Season 27 Division-by-Division Preview

 Note - this was written using ChatGPT and while I did a little bit of checking, there could be mistakes.

Season 27 Division Preview

AL North

Teams

• Vancouver Tweakers

• Sioux Falls Blackfoot Nation

• Toronto Savage

• Wichita Diamond Dawgs

Favorite: Sioux Falls

The Blackfoot Nation won 95 games last season and remain the division's most proven winner. While several teams in the division have intriguing upside, Sioux Falls enters as the safest bet.

Challenger: Toronto

Only two seasons removed from a championship, Toronto feels primed for a rebound after a disappointing Season 26. The roster still contains enough talent to challenge for the division crown.

Wild Card: Wichita

The Diamond Dawgs spend like contenders and possess enough talent to surprise. If everything clicks, Wichita could emerge as one of the season's biggest surprises.

Outlook

One of the most balanced divisions in baseball. Sioux Falls deserves favorite status, but Toronto and Wichita both have realistic paths to first place.

Predicted Finish

1. Sioux Falls

2. Toronto

3. Wichita

4. Vancouver

---

AL East

Teams

• Augusta Admirals

• Pittsburgh Parking Chairs

• Atlanta Apex

• Philadelphia Union

Favorite: Philadelphia

The defending World Series champions reside in what could become the league's toughest division. Philadelphia remains the class of the group, but there will be little room for error.

Challenger: Atlanta

The Apex inherit a 98-win Cincinnati roster and immediately become one of the league's most dangerous challengers. New ownership enters with expectations of immediate success.

Wild Card: Augusta

The Admirals won 90 games and reached the playoffs last season. They may be overlooked nationally, but they are talented enough to stay in the race.

Outlook

This could be the best division in the American League. Philadelphia and Atlanta both look capable of winning 95-plus games.

Predicted Finish

1. Philadelphia

2. Atlanta

3. Augusta

4. Pittsburgh

---

AL South

Teams

• Texas Flood

• Charleston Bumpy Roses

• El Paso Chihuahuas

• Florida Manatees

Favorite: Florida

Florida quietly had one of the stronger offseasons in the league and appears positioned to take a step forward.

Challenger: El Paso

The defending division champions remain a tough out. Even after some roster movement, El Paso's track record commands respect.

Outlook

A division without a dominant favorite. Florida and El Paso appear separated by only a narrow margin.

Predicted Finish

1. Florida

2. El Paso

3. Charleston

4. Texas

---

AL West

Teams

• Iowa City Farmers

• Cheyenne Chinook

• Colorado Springs Bighorn

• Kansas City Lightning

Favorite: Iowa City

The Farmers may have the strongest roster in baseball entering Season 27. They narrowly missed a division title last season and aggressively improved the club during the offseason.

Challenger: Cheyenne

A 103-win team can never be called an underdog. The Chinook remain one of the elite organizations in KML and should battle Iowa City all season long.

Outlook

This has a chance to be the best division race in baseball. Iowa City and Cheyenne both possess championship-level talent.

Predicted Finish

1. Iowa City

2. Cheyenne

3. Colorado Springs

4. Kansas City

---

NL North

Teams

• Montreal Marauders

• Tacoma Tigers

• St. Louis Arch of Beers

• Buffalo Fudds

Favorite: Buffalo

The relocated Fudds arrive after a 92-win season and carry one of the largest payrolls in baseball.

Challenger: Tacoma

Tacoma's roster appears significantly stronger than last year's record. New ownership inherits a club capable of making immediate noise.

Outlook

Buffalo enters as the favorite, but Tacoma and Montreal could make this division surprisingly competitive.

Predicted Finish

1. Buffalo

2. Tacoma

3. Montreal

4. St. Louis

---

NL East

Teams

• New York Wise Guys

• London Hot Spurs

• Baltimore Crab Cakes

• Trenton Hessians

Favorite: Baltimore

The six-time champions remain one of the most complete organizations in baseball.

Challenger: London

The Hot Spurs continue to churn out winning seasons and should remain firmly in the playoff picture.

Dark Horse: Trenton

The Hessians have one of the larger payroll commitments in the league and enough talent to make this a three-team race.

Outlook

Arguably the deepest division in the National League. Baltimore, London, and Trenton all have postseason aspirations.

Predicted Finish

1. Baltimore

2. London

3. Trenton

4. New York

---

NL South

Teams

• Louisville Tempted

• Austin Jiveturkeys

• New Orleans Knights

• Jackson Woe Are Us Guys

Favorite: New Orleans

No team invested more aggressively in the offseason. The Knights already won 96 games and responded by spending like a club determined to win a championship immediately.

Challenger: Austin

The roster ratings are considerably stronger than last season's record. Austin could be one of the surprise teams of Season 27.

Outlook

New Orleans enters as one of the clearest division favorites anywhere in baseball.

Predicted Finish

1. New Orleans

2. Austin

3. Jackson

4. Louisville

---

NL West

Teams

• Salem Witchland

• Fresno Fox

• Las Vegas High Rollers

• Arizona Artists

Favorite: Fresno

The defending National League champions return with championship aspirations and a roster capable of another deep October run.

Challenger: Arizona

The Artists possess a stronger roster than their 74-win record suggests and could make a substantial leap.

Outlook

Fresno enters as the clear favorite, but Arizona may emerge as the division's biggest threat.

Predicted Finish

1. Fresno

2. Arizona

3. Las Vegas

4. Salem

---

Predicted Playoff Teams

American League

• Philadelphia

• Sioux Falls

• Florida

• Iowa City

• Atlanta

• Cheyenne

National League

• Baltimore

• Buffalo

• New Orleans

• Fresno

• London

• Tacoma

Predicted World Series

Philadelphia vs. New Orleans

The defending champions against the league's most aggressive spender would be a fitting showdown for what looks like one of the most competitive seasons in KML history.

Season 27 Team Snippets

 Note - this was written using ChatGPT and while I did a little bit of checking, there could be mistakes.

KML Season 27 Team Snippets

AMERICAN LEAGUE NORTH

Vancouver Tweakers

Season 26: 74-88 (as Burlington)
Outlook: Rebuilding

New owner dirtyhill03 inherits a roster that still appears several steps away from contention. The focus will likely be on establishing an organizational identity and building for future seasons rather than chasing immediate results.

Sioux Falls Blackfoot Nation

Season 26: 95-67
Outlook: Contender

The Blackfoot Nation continue to be one of the AL's most successful franchises. A division title and 95 wins last season prove this club knows how to win. The challenge will be holding off improved rivals Toronto and Wichita.

Toronto Savage

Season 26: 76-86
Outlook: Dark Horse

Just one season removed from a World Series championship, Toronto enters as one of the most difficult teams to evaluate. The roster appears stronger than last year's record and could produce one of the league's biggest rebounds.

Wichita Diamond Dawgs

Season 26: 80-82
Outlook: Wild Card Threat

Wichita spends like a contender and has enough talent to challenge for a playoff berth. If the pitching staff takes a step forward, the Diamond Dawgs could make noise in the AL North.

---

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Augusta Admirals

Season 26: 90-72
Outlook: Playoff Contender

Augusta quietly won 90 games and reached the postseason. They may be overshadowed by Philadelphia and Atlanta, but this remains a dangerous club capable of winning a playoff series.

Pittsburgh Parking Chairs

Season 26: 55-107
Outlook: Rebuilding

The Parking Chairs continue to focus on long-term development. The prospect investment is encouraging, but the major league roster still appears a few years away.

Atlanta Apex

Season 26: 98-64 (as Cincinnati)
Outlook: Contender

The Apex inherit one of the strongest situations in baseball. A 98-win roster, strong payroll commitment, and maximum prospect spending give Atlanta the tools to compete immediately while maintaining future flexibility.

Philadelphia Union

Season 26: 103-59, World Champions
Outlook: Championship Favorite

The defending champions remain the standard in the American League. Philadelphia's combination of star power, depth, and recent postseason success makes them the preseason favorite entering Season 27.

---

AMERICAN LEAGUE SOUTH

Texas Flood

Season 26: 58-104
Outlook: Rebuilding

Texas added Emmett Walker but remains focused on long-term improvement. Progress is likely, but a playoff push would be a surprise.

Charleston Bumpy Roses

Season 26: 79-83
Outlook: Fringe Contender

Charleston sits squarely in the middle class of the league. The roster has enough talent to stay competitive but may lack the upside of Florida and El Paso.

El Paso Chihuahuas

Season 26: 86-76
Outlook: Division Contender

The defending division champions remain one of the most disciplined clubs in the league. Despite some roster movement, El Paso should once again compete for the AL South crown.

Florida Manatees

Season 26: 84-78
Outlook: Sleeper

Florida made several offseason additions and increased expectations. The Manatees appear ready to challenge El Paso atop the division.

---

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Iowa City Farmers

Season 26: 85-77
Outlook: Championship Contender

No team generated more excitement from the preseason ratings than Iowa City. After narrowly missing a division title, the Farmers aggressively improved the roster and appear ready to challenge for much more than a playoff berth.

Cheyenne Chinook

Season 26: 103-59
Outlook: Championship Contender

The most decorated franchise in KML history remains one of its most talented. Cheyenne won 103 games last season and enters another year with legitimate championship aspirations.

Colorado Springs Bighorn

Season 26: 82-80
Outlook: Sleeper

Colorado Springs may get lost behind the division heavyweights, but the roster contains enough talent to remain competitive and potentially sneak into the Wild Card race.

Kansas City Lightning

Season 26: 50-112
Outlook: Rebuilding

Kansas City continues to prioritize future talent. The road back to contention will take time, but the organization appears committed to the process.

---

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

Montreal Marauders

Season 26: 83-79
Outlook: Dark Horse

Montreal's roster appears stronger than its record. The Marauders could emerge as a surprise contender if a few key players outperform expectations.

Tacoma Tigers

Season 26: 78-84
Outlook: Sleeper

New owner robrobjr69 inherits a surprisingly interesting roster. Tacoma could become one of the most improved teams in the league if the offseason additions pay off.

St. Louis Arch of Beers

Season 26: 65-97 (as Chicago)
Outlook: Transitional

New ownership begins with a roster still searching for direction. The long-term future may be brighter than the short-term outlook.

Buffalo Fudds

Season 26: 92-70 (as Salt Lake City)
Outlook: Contender

The Fudds arrive in Buffalo after another playoff season and carry one of the league's largest payrolls. Expectations in the new city should be immediate and substantial.

---

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

New York Wise Guys

Season 26: 90-72
Outlook: Playoff Contender

New York remains a quality club, but the brutal NL East means there is little margin for error. Another playoff appearance is attainable.

London Hot Spurs

Season 26: 91-71
Outlook: Contender

The Hot Spurs rarely receive national headlines but consistently win games. London once again looks capable of reaching October.

Baltimore Crab Cakes

Season 26: 97-65
Outlook: Championship Contender

Six championships, five consecutive titles from Seasons 20-24, and another NLCS appearance last year. The dynasty may be over, but Baltimore remains one of the league's premier organizations.

Trenton Hessians

Season 26: 89-73
Outlook: Dark Horse Contender

Trenton quietly remains one of the league's strongest organizations. With a substantial payroll and winning tradition, the Hessians could emerge from the shadows of Baltimore and London.

---

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

Louisville Tempted

Season 26: 57-105
Outlook: Rebuilding

The Tempted added Dan Carpenter but continue to focus on long-term growth rather than immediate contention.

Austin Jiveturkeys

Season 26: 80-82
Outlook: Sleeper

Austin may have one of the largest gaps between perception and talent. The ratings suggest a team capable of dramatically outperforming last year's record.

New Orleans Knights

Season 26: 96-66
Outlook: Championship Favorite

No team attacked the offseason more aggressively. The Knights signed eight free agents, added Bill Choo via trade, and boast the highest payroll in baseball. It's championship-or-bust in New Orleans.

Jackson Woe Are Us Guys

Season 26: 81-81
Outlook: Bubble Team

Jackson sits in the middle tier of contenders. A playoff berth is possible, but the division's top clubs appear stronger on paper.

---

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

Salem Witchland

Season 26: 82-80
Outlook: Fringe Contender

The Witchland roster appears capable of remaining competitive, but a playoff berth may require several things to break right.

Fresno Fox

Season 26: 96-66, National League Champions
Outlook: Championship Contender

The defending NL champions return with one of the league's most complete rosters. Fresno has already proven it can navigate October pressure.

Las Vegas High Rollers

Season 26: 85-77
Outlook: Wild Card Threat

Las Vegas continues to find ways to stay competitive. The High Rollers may lack the star power of Fresno but remain a dangerous opponent.

Arizona Artists

Season 26: 74-88
Outlook: Rising Contender

Arizona combines a strong prospect budget with a roster that appears better than its record. The Artists could be one of the breakout teams of Season 27.

Top Storylines Entering Season 27

 Note - this was written using ChatGPT and while I did a little bit of checking, there could be mistakes.

Kenesaw Mountain Landis Season 27 Headlines

A New Era or a Familiar Throne?

For five seasons, the Kenesaw Mountain Landis world belonged to Baltimore.

From Seasons 20 through 24, the Crab Cakes assembled one of the greatest dynasties the league has ever seen, capturing five consecutive World Series titles and establishing themselves as the benchmark for sustained excellence. But for the first time in years, the league enters a season without a clear ruler.

Toronto broke Baltimore's stranglehold by winning the Season 25 championship. Philadelphia followed by claiming the Season 26 title after a dominant postseason run that included victories over both Cheyenne and Fresno. Now, as Season 27 begins, the championship picture is more crowded than it has been in nearly a decade.

The defending champions are still loaded. The former dynasty remains dangerous. The most decorated franchise in league history is knocking on the door. And a host of challengers believe their moment has arrived.

Welcome to Season 27.

The Defending Champions

Philadelphia enters the season as the team to beat.

The Union won 103 games last season, tied for the best record in baseball, then backed it up with an impressive postseason run. They dispatched Augusta in the Division Series, defeated fellow 103-win powerhouse Cheyenne in the ALCS, and finished the job against Fresno in the World Series.

Unlike many champions, Philadelphia doesn't appear to be fading. The ratings suggest the Union remain one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the league, making them the natural preseason favorite.

The challenge now is proving Season 26 was the beginning of something larger rather than a single championship breakthrough.

The Dynasty Isn't Dead Yet

Baltimore's quest for history continues.

The Crab Cakes own six championships, including their legendary five-year run from Seasons 20 through 24. A seventh title would tie the all-time franchise record currently held by Cheyenne.

Baltimore reached the NLCS last season before falling to Fresno, and the ratings once again place them among the National League's elite clubs.

The dynasty may be over, but the contender certainly is not.

The Franchise Chasing History

No franchise owns more championships than Cheyenne.

The organization has captured seven World Series titles, though all were won during its previous life in Seattle under different ownership. Current owner drwildcat has built a perennial contender, but the franchise's most recent championship came in Season 19.

After a 103-win campaign and another deep playoff run, expectations remain sky-high. Anything short of a World Series appearance may feel like a disappointment for one of the league's most talented clubs.

The National League Arms Race

If the American League has a favorite, the National League has a crowd.

Fresno enters the season as the defending National League champion after eliminating both New York and Baltimore during an impressive postseason run. The Fox proved last season that they belong among the league's elite.

Baltimore remains a powerhouse.

The newly relocated Buffalo Fudds arrive after winning 92 games and reaching the playoffs in their final season in Salt Lake City.

London remains one of the league's most consistent organizations.

New York and Arizona both possess enough talent to make noise.

And then there is New Orleans.

The Knights won 96 games last season and proceeded to attack the offseason. No club was more aggressive in free agency, adding eight players while also acquiring pitcher Bill Choo via trade. If any contender made a serious push to elevate itself into championship-favorite territory, it was New Orleans.

The Most Improved Club?

One team jumps off the page when combining offseason activity with current ratings: Iowa City.

The Farmers narrowly missed a division title last season, finishing one game behind El Paso. They responded by adding multiple free agents and acquiring second baseman Alex Rupp in a trade with the Chihuahuas.

The ratings suggest Iowa City may now possess one of the strongest rosters in the entire world.

If there is a team poised to make a dramatic leap from playoff hopeful to championship contender, the Farmers may be it.

New Faces, New Cities, New Expectations

Season 27 also brings plenty of change.

The Buffalo Fudds begin life in a new city after relocating from Salt Lake City.

Atlanta enters a new era after taking over the 98-win Cincinnati franchise.

Vancouver, St. Louis, and Tacoma all begin the season under new ownership as well.

Of those clubs, Atlanta and Tacoma appear best positioned to contend immediately. Atlanta inherits a roster that reached the postseason last year, while Tacoma's ratings suggest the Tigers could become one of the league's biggest surprises.

Teams on the Rise

Several clubs appear ready to challenge expectations.

Iowa City possesses the talent to contend for a championship.

Tacoma's roster grades out far better than last year's record.

Montreal quietly has one of the strongest collections of top-end talent in the league.

Florida continues to improve after adding multiple free agents.

And Toronto, only two seasons removed from a championship, remains dangerous despite being overshadowed by larger storylines.

The Championship Picture

Every season begins with optimism, but only a handful of teams enter Spring Training believing a title is a realistic goal.

This year, that list is longer than usual.

Philadelphia seeks a repeat.

Baltimore seeks a return to glory.

Cheyenne seeks to end a championship drought.

Fresno seeks to finish the job.

New Orleans seeks validation for an aggressive offseason.

Iowa City seeks a breakthrough.

Buffalo seeks to make an immediate impact in its new home.

The dynasty era may be over, but what comes next could be even better.

For the first time in years, the road to the World Series feels completely open.

HOF Candidates for Season 27

I haven't done this in a couple of seasons, but I wanted to post who I think is most deserving of the HOF and why.  See my last post here for references to other players not included here that have been on the ballot.  I am going to list the three candidates I think need to make the HOF and then provide some insight on what ChatGPT thinks.

Jose Terrero - Terrero was one of the aces for the old Toledo Bend and was a big reason why they won two World Series in a three-year span.  He won 3 Cy Young awards, with one in Toledo and two more in Charlotte/Augusta in a very competitive American League (think all the old Seattle pitchers).  Terrero finished with 232 wins to only 119 losses, 2,854 strikeouts, a career 3.17 ERA and made it to 8 All Star Games in his career.

Roenis Matos - When Roenis Matos entered the game for Seattle, you kind of knew it was over.  A dominant reliever best used for one inning made Matos the perfect candidate to close out games, and he excelled at it.  Matos is the all time KML leader in saves with 710, has a career ERA of 2.64, and has a batting average against him of 0.199 (currently 3rd best all time).  His save % is currently 2nd best all time at 0.896.  He also won 4 Fireman of the Year awards just for good measure.  Even if you're not a fan of voting for relievers, Matos was arguably the best to do it in KML history and deserves a spot in the HOF.

York Huff - He didn't win a ton of awards, but York Huff was a premier hitter for Salt Lake City in a fairly neutral park.  Huff started off his career with a bang in Season 8 where he won Rookie of the Year, won the Home Run Derby, was the ASG MVP and ultimately won the MVP Award for his stellar play (somehow he didn't win Silver Slugger).  He would only make two more All Star games after that with one silver slugger award, and he hit for the cycle in Season 17.  It definitely feels like Huff deserves more accolades, because he finished his career with 671 HRs (currently 3rd all time), 1,787 RBIs (currently 5th all time), nearly 2,500 hits and a career OPS of 0.943.  Considering all that he accomplished statistically, I think that should be more than enough to make the HOF.

Now for ChatGPT's evaluation!

KML Baseball Hall of Fame Rankings - Hitters

Hall of Fame scores are based on an MLB-style formula incorporating career milestones, offensive production, awards, longevity, positional difficulty, and peak value.

Inner Circle Hall of Fame

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
York Huff	94	Inner-circle slugger; 671 HR is massive
Yordano Tejeda	92	Historic 2B profile; elite average + 621 SB
Joakim Fernandez	90	Complete 1B; power-speed longevity
Rafael Martinez	89	Near-3000-hit caliber LF bat
Pasqual Cruz	87	Durable and consistent offensive star
Socrates Russell	86	Elite OPS-driven DH peak
Kirk Mercedes	85	Outstanding all-around 2B career

Strong Hall of Famers

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
Cesar Quinones	82	Excellent 2B longevity and balance
Steve Bailey	81	570 HR carries the case
Michael Nomura	80	Long productive 3B career
Jimmie Pena	79	Big HR total for a 2B
Rafael Park	79	Excellent offensive LF profile
Jason Gilmore	78	Great hitting catcher
Simon Camacho	77	Very solid 3B power-speed mix
Joey Rogers	76	Catcher boost + 445 HR
Garret Leonard	75	Balanced power/speed 1B
Willis Grace	75	.303 catcher with longevity

Borderline / Hall of Very Good

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
Terry Kydd	69	Strong RF bat but little peak value
Yean Carlos Perez	68	Excellent rate stats, shorter career
Robb Grieve	67	Very good catcher offense
Jeff Rudolph	65	Compiler-ish 3B profile
Jay Shaw	64	Big power, limited longevity
Vladimir Flande	63	SB-heavy 2B case
Billy Brinkley	58	Good bat, lacks standout milestones
B.C. Frias	57	Solid DH, not dominant enough
Rubby Lee	56	Shorter catcher career

Not Quite Hall Level

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
James Daal	47	Good longevity, weak offensive peak
Domingo Montana	42	Excellent short peak, too little playing time
Arodys Paz	18	Not enough career value

Best By Archetype

• Best Slugger: York Huff
• Best All-Around Player: Yordano Tejeda
• Best Catcher: Jason Gilmore
• Most Underrated: Kirk Mercedes

KML Baseball Hall of Fame Rankings – Pitchers

Hall of Fame scores are based on an MLB-style formula incorporating wins, saves, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, longevity, awards, championships, peak dominance, and role difficulty.

Inner Circle Hall of Fame

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
Roenis Matos	96	One of the greatest relievers ever; 710 saves and elite ratios
Jose Terrero	94	Classic ace profile with dominance and awards
Ezequiel Tatis	92	Power ace with elite ERA and strikeout totals
Chris Ramirez	91	Historic closer profile; elite run prevention
Del Matsumoto	90	Longevity closer with nearly 600 saves

Strong Hall of Famers

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
Dave Regan	86	Excellent starter peak with Cy Young support
Yoervis Almora	85	Long-career strikeout machine
Boone Saunders	84	Elite relief longevity and consistency
Juan Valbuena	82	Versatile bullpen star with durability
Peter Donald	81	Compiler ace with massive innings volume
Eugene Hudson	80	Very strong traditional starter profile
Bubba Cortes	78	Consistent winning starter with quality ratios

Borderline / Hall of Very Good

Player	HOF Score	Assessment
Suk-min Chen	55	Excellent rate stats but not enough workload

Best By Archetype

• Best Starting Pitcher: Jose Terrero
• Best Reliever: Roenis Matos
• Best Pure Strikeout Arm: Peter Donald
• Most Dominant Ratios: Chris Ramirez
• Most Durable Reliever: Boone Saunders

Hall of Fame Notes

• 700+ saves places Roenis Matos in automatic Hall territory.
• Jose Terrero and Ezequiel Tatis profile similarly to classic MLB aces with elite run prevention and strikeout totals.
• Relievers received extra credit for elite ERA, WHIP, and save milestones.
• Starters were rewarded heavily for 200+ wins, strikeouts, and sustained dominance.
• Cy Young Awards and All-Star selections significantly boosted borderline cases.

World Series 26 Preview

                         Philadelphia Unionvs     Fresno Fox

                           (103-59)                                                                                              (96-66)

It's time for World Series #26, with two teams looking for their first titles in over 20 seasons when they were in different cities with different owners.  It's a battle between the American League champions in the Philadelphia Union against the National League winners in the Fresno Fox.  This is Philadelphia's 3rd trip to the World Series in the last four seasons, having lost twice to Baltimore in 6 games before this.  They won't have to face the Crab Cakes this time around because Fresno took care of Baltimore in the NLCS.  This is Fresno's first trip to the World Series since Season 5 when they were located in Tacoma.  Their opponents were actually Philadelphia when they were located in Kansas City with KC winning that World Series.  Before that, these franchises also met in the Season 2 World Series, when it was Kansas City vs Sacramento, so this is actually the 3rd WS matchup between these two teams.  Let's break down the matchup.

I am going to continue to use my model to talk about some of the key players.  This model uses a scale of 20 to 80 where 50 would be considered league average (regardless of position).  A player with a rating of 60 would be considered a "plus" player, and above 70 would be a "superstar".  

Offensively, this is a battle between the teams that were #1 in runs scored in their respective leagues (983 runs scored for Philly vs 800 for Fresno).  Fresno's success is impressive considering they play in a pitcher friendly ballpark that somewhat limits home runs.  Unsurprisingly, both teams had a lot of Silver Sluggers as the Union had 3 and the Fox had 5 (although one was their pitcher Casey La Stella).  My model has Philadelphia with the top 5 hitters in this series, but Fresno with the next top 5.  Carl Vining (0.954 OPS), Beau Guyer (1.032 OPS), and Jacque Blake (1.069 OPS) are all superstar hitters and are all up for MVP consideration this season.  Parker Hutch (0.889 OPS) just won his 3rd Silver Slugger award at 2B and Dewez Zornes is a former Silver Slugger in CF, adding even more firepower to their offense.  

Fresno's top rated hitter in my model is George Beirne (0.787 OPS) who is in the final year of his 5-year contract and has been worth every penny.  Jose Navarre (0.792 OPS) is solid at getting on base for the top of the order.  Vic Aquino (0.796 OPS) has been a Fox for his entire career and would love to cement his legacy with a championship.  He is also a finalist for NL MVP.  Stone Koplove (0.820 OPS) and Juan Carlos Batista (0.866 OPS) both had solid seasons.  Both pitching staffs will have their hands full and it could be a high offensive series with these lineups.

Rank	Player	Team	Offensive Rating
1	Carl Vining	Philadelphia	77.7
2	Beau Guyer	Philadelphia	76.2
3	Jacque Blake	Philadelphia	69.2
4	Dewey Zornes	Philadelphia	62.7
5	Parker Hutch	Philadelphia	60.8
6	George Beirne	Fresno	60.0
7	Jose Navarre	Fresno	59.2
8	Vic Aquino	Fresno	58.8
9	Stone Koplove	Fresno	54.2
10	Juan Carlos Bautista	Fresno	51.9

In terms of pitching, Fresno had the world's 3rd best ERA (3.56) while Philadelphia was middle of the pack (4.12 ERA).  Of course Philadelphia's ballpark combined with having the DH make things a little bit more challenging than Fresno having the pitcher batting and a pitcher friendly ballpark.  In the playoffs, Philly's pitching staff has been lights out at 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA while Fresno has still been pretty good (7-4, 3.73 ERA) but not as good as the regular season. 

My model thinks that Fresno has the best pitcher in Kaleb Liefer (13-10, 3.07 ERA) although his teammate Garry Torrealba (12-6, 31 saves, 3.41 ERA) is a finalist for the Cy Young award and Casey La Stella (17-8, 3.03 ERA) has bounced back from a tough injury last season.  The 2nd-4th best pitchers hail from Philly although Raul Ordonez (4.22 ERA) and Rich Strickland (4.34 ERA) are coming off down seasons for their standards.  Russ Barton (37 saves, 2.88 ERA) has proven to be an excellent closer again this season, finishing as a finalist for Fireman of the Year.  Herman Landry (16-4, 3.04 ERA) has had a terrific rookie season and is a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award.  Both pitching staffs have quality arms, so it will come down to whoever is hot at the right time.

Rank	Player	Team	Pitching Rating
1	Kaleb Liefer	Fresno	68.3
2	Raul Ordonez	Philadelphia	67.8
3	Rich Strickland	Philadelphia	65.0
4	Russ Burton	Philadelphia	64.8
5	Garry Torrealba	Fresno	62.7
6	Casey La Stella	Fresno	62.3
7	Herman Landry	Philadelphia	58.5
8	Derrick Hill	Fresno	58.0
9	Jack Lewis	Philadelphia	57.3
10	Bennie Welch	Philadelphia	57.0

I don't have a defensive model ready yet, but each of these teams had one Gold Glove winner this season.  This should be a great matchup with both teams having a shot to finally win a World Series. Good luck to both teams in World Series 26!

World Series 25 Preview

                        Toronto Savagevs     Austin Jiveturkeys

                           (90-72)                                                                                              (98-64)

It's time for World Series #25, and this season there is a guaranteed first-time champion between two of KML's original teams (and their original owners)!  It's a battle between the American League champs in the Toronto Savage against the National League winners in the Austin Jiveturkeys.  For Toronto, they are hoping that the 3rd time is the charm as this is their 3rd trip to the World Series having lost to Baltimore in 4 games in Season 18 and 6 games in Season 21.  They won't have to face the Crab Cakes this time around because Austin has taken the liberty of knocking Baltimore out in the NLCS, ending their 5-year run of terror.  This is the Jiveturkeys' first trip to the World Series after just their 3rd playoff appearance (NOTE - Austin won 2 World Series pre-merger).  Austin was lying dormant for awhile, but they seem to be a contender for the near future having won back to back division titles.  Let's break down the matchup.

I am going to continue to use my model to talk about some of the key players.  This model uses a scale of 20 to 80 where 50 would be considered league average (regardless of position).  A player with a rating of 60 would be considered a "plus" player, and above 70 would be a "superstar".  The highest rated hitter in this series is a familiar name in Henderson Long who after winning 6 titles in Baltimore, is chasing a ring in Toronto.  He could win the World Series for the 6th year in a row, but he might have to wait a game to play as he suffered a forearm cramp in game 7 of the ALCS.  The free agent signing was #1 in OPS for Toronto at 0.913 in the regular season.  That's a theme with all of Toronto's hitters on this list.  All of them have signed in recent years to help bolster Toronto's offense: Frankie Capps (0.291/0.348/0.488) was signed 3 seasons ago, Dexter Blake (0.271/0.349/0.496) was signed 2 seasons ago, Vin Mercado (0.296/0.372/0.512) was signed last season, and Juan Romero (0.314/0.377/0.499) joined Long in Toronto this season.  They helped lead Toronto to the world's 3rd best offense by runs scored. They've kept it going in the playoffs with 71 runs in the playoffs, a little over 5 per game. 

Austin's offense is no slouch either as they were 7th in runs scored in the regular season (#1 in the NL) and have averaged over 6 runs per game in the playoffs.  They are led by their 2 MVP candidates, Miguel DeRojas (42 HR, 123 RBIs, 0.898 OPS) and Adeiny Aguilar (24 HRs, 73 RBIs, 0.372 OBP). Austin does their damage with small ball more than the long ball. They had the 2nd best OBP in the majors but were 14th in HRs.  Arthur Loy was their best at getting on base as he finished 3rd in the majors in OBP at 0.411. He is one of their 25 and under club that have led to Austin's resurgence along with Douglas Stevenson, Mike Sheffield, and the previously mentioned Adeiny Aguilar.  They can steal a base or two as well but they are more middle of the pack in that category. They will have to rely on some timely HRs to capitalize on their high OBP.

Rank	Player	Team	Offensive Rating
1	Henderson Long	Toronto	65.0
2	Vin Mercado	Toronto	64.2
3	Frankie Capps	Toronto	62.7
4	Adeiny Aguilar	Austin	62.7
5	Dexter Blake	Toronto	61.2
6	Juan Romero	Toronto	60.4
7	Douglas Stevenson	Austin	60.4
8	Moises DeRojas	Austin	60.0
9	Pedro Flores	Austin	57.3
10	Arthur Loy	Austin	56.9

In terms of pitching, if we go off regular season numbers, Austin would appear to have a huge edge with a team ERA of 3.47 (4th best overall) compared to Toronto's 4.81 ERA (28th in the league).  Toronto's starting rotation in particular struggled as Russ Workman had the best ERA at 4.50, with Brutus Munro a little bit worse at 4.68. Their staff has done a complete 180 in the playoffs with a team ERA of 3.60. Ray Carter is 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA, Pascual Gonzales is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA (4 starts) and Munro is 4-1 with a 3.74 ERA. Their top 3 relievers have been lights out with 26 IP and a sub-2.00 ERA. 

Austin has done a 180 in the wrong direction in the playoffs as their ERA has ballooned to 5.81. Their best pitcher in the regular season isn't listed in the top 10 pitchers below due in part to rating decline but Eric Weatherford was terrific with a record of 18-3 and a 2.68 ERA. He has struggled mightily in his 2 starts so far these playoffs going 0-1 with an 8.18 ERA. In fact all of their starting pitchers have ERAs over 5 in the playoffs.  They will need to be a lot better in the World Series to keep Toronto in check. 

Rank	Player	Team	Pitching Rating
1	Carlos Marrero	Austin	65.7
2	Brutus Munro	Toronto	64.1
3	Lariel Cervantes	Toronto	60.8
4	Benito Gonzalez	Austin	60.4
5	Yordano Palmeiro	Austin	59.6
6	Pascual Gonzales	Toronto	58.6
7	Tony Reyes	Austin	58.3
8	Henry Zambrano	Austin	56.2
9	Reymond Vega	Toronto	56.1
10	Ray Carter	Toronto	56.0

I don't have a defensive model ready yet, but Austin had 2 Gold Glove winners to Toronto's 0 this season.  This will be a great matchup of two teams hungry for their first tite  Good luck to both teams in World Series 25!

Season 25 Midseason Recap

Season 25 Midseason Recap

We are at the All Star Break in the 25th season of Kenesaw Mountain Landis, with a lot of teams still in the playoff mix. Some of the usual faces are on top but there are also some upstart teams as well. Let's recap the first half of the season!

American League
Current Playoff Picture:
1. Philadelphia (69-22)
2. Toronto (51-40)*
3. El Paso (47-44)
4. Kansas City (46-45)**
WC1. Augusta (60-31)
WC2. Wichita (51-40)
*currently holds tiebreaker over Wichita
**currently holds tiebreaker over Colorado Springs

In the hunt:
Colorado Springs (46-45)
Sioux Falls (46-45)
Cincinnati (45-46)
Little Rock (44-47)
Texas (43-48)

In the American League, Philadelphia is running away with the best record, but the other three divisions have tight races at the top.  

The AL North finished in a tie last year and the same two franchises are tied through 91 games. This time however, the winner of the division is likely playing for the #2 seed as opposed to just making the playoffs. New Wichita owner pathon12 has done a great job picking up where tollison left off guiding the Diamond Dawgs to a tie with long-time Toronto owner shiish, who always seems to have a contender. Both teams are built around their offenses (Toronto 4th in runs scored to 9th for Wichita) but Wichita's pitching staff (15th in ERA) has been better than Toronto's (25th). The division winner could very well be who can improve their pitching in the 2nd half. Sioux Falls continues to improve as efeighny looks to transition them into a contender and shesaid has done a good job rebuilding in his first year in Burlington.

The AL East is already a forgone conclusion with jp_chips again having a great team in Philly. They have the world's #1 offense but also the 5th best ERA at the break. Upstart Augusta (slicknick777) is having a renaissance this year with the AL's second best record built off the world's #2 ERA. Meanwhile Cincinnati (foulballz) has a good run differential but it hasn't translated to their actual record. Buffalo (HWPixHend) will need to do some work the second half of the year to hit the MWR.

In the AL South, justinuv's El Paso is looking for their 6th division title in the past 7 seasons with Little Rock (keithjs) just 3 games back. Their turnaround from one of the worst teams in the world just two seasons ago has been exciting to see and it would be quite a story if they could grab the division crown so quickly. Texas (drewster0) is still in the hunt and has the highest expected winning % in the South but is 4 games back at the break while bruceleefan continues the rebuild in Charleston.

Finally, the AL West is a 2-team tie right now where the loser likely won't make the playoffs. Kansas City (stone7365) is looking for their 2nd straight division title while rklongball is looking to win his first division title with Colorado Springs. It looks like Cheyenne's 24-year playoff streak may be coming to an end unless drwildcat can push the right buttons in the 2nd half. Iowa City (bmsetterstro) might be looking towards season 26.

Biggest Surprise - Augusta Admirals (60-31)
I promise I didn't write this blog post just to talk about my team lol. Augusta lost solid pitcher Jeff Vining to free agency, so they felt compelled to make a trade for BJ Valaika in the offseason. He has surpassed expectations by a mile with a 10-2 record and 2.28 ERA after consistently putting up 4+ ERAs in Houston. Steve Giovanola (11-3, 2.90 ERA) is having a career best year at age 34 while rookie sensation Ordomar Gutierrez (5-3, 2.18 ERA) has been electric for the Admirals. The offense has actually pulled its weight going from 26th in runs scored last year to 10th so far this season. It feels like a regression to the mean is coming for Augusta but they still have a great chance to make the playoffs.

Biggest Disappointment - Cincinnati Butchers (45-46)
In Season 24, Cincinnati was 10th in team ERA and 2nd in runs scored in their homer friendly ballpark. They led the league in HRs each of the last four seasons and they are leading again this season. One problem though is they are now 10th in runs scored because they aren't getting on base as well as last year (0.344 OBP is now 0.320). In particular, Placido Ozuna has a 0.316 OBP this year compared to a career OBP of 0.349 and Luigi Perez has a 0.296 OBP vs a career mark of 0.332.  The bigger problem though is their pitching staff. Cincinnati’s team ERA has increased from 3.76 (10th) to 4.23 (17th) due to some individual player regression and losing players to free agency. Alex Lee had a great year last year but has returned to normal this year, Ricardo Guapo is having his worst season in 5 years, and Manuel Cayones is in Texas now. The offense is still good enough to make the playoffs, but can Cincy’s pitching staff turn it around or will the Butchers have to wait until next season to reload?

MVP - Carl Vining, Philadelphia Union
The rookie of the year last year has taken his game up a notch in year 2 with a slash line of 0.309/0.388/0.637 to go with his 32 HRs, 85 RBIs and 20 SBs. He also has 11 plus plays in LF and only 1 error. His teammate Beau Guyer is also having a great year so it could be a two-man race.

Cy Young - BJ Valaika, Augusta Admirals
The ace of Augusta's pitching staff, Valaika has the best ERA in the AL of qualified pitchers (2.28), is 3rd in WHIP (1.07) and has a fantastic 10-2 record.

National League
Current Playoff Picture:
1. Baltimore (61-30)
2. Austin (56-35)
3. Arizona (55-36)
4. Montreal (51-40)
WC1. New Orleans (54-37)
WC2. Fresno (51-40)

In the hunt:
Jackson (50-41)
Salt Lake City (46-45)

Salem (44-47)

In the National League, things are much tighter at the top but there are fewer teams realistically still alive for the playoffs compared to the AL.

In the NL North, omegasupreme's Montreal Marauders have a 5 game lead on sylemark's Salt Lake City Fudds despite both teams having the same expected winning %. Montreal has been fairly balanced as they are tied for 12th in runs scored and 10th in ERA. The Fudds have been more pitching focused as they have the 4th best ERA but the 29th ranked offense.  Salt Lake City's offense will need to vastly improve for them to win the division.  Meanwhile, Tacoma (quelch) and Chicago (russilini) can start preparing for next season.

In the East, Baltimore (aoscott2) again leads the way thanks to their world best 2.82 ERA. Their offense is lagging behind however at 22nd in the majors. Their division rivals haven't put up much of a fight as London (hofbunter), Trenton (Dufferman), and New York (eazye0007) are all over 20 games back. We will see if any of them are sellers at the deadline. 

The NL South sees a tight race between Austin (ericschmidt) looking for their 2nd straight division title and New Orleans (peoria) who had won the past 12 division titles. Both teams have great offenses (New Orleans 3rd in runs scored and Austin 5th) but Austin's pitching staff (3rd in ERA) has set themselves apart from New Orleans' 11th ranked staff. Jackson (Schlemiel) consistently has good records but has had to deal with New Orleans and now Austin on top. Still they have made the playoffs 4 of the last 5 seasons and they have a fight on their hands the second half of this year with their division rivals and Fresno to grab one of those playoff spots. Louisville (Schmidt22) is at the bottom of the division but have still been competitive despite starting the rebuild process. They'll be a team to watch in a few seasons.

In the West, Arizona (loosecc) is having a fantastic season and is not only looking to end their long playoff drought but to get a playoff bye in the process. They are 6th in team ERA, but their offense (#21) needs to pick it up in the second half of the season. Fresno (kenfox) has won the last 4 division titles and trails Arizona by 4 games going to the 2nd half. Right now it feels like they could end up anywhere between #2 and #7 when the season ends. Salem (finsrcool) is still in the hunt for a playoff spot but needs to make a move soon and Las Vegas is a rebuild in process, but new owner casperthegm has done a good job keeping them competitive where previous owners struggled to do so. 

Biggest Surprise - Arizona Artists (55-36)
Last season Arizona made a few moves that sparked a 25-win improvement from Season 23. It's those same guys that have been the spark for this year's division leading Artists. Marquis Affeldt (0.302/0.420/0.500) has been Arizona's best hitter thus far. Tyreace Jay (5-2, 2.53 ERA) and Kevin Chung (6-5, 3.97 ERA) have been workhorses out of the bullpen. All 3 came over in a big trade with Baltimore last year. Sadie Turner (8-2, 3.38 ERA) has been their best starter this season and Einer Velazquez is 30 for 32 in saves with a 1.72 ERA.

Biggest Disappointment - Chicago White Sox (34-57)
This has to be one of the most unlucky teams I have ever seen. Chicago's run differential would indicate they should be a 43-win team at the All Star Break but instead they sit at 23 games under 0.500. They have struggled mightily in 1-run games with a record of 10-25. Chicago has seen some players crater this year. Irving Quentin had 48 HRs and an 0.895 OPS last season. He has just 13 HRs at the break and a 0.713 OPS. Harry Ordaz has gone from a 0.843 OPS to 0.647 this season.  They also lost Rich Strickland and his 2.09 ERA in a trade (Miguel Alicea has been a nice FA pickup to offset this but Juan Ordonez has struggled). This team should have more wins and they still have some talented players on their roster, but now they have to decide whether to rebuild or reload. 

MVP - Phillip Post, Jackson WhoRThzGuys?

This is a really tough call. There isn't a hitter in the NL having some astronomical offensive season right now. So I'm going with someone having arguably the best all around season thus far. Post is tied for the most + plays at any position in the NL with 15 and he's doing it in a very tough position in CF. His slash line of 0.286/0.355/0.538 is fantastic with an OPS in the top 10. He has 21 HRs and 18 SBs so he's been great at the plate and on the basepaths. If he keeps this up the 2nd half of the year, he will have my vote for MVP.

Cy Young - Cozy Kennedy, Baltimore Crab Cakes
It's a tough call between Baltimore aces Cozy Kennedy and Mac Rollins who both have sub-2.00 ERAs, but I'm going with Kennedy who has an insane 0.78 WHIP to go with his 11-3 record and 1.94 ERA.