FOOL 2053 Regular Season

[Alan T]

The 93rd season in FOOL history runs tomorrow night 9pm ET! Here are some of the stories leading into this season:


Hyannis lead off hitter Bill Tate models the new look Patriots jersey for the upcoming season. Hyannis has a new look to match a new winning clubhouse atmosphere as they seek their second postseason apperance in franchise history!


Hitomaro 'Lurch' Okamoto, the career leader in Home Runs, RBI and several other offensive category looks to further increasing his records at the age of 38. After hitting .322 with 44 HR and 135 RBI last season in his second year for Hyannis, Okamoto enters 2053 showing slightly less power but still one of the best in the game!


Outfielder Juan Sánchez has drawn over 100 bases on balls for the last three seasons and 11 times in his career. The 7 time all star finds himself now only 32 walks away from catching great Tex Jones' all time record of walks in a career. Sanchez is also only 18 hits away from becoming the 27th member of FOOL's 3000 hit club!


Pepillo Garza is just a hair away from the 500 Home Run club, but currently sits at home without a team. His best years are behind him, but after hitting for a OPS+ of 116 last season, will he find a new home this season?


Only 5 players in FOOL history have ever hit for over 2000 RBIs in their career. Eiichi Watanabe is 88 RBI away from that prestigious mark, but at the age of 40 one has to wonder how much he has left in the tank. He has hit at least 88 RBI or more in each of his 15 seasons thus far however!

Only one player has stolen more than 800 bases in a career since the 2011 FOOL Realignment year. Xi-tong Huo is 61 stolen bases away from becoming only the 6th player in FOOL history to steal 1000 in a career. There are plenty of roadblocks in his way however as he is now 39 years old, has not stolen 60+ stolen bases in a season in 6 seasons and currently has no team. Will someone be calling Huo's name at opening day to give the 9 time all star one last chance?

Jeremy 'Bruiser' Aitken is the active wins leader among FOOL pitchers and finds himself only 2 wins away from becoming the 13th member of the 300 win club. After winning the last 3 Continental League Prado awards, he has his sights set on much more though. A 5th straight 21+ win season could vault him all the way up to 6th all time for wins!

As far as unbeatable records go, Denny Hennessey's 734 saves might be one for all time. Alberto 'Stocky' López comes in second however and could become only the second pitcher in FOOL history to reach 600 saves in his career. After signing on with Baltimore last season, he no longer is in a closer role. He only needs 5 more saves to set the 600 mark however!




See you all tomorrow night!

[Alan T]

Most 100 RBI Seasons
(Top 25 Players)

Player	Seasons
Ben Keyte	17
Felipe Aguilera	16
Hitomaro Okamoto	16
Héctor Romero	15
Daniel Gil	14
Eiichi Watanabe	14
Roberto Chávez	13
José Colón	13
Pepillo Garza	13
Martin Rice	13
Jorge Villarreal	13
J.D. Blackmore	12
Jorge Córdova	12
Hou Chen	11
Ken Gallagher	11
Félix García	11
Jaime García	11
Sergio Luján	11
Juan Morales	11
Gaël Pichette	11
Álex Quiñones	11
Joe Cannon	10
Pat Jackson	10
Dave Juteau	10
Fa-tang Le	10

[Chief Rum]

Nice to see Chavez and Watanabe up there.

It should be noted that, as of right now, Chavez and Watanabe are almost certainly on their last legs. Watanabe is 40, and finally started seeing a ratings hit last year, one I expect to start to steamroll this year. Chavez, I forget his exact age, but it's 34-35, and he is, unfortunately, also in sudden (and early) decline. These two have been the backbone of the Hooligans lineup throughout this last decade-plus run.

I believe Santos and Dawson for the old Chico teams was probably the best pair of individual hitters on the same team, but does anyone have a comparable pair of future Hall of Famers they can think of who did it and did it together for as long as Watanabe and Chavez?

It's still shocking to me that neither of these guys has won a Tanaka (which is a travesty, IMO). Strangely enough, no Hooligan has ever won a Tanaka, but the franchise has 17 of the some 42 RL Prados awarded since the restart. Alan showed the Hammersmith park has a bent toward pitching, but it is pretty slight overall.

If Chavez reaches 500 homeruns this year, Watanabe and Chavez will be 500 HR hitters in the same lineup, and neither of them has ever played for another team. Regardless, if the end is coming, I'll miss having them around.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Nice to see Chavez and Watanabe up there.

It should be noted that, as of right now, Chavez and Watanabe are almost certainly on their last legs. Watanabe is 40, and finally started seeing a ratings hit last year, one I expect to start to steamroll this year. Chavez, I forget his exact age, but it's 34-35, and he is, unfortunately, also in sudden (and early) decline. These two have been the backbone of the Hooligans lineup throughout this last decade-plus run.

I believe Santos and Dawson for the old Chico teams was probably the best pair of individual hitters on the same team, but does anyone have a comparable pair of future Hall of Famers they can think of who did it and did it together for as long as Watanabe and Chavez?

It's still shocking to me that neither of these guys has won a Tanaka (which is a travesty, IMO). Strangely enough, no Hooligan has ever won a Tanaka, but the franchise has 17 of the some 42 RL Prados awarded since the restart. Alan showed the Hammersmith park has a bent toward pitching, but it is pretty slight overall.

If Chavez reaches 500 homeruns this year, Watanabe and Chavez will be 500 HR hitters in the same lineup, and neither of them has ever played for another team. Regardless, if the end is coming, I'll miss having them around.

Off the top of my head I think Pepillo Garza and Hugh Thompson played together for Ann Arbor during some of the better offensive seasons I've seen from any teams. Thompson I know left via free agency later in his career but I think Gaza has been in Ann Arbor his entire career.

[Montreal_GM]

The breakout player to watch for this season is Edmonton Edge outfielder Felipe Hidalgo. Hidaglo, the top pick in the 2047 Amateur Draft has been stashed at the end of the bench in Edmonton as a pinch hitter for the last 3 seasons. With only 390 AB's in 3 big league campaigns FOOL fans around the world must be wondering what's going on behind the scenes in Edmonton.

[Montreal_GM]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Nice to see Chavez and Watanabe up there.

It should be noted that, as of right now, Chavez and Watanabe are almost certainly on their last legs. Watanabe is 40, and finally started seeing a ratings hit last year, one I expect to start to steamroll this year. Chavez, I forget his exact age, but it's 34-35, and he is, unfortunately, also in sudden (and early) decline. These two have been the backbone of the Hooligans lineup throughout this last decade-plus run.

I believe Santos and Dawson for the old Chico teams was probably the best pair of individual hitters on the same team, but does anyone have a comparable pair of future Hall of Famers they can think of who did it and did it together for as long as Watanabe and Chavez?

It's still shocking to me that neither of these guys has won a Tanaka (which is a travesty, IMO). Strangely enough, no Hooligan has ever won a Tanaka, but the franchise has 17 of the some 42 RL Prados awarded since the restart. Alan showed the Hammersmith park has a bent toward pitching, but it is pretty slight overall.

If Chavez reaches 500 homeruns this year, Watanabe and Chavez will be 500 HR hitters in the same lineup, and neither of them has ever played for another team. Regardless, if the end is coming, I'll miss having them around.

Joe Hughes, J.D. Blackmore, and Ben Keyte are all HOF'ers and were together in Montreal from 2018 to 2027.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Montreal_GM

Joe Hughes, J.D. Blackmore, and Ben Keyte are all HOF'ers and were together in Montreal from 2018 to 2027.

No idea why I didn't think of them. I was thinking Juteau plus the catcher he came up with, but then the catcher kind of fizzled out and likely won't ever make the HoF, but those three skipped my mind.



Anyways 1 hour 15 minutes until first pitch!

[Alan T]

Sim time, getting exports now

[Montreal_GM]

Looking forward to the festivities.

Good luck everyone.

[Alan T]

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2053

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent MR A. Colón to a 1-year contract worth a total of $577,500.

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent CL T. Loxton to a 1-year contract worth a total of $615,000.

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent MR C. Manuel to a 1-year contract worth a total of $232,500.

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent MR M. Hodge to a 1-year contract worth a total of $377,500.

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent SS A. Fletcher to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,235,000.

Hammersmith Hooligans: Signed 2B H. Arai to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $17,250,000.

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent CF S. Hashimoto to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,070,000.

Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines: Signed free agent MR R. O'Reilly to a 1-year contract worth a total of $1,832,500.

Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines: Signed free agent 2B S. Ishikawa to a 1-year contract worth a total of $1,557,500.

Tuesday, April 1st, 2053
Tokyo Cyclones: Signed free agent RF B. Ramírez to a minor league contract.
Colorado Rancheros: Signed free agent 2B T. Kennedy to a 1-year contract worth a total of $200,000.

[Alan T]

Ok, here we go!

[Alan T]

Friday, April 11th, 2053: Aitken Beats Settlers for 300th Win
His goal at twenty was to win twenty games one year, pitch until he was thirty, win the league pennant and to make some money. Well, Jeremy Aitken did something even better -- the 36-year-old Tokyo Cyclones star has now won 300 games in his career. That put him in a very select group of pitchers.

He joined that exclusive club today at Sony Park by whipping the Boston Settlers 7-5, holding them to 10 hits in 8 innings while chalking up 4 strikeouts and no walks.

In the postgame interview, the modest Aitken said, "It's special to win 300 games. You don't do it by yourself. You do it with good stuff and a good bullpen. You are only as good as the guys behind you. Years from now I might look back on it and give myself a little pat on the back."

In his career Aitken has posted a record of 300-159 and compiled a 3.20 ERA.

[Alan T]

Aitken is the 13th member of the FOOL 300 win club!

[Alan T]

Thursday, April 17th, 2053: Tokyo's O'Rorke Gets 2000th Hit
The day belonged to Jesse O'Rorke of the Tokyo Cyclones as he became the latest player to reach the 2000-hit plateau. He did it in Tokyo's 6-5 win over Edmonton.

"It's a moment I'll never forget," said O'Rorke after the game, "2000 hits is a lot. It puts you in a very select group. I never expected to be around long enough to reach a milestone like this."

He finished the day with 1 hits in 5 at-bats.

O'Rorke's career batting average stands at .299, and he has 93 home runs.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Ok, here we go!

Yay! It's good to be here. This is the best part of Monday.

[Alan T]

Thursday, April 17th, 2053:Number 3000 for Sánchez
Juan Sánchez reached the 3000-hit mark today. New York's 38-year-old right fielder received a standing ovation from New York Heroes and Hammersmith Hooligans fans alike. On the day, Sánchez went 4-4 in the Heroes 13-6 victory.

His all-time numbers show Sánchez is carrying a .313 career batting average with 106 home runs and 1119 RBIs.

[Alan T]

Sanchez is the 26th player to hit 3000 hits in their career.

[Alan T]

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2053: Martínez Reaches 2000 Milestone
It was a day of mixed emotions for New York first baseman Augusto Martínez, who collected his 2000th hit in the club's 15-4 loss to Chico. Heroes and Rebels fans alike cheered Martínez as he reached base after his milestone hit.

"I wish the score had been different," Martínez said after the game, "but it was a great moment. The standing ovation was really special... even the fans wearing Rebels caps were cheering me."

Martínez was 3-4 on the day.

Lifetime Martínez has compiled a .323 batting average and collected 2000 hits, 297 home runs and 1055 RBIs.

[Alan T]

Monday, April 28th, 2053: Gallagher Wallops #400
Colorado shortstop Ken Gallagher blasted himself into an elite group of baseball players. Today he joined the exclusive 400 home run club in the Rancheros 13-7 loss to the Hammersmith Hooligans.

"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone. I was happy to move on. Now I can go and have some fun. It is a weight lifted off my shoulders," Gallagher told the press. He admitted just how much pressure he had been feeling. "Especially every time you'd get out of the hotel, everybody would say, 'Hey, when are you going to hit it?'"

In his milestone game, Gallagher went 1-for-4 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored.

In his 1802-game career Gallagher has hit .303 with 2169 hits, 400 home runs, and 1503 RBIs and has scored 1210 runs.

[Alan T]

Thursday, May 1st, 2053: García April's Best Hurler in RL
Albert García took a much-deserved turn in the spotlight earlier today as he accepted the Republic League Pitcher of the Month award for April.

The 25-year-old Rebels starter is a relative newcomer to the league, but nonetheless racked up an impressive 4-0 won-lost record in 5 starts. He has fanned 24 batters in 35.2 innings and sports a 2.78 ERA.



Thursday, May 1st, 2053: April's Pitcher of the Month Goes to Aitken
It was a very good month for Jeremy Aitken in April. The 36-year-old veteran starter for the Tokyo Cyclones outpitched everybody -- young and old -- to claim the Continental League Pitcher of the Month award earlier today.

Aitken ran up a 5-0 record in his 7 starts during the month. In 49 innings he fanned 49 and recorded a 3.12 ERA.

[Alan T]

Thursday, May 1st, 2053: Hawkins Wins Best Bat Trophy in April
Seasoned by several years of professional experience, 30-year-old Will Hawkins put together a solid offensive month for Colorado and was crowned April's top batter in the Republic League.

He batted .389 with 6 home runs, 21 RBIs and 24 runs scored.


Thursday, May 1st, 2053: Continental League Selects April's Best Batter
Today Napa Valley's Manuel Estrada was named the Continental League Batter of the Month for April. He punished CL hurlers hard all month long, collecting 33 hits in 106 at-bats.

With a .311 batting average, 9 home runs, 27 RBIs and 15 runs scored, he was an easy choice.

[Alan T]

Thursday, May 1st, 2053: Hartford Rookie Hits His Way to RL Honor
April was a month Hartford second baseman Fernando Moreno is not likely to forget very soon. Not only did he hit .289, he was also named the winner of the Republic League Rookie of the Month award.

He nailed down the honor with a .289 average, 28 hits, 2 home runs, 9 RBIs and 15 runs scored during the month.


Thursday, May 1st, 2053: CL Selects Rookie Star of the Month
Jesús Sosa earned April's Rookie of the Month honors in the Continental League for last month's performance. The boyish Boston left fielder might be wet behind the ears, but he's proving that he has what it takes to play at this level.

Sosa hit .298 with 3 home runs, 20 RBIs and 12 runs scored this past month on his way to winning the award.

[Alan T]

Front Office Offseason League 05-01-2053 Standings Report

Continental League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Tokyo Cyclones 17 10 .630 - 16-11 1 12-4 5-6 0-0 3-1 136 L2 6-4 Apex Assassins 13 10 .565 2.0 15-8 -2 9-5 4-5 0-0 2-4 L1 6-4 Edmonton Edge 14 11 .560 2.0 13-12 1 7-3 7-8 1-0 4-2 W1 5-5 Baltimore Charm 11 12 .478 4.0 13-10 -2 4-2 7-10 1-1 0-4 W1 3-7 Boston Settlers 11 12 .478 4.0 10-13 1 6-5 5-7 1-1 4-2 W3 6-4 Napa Valley Winemakers 12 15 .444 5.0 12-15 0 7-8 5-7 1-2 3-3 W2 5-5 Newark Terriers 9 17 .346 7.5 8-18 1 6-9 3-8 1-1 3-3 L1 3-7

Republic League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Colorado Rancheros 16 7 .696 - 13-10 3 8-3 8-4 2-0 4-1 139 W1 8-2 Chico Rebels 15 8 .652 1.0 16-7 -1 5-1 10-7 1-2 3-1 W1 4-6 Hartford Harpooners 17 10 .630 1.0 13-14 4 12-3 5-7 3-1 7-1 W1 6-4 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines 12 11 .522 4.0 13-10 -1 7-7 5-4 2-1 1-5 L1 5-5 Hammersmith Hooligans 9 16 .360 8.0 10-15 -1 5-5 4-11 1-2 1-5 W1 3-7 Hyannis Patriots 9 17 .346 8.5 11-15 -2 6-9 3-8 2-2 3-2 L1 5-5 New York Heroes 9 18 .333 9.0 10-17 -1 6-10 3-8 0-3 2-6 L1 4-6

[Alan T]

League Leaders AVG M. Fontanez - APX .442 2 R. Flores CHI .403 3 W. Hawkins COL .389 4 J. Martin APX .376 5 B. Brown HAM .375	League Leaders HR 2 tied with 9 1 M. Estrada NVY 9 1 N. Richards EDM 9 3 L. Beltrán TOK 7 3 O. Buitrago ANN 7	League Leaders RBI K. Gallagher - COL 33 2 B. Tate HYN 29 3 M. Estrada NVY 27 3 A. Kobayashi TOK 27 5 K. Hashimoto ANN 26
League Leaders W J. Aitken - TOK 5 2 D. Cutler HAR 4 2 A. García CHI 4 2 W. Maxwell APX 4 2 2 more tied with 4	League Leaders ERA T. Noguchi - NVY 1.68 2 C. Crowder NWK 2.08 3 A. Moya BAL 2.27 4 M. Tinkler APX 2.57 5 J. Velásquez EDM 2.59	League Leaders K J. Aitken - TOK 49 2 D. Pollock NVY 40 3 C. Ward NYH 39 4 T. Noguchi NVY 37 5 J. Holmes HAM 36

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Thursday, May 1st, 2053: Continental League Selects April's Best Batter
Today Napa Valley's Manuel Estrada was named the Continental League Batter of the Month for April. He punished CL hurlers hard all month long, collecting 33 hits in 106 at-bats.

With a .311 batting average, 9 home runs, 27 RBIs and 15 runs scored, he was an easy choice.

Estrada? Seriously???

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by TeachEnEspanol

Estrada? Seriously???

Seriously!

[Alan T]

Thursday, May 15th, 2053: Pollock Whitewashes Terriers
Napa Valley was pleased to see so many goose eggs up on the scoreboard today as Dan Pollock blanked Newark 3-0. He stopped them on 2 hits with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts.

His skipper said, "Once he gets in a groove, he can be dynamite. He was on top of his game in this one."

In 2053 Pollock has worked 64.2 innings with 62 strikeouts en route to a 5-3 record and 3.20 ERA.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Seriously!

Maybe all is finally right with the world.

...Though those standings might indicate otherwise.

[Alan T]

Esteban Rosa pitches shutouts in consecutive starts!



Saturday, May 17th, 2053: Rosa Spins Shutout
Esteban Rosa of the Apex Assassins was really in the zone as he mowed down the Newark hitters 5-0 in a sterling mound performance.

"I'm feeling good overall," he said.

"I'm executing my pitches, I'm able to hit my spots and I'm getting outs in key situations."

Rosa shut down the Newark Terriers, blanking them on 2 hits while registering 8 strikeouts and no walks.

In 8 starts this season Rosa has crafted a 7-0 record with a 2.25 ERA.


Friday, May 23rd, 2053: Rosa Superb Against Baltimore
Esteban Rosa of the Apex Assassins shut out the Baltimore Charm 1-0, held them to 3 hits with 1 walk and 8 strikeouts. Rosa said, "I could throw any pitch on any count."

The Baltimore skipper called his game a jewel, saying, "The way he was pitching, it would have been tough for anyone to beat him."

This season Rosa has worked 69 innings with 51 strikeouts en route to a 8-0 record and a 1.96 ERA.

[Alan T]

Tuesday, May 20th, 2053: Grant Pitches Hooligans to Shutout Win
The Hammersmith Hooligans breezed to victory today behind the shutout pitching of Connor Grant. He surrendered no runs, gave up 2 hits and finished the game with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. The Hooligans won the game 9-0.

To date in 2053, Grant has registered 11 starts, 1-9 won-lost mark, 7.14 ERA, 58 IP, 19 strikeouts and 28 walks. Opposing teams have hit .332 against him.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Thursday, May 15th, 2053: Pollock Whitewashes Terriers
Napa Valley was pleased to see so many goose eggs up on the scoreboard today as Dan Pollock blanked Newark 3-0. He stopped them on 2 hits with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts.

His skipper said, "Once he gets in a groove, he can be dynamite. He was on top of his game in this one."

In 2053 Pollock has worked 64.2 innings with 62 strikeouts en route to a 5-3 record and 3.20 ERA.

Woohoo! I love when old guys hold up and perform as expected! (*is age-ist*)

[Alan T]

Wednesday, May 21st, 2053: Harden at His Best, Whips Harpooners
In a standout performance today at Ballpark of Colorado, Rancheros pitcher Tim Harden blanked the Hartford Harpooners 3-0. He limited them to 2 hits and posted 7 strikeouts and 1 walk to gain the win for Colorado.

Harden has made 9 starts so far this year and put up a 4-3 won-lost record with a 3.24 ERA. In 66.2 innings he has allowed 70 hits, walked 16 and struck out 46.

[Alan T]

Thursday, May 22nd, 2053: Cannon Raps 400th Roundtripper
It was an historic day in the life of Joe Cannon. The 36-year-old Edmonton left fielder recorded the 400th homer of his career in the Edge 7-1 triumph over the Tokyo Cyclones.

In the clubhouse after the game, Cannon told BNN, "I was just looking for a ball to drive... and I got one."

Cannon has registered a career batting average of .282 with 2328 hits, 400 homers and 1509 RBIs.

[Alan T]

Friday, May 23rd, 2053: Number 300 for Martínez
300 home runs is a lot of home runs to hit. It's a number that very few players reach. Today Augusto Martínez became a member of that exclusive club. He belted it at New York Grounds against the Hooligans. But sometimes milestone homers don't win the game. The powerful New York first baseman got all of the headlines, but Hammersmith came away with the victory. They beat the Heroes 15-12.

During the postgame interview he told the press, "It's a big relief to get it over. I tried not to think about it, but it's kind of hard when you have a huge sign on the scoreboard staring at you every time you step up to the plate. The home run was nice, but I would have preferred to win the game."

His batting totals for the game showed 1 hit in 4 at-bats, 1 home run and 4 RBI.

The hardworking and dedicated Martínez also said, "I'll celebrate a little with my family tonight but not too much. This is not the last home run I will hit. I think I have a lot baseball left in me and have other goals. I'll get back to work tomorrow."

For his career Martínez is hitting .323 with 300 homers, 1066 RBIs and 2025 hits.

[Alan T]

Saturday, May 31st, 2053: Rancheros Whitewash Rebels, Harden Winner
Magic was in the air and on the mound at Ballpark of Colorado today as Tim Harden held Chico spellbound in his 7-0 shutout victory. The Colorado pitcher went the route, ran up 13 strikeouts, walked 2 and held the Rebels to 2 hits to garner the win.

This season Harden has fanned 63 in 81.2 innings and collected a 5-3 record with a 2.76 ERA.

[Alan T]

Sunday, June 1st, 2053: RL Selects Grant May's Best Pitcher
Rich Grant hasn't been around the big leagues long enough to know that youngsters shouldn't be winning Republic League Pitcher of the Month. But when you put up numbers like his, you're going to get some notice.

In May the Hartford starter earned a 5-0 mark in 5 starts. He threw 40.2 innings, struck out 20 and compiled a solid 2.21 ERA.

In 11 starts this year Grant has fashioned a 6-1 record and a 3.39 ERA.


Sunday, June 1st, 2053: Rosa CL Winner, Top Hurler in May
Esteban Rosa's been around the league long enough to appreciate the honor he received today. After going 6-0 in May, the 31-year-old Apex hurler has been named Continental League Pitcher of the Month.

He fanned 34 in 48 innings, logged an ERA of 0.94 and allowed opponents to hit .174 against him.

Thus far this season Rosa has posted a 9-0 record, started 10 games, struck out 55 batters in 76 innings and compiled a 2.01 ERA.

[Alan T]

Sunday, June 1st, 2053: Will Hawkins Named Best RL Batter in May
Will Hawkins battered Republic League pitchers all May and wound up taking home the Batter of the Month Award.

"I've been around Front Office Offseason League long enough to know you really have to work hard day in and day out to be able to put up this kind of consistency," the 30-year-old Hawkins told reporters. "I put in a lot of work, even on the days I may not take the field and it's always nice when everything comes together for me like it did this last month."

In 28 games, Hawkins hit .361 with 11 home runs, 36 RBIs and scored 30 runs.

Thus far in 2053 Hawkins is hitting .374 with 17 home runs, 57 RBIs, 54 runs scored and has compiled a .467 OBP.


Sunday, June 1st, 2053: CL Top Batter Trophy Won by Winter
Leroy Winter has a lot going for him. The Baltimore second baseman just broke into the majors this year and now the Continental League has just picked him as its top hitter for May.

In 27 games last month, this outstanding rookie batted .388 with 9 home runs, 27 RBIs and 23 runs scored.

In 49 games Winter is hitting .330 this season for the Charm with 60 hits, 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, 17 walks, .414 OBP and has scored 41 runs.

[Alan T]

Sunday, June 1st, 2053: RL Rookie Star Shines
Esteban Lugo was toddling around on his tricycle when some of the guys he's playing against were in their prime, but the 25-year-old catcher definitely knows how to get to first, second or beyond. Today he was chosen May's Republic League Rookie of the Month for his remarkable month of hitting.

In 28 games Lugo batted .296 for Hammersmith, slapping 29 hits in 98 at-bats with 2 home runs, drove in 14 runs and scored 17 times.

Posting a .306 batting average to date, Lugo has 2 home runs and 21 RBIs.


Sunday, June 1st, 2053: Continental League Names Rookie of Month
Leroy Winter is still a bit shy, but then, who could blame the newest Continental League Rookie of the Month honoree? He hasn't been around the league long enough to fully know the ropes yet, despite the fact that he's putting up veteran-like numbers.

In May the Baltimore hitter tagged opposing pitching for a .388 average with 38 hits, 9 home runs and 27 RBIs.

Presently Winter is batting .330 with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs. He has played in 49 games and scored 41 times.

[Alan T]

Front Office Offseason League 06-01-2053 Standings Report

Continental League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Tokyo Cyclones 34 18 .654 - 33-19 1 17-9 17-9 2-3 7-1 109 W2 7-3 Apex Assassins 30 20 .600 3.0 33-17 -3 16-10 14-10 1-2 6-8 L1 6-4 Edmonton Edge 29 25 .537 6.0 26-28 3 17-9 12-16 3-1 10-5 L2 4-6 Napa Valley Winemakers 25 26 .490 8.5 25-26 0 13-14 12-12 6-3 6-9 W2 6-4 Baltimore Charm 22 28 .440 11.0 26-24 -4 11-12 11-16 2-3 2-9 L1 4-6 Boston Settlers 22 29 .431 11.5 21-30 1 11-14 11-15 1-2 8-3 W1 5-5 Newark Terriers 18 34 .346 16.0 17-35 1 10-17 8-17 2-3 4-8 L1 5-5

Republic League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Colorado Rancheros 34 17 .667 - 31-20 3 20-5 14-12 3-0 9-2 111 W5 7-3 Chico Rebels 32 18 .640 1.5 31-19 1 18-5 14-13 3-2 8-1 L2 6-4 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines 28 22 .560 5.5 27-23 1 15-11 13-11 3-1 5-6 W2 6-4 Hartford Harpooners 28 23 .549 6.0 24-27 4 19-8 9-15 3-1 9-3 W1 5-5 Hammersmith Hooligans 23 31 .426 12.5 25-29 -2 14-12 9-19 1-3 2-11 L1 5-5 New York Heroes 19 33 .365 15.5 22-30 -3 9-17 10-16 0-5 4-11 L3 3-7 Hyannis Patriots 16 36 .308 18.5 20-32 -4 11-16 5-20 2-3 4-7 W1 2-8

[Alan T]

League Leaders AVG 2 tied with .379 1 J. Sánchez NYH .379 1 R. Flores CHI .379 3 W. Hawkins COL .374 4 B. Brannan HYN .367	League Leaders HR 2 tied with 17 1 W. Hawkins COL 17 1 V. Sandoval COL 17 3 L. Winter BAL 15 4 2 tied with 14	League Leaders RBI W. Hawkins - COL 57 2 K. Gallagher COL 55 3 V. Sandoval COL 50 4 G. Pratt CHI 48 5 4 tied with 45
League Leaders W 2 tied with 9 1 J. Aitken TOK 9 1 E. Rosa APX 9 3 J. Holmes HAM 8 4 2 tied with 7	League Leaders ERA E. Rosa - APX 2.01 2 T. Noguchi NVY 2.69 3 T. Harden COL 2.76 4 J. Phillips COL 2.88 5 C. Bice HYN 3.13	League Leaders K J. Aitken - TOK 94 2 D. Pollock NVY 82 3 J. Holmes HAM 70 4 C. Ward NYH 65 4 V. Woods NWK 65

[Alan T]

Monday, June 9th, 2053: Boston Helpless Against Aitken
Jeremy Aitken of the Tokyo Cyclones was firing on all cylinders against the Boston Settlers. He blanked them 3-0 on 1 hit and posted 12 strikeouts and 1 walk.

This season to date, Aitken has fashioned a 11-1 mark and 3.09 ERA in 116.1 innings. Opposing clubs are batting .237 against him and he has logged 122 strikeouts.

[Alan T]

Tuesday, June 10th, 2053: Cyclones Pagán Sizzles with Cycle
Manuel Pagán of Tokyo helped his team in a big way today, hitting for the cycle in their 16-7 win against the Boston Settlers. His 4 hits, 4 RBI and 3 runs runs led the way for the Cyclones.

M. Pagán doubled in the 2nd, walked in the 3rd, tripled in the 4th, struck out in the 6th, singled in the 8th and hit a GRAND SLAM off R. Evans in the 8th.

So far this season Pagán has hit .345 with 9 home runs, 49 RBIs and and scored 51 times.

[Alan T]

Tuesday, June 10th, 2053: Chao Records Win #250
Chua chay Chao of the New York Heroes pitched his way into the exclusive 250-win club today at New York Grounds by stopping the Colorado Rancheros 11-8. In his historic outing, he surrendered 9 hits and 3 runs in 7 innings with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk.

With a huge grin on his face, the 35-year-old Chao told reporters after the game, "Now I got to get real busy -- and start working on my next 250 wins."

In his career the 35-year-old Chao has accumulated a 250-172 won-lost mark and opposing clubs have hit .277 against him.

[Tasan]

Howdy everyone!

Things look good in Ranchero land right now. Keep it up boys!

[Alan T]

Sunday, June 15th, 2053: Napa Valley's Hankins Reaches 2000 Hits
The Napa Valley contest with Baltimore featured a real shining moment: Richie Hankins, the Winemakers left fielder, collected career base hit #2000. That his team lost the game, 5-1, took away only a little bit of the luster. Fittingly, the 36-year-old Hankins, who went 2-for-4, received a warm ovation from the Ballpark of Napa Valley crowd.

During his career Hankins has hit .286 with 2000 hits, 196 home runs, 959 RBIs and scored 1130 runs.

[TeachEnEspanol]

You are doing awesome, so I'm not a fan...but I suppose I'll say Hi anyway.

Originally Posted by Tasan

Howdy everyone!

Things look good in Ranchero land right now. Keep it up boys!

[Alan T]

Tuesday, June 24th, 2053: 3 Home Runs for Koyama
Michio Koyama penned his name in the record books after an explosive home run spree against Hyannis. He's now among the select sluggers who have hit three home runs in a game.

In his record-setting day at Ann Arbor Grounds the Ann Arbor second baseman went 4-4 with 5 RBIs and scored 5 times in the 14-3 victory over the Patriots.

"It was just one of those days," he said in the postgame interview. "I don't know how to explain it. I'm just putting a good swing on the ball."

"Koyama was locked in," the Hyannis skipper said. "We made some pretty good pitches. Those first two homers were exactly where the pitcher wanted to put them. He's pretty hot right now. You've just got to tip your hat."

M. Koyama walked in the 1st, hit a two-run home run off A. Torres in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, hit a solo-shot off P. Hartman in the 6th, was hit by a pitch in the 8th and hit a two-run home run off A. Fradessa in the 9th.

So far in 2053 Koyama is hitting .339 with 6 home runs, 40 RBIs and 46 runs scored. He has 86 hits and played in 67 games.

[Alan T]

Saturday, June 28th, 2053: Núñez Goes 6-8 Against Tokyo
Raúl Núñez really sizzled at the plate today. In a game played at Edge Ballpark, the Edmonton shortstop blistered the Tokyo Cyclones for 6 hits in 8 at-bats to pace his club to a 6-5 victory.

"Núñez was too tough to get out today," the Cyclones skipper said in his postgame interview. "No matter what we threw him, he hit it. And he hit some good pitches, too."

R. Núñez struck out in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 6th, singled in the 7th, flied out in the 10th, singled in the 11th, hit a solo-shot off J. Phelps in the 14th and singled in the 16th.

In 76 games this season Núñez has batted at a .306 pace with 99 hits and 5 home runs.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by TeachEnEspanol

You are doing awesome, so I'm not a fan...but I suppose I'll say Hi anyway.

Hey don't blame me for things I said last season!!! That was last season!!!

Go Napa!

[Alan T]

Tuesday, July 1st, 2053: RL Premier Pitcher is New York's Ward
The Pitcher of the Month for June has been picked and the Republic League award went to New York hurler, Carl Ward.

During the month, Ward was impressive with a 1.96 ERA and 4 wins and 1 loss. In 36.2 innings he struck out 28 and gave up 27 hits and 10 walks.

In 2053 Ward has compiled a 8-5 record with a 2.88 ERA.



Tuesday, July 1st, 2053: CL Picks June's Top Pitcher
Despite the number of years he's been in the league, Jeremy Aitken still gets excited when he puts together a quality stretch like he had in June. The 36-year-old starter for Tokyo was named Continental League Pitcher of the Month earlier today.

He collected 4 wins and 1 loss with 64 strikeouts in his 7 starts, putting up a fine 2.10 ERA in 55.2 innings of work.

In 2053, Aitken has a 13-2 mark in 20 starts with a 2.85 ERA. He has given up 123 hits in 148.2 innings, struck out 158 and issued 24 walks. Opposing clubs have compiled a .227 batting average against him.