 4 straight.  Alan was quoted as saying “I’m glad to be back, hopefully for good this time! I just felt bad that Sean and Swaggs never had their chance to beat me..”  The Red Sox stumbled last year after recent signs of progress, but if anyone can right the ship its Alan.

Kansas City - After a one year hiatus church returns to manage the Royals.  The Royals had shown signs of life under church before being mismanaged by former Brewer GM ScottVib.  church now finds himself in the midst of a financial crunch in a shaken up AL Central divison. 

San Francisco - After a one year hiatus Icy returns to take back control of the Giants.  The Giants suffered through a rough campaign being managed by the league central office last year.  But the Giants return the core of a solid rotation and budding superstar Sebas Tello, back under the watchful eye of Icy the Giants are hopeful of a return to glory.

Texas -  The Rangers have certainly seen better days.  They were a dominant franchise at the founding of the RWBL, but have been to the playoffs just once since 2008.  Texas is currently on a streak of 5 straight losing seasons and have been sub-.500 12 of the last 13.  Nomadic owner ScottVib will move again, trying to bring the Rangers back to the postseason, however his last postseason came 3 teams ago in Milwaukee.

Atlanta - A stunning vacancy opened when Atlanta was vacated following season where they won the NL East and just a year removed from a World Series title.  Mysterious newcomer RedSorvino will take over the club, which seems poised to win the NL East for a third straight season. 

SAN DIEGO - The Padres suffered a minor organizational disturbance this morning when the entire staff of pitching coaches was killed in a bear attack during a staff breakfast.
Padres manager, Manny Ramirez, seemed strangely upbeat by the report saying that the team has had “several consecutive years of discouraging, sub-par development — especially concerning our young pitchers. Hopefully, this will help turn things around. Now please excuse me while I feed my pet bear.”

San Francisco - Despite being the son of famed Angels third basement Earl Lindsey, Harry Lindsey is finding it tough to break into the league.

“Yeah man, watching my Dad growing up, I thought it was going to be easy. I mean, I have his genes. So why can’t I make contact?” The young catcher was saying. Since being drafted in the fourth round by the Giants last year, Lindsey has struggled in the minor leagues, toiling around in A ball and this year is batting only .241.

“I guess we should have done some scouting, but reports had indicated that this boy was Earl Lindsey’s son, so we thought that was as good a drafting strategy as there was.” Giants scout Matt Williams was quoted as saying. “Baseball prospects are such a crapshoot these days, you never know when if you’ll get the next Edwin Ryan. We are drafting on genes now. This is why we drafted Caesar Anguiano (son of White Sox slugger Jose), Gerard Renteria (the 12th son of Edgar Renteria) and Frank Johnson (son of John Johnson)”

Neither of the 3 players mentioned have been doing well so far, as they attempt to come out of their fathers shadows.