NALB - 2017 Regular Season Ends

The Brooklyn Knights and Luisville Beasts won their divisions with relative ease. The team that would finish with NALB’s best record, however, was very much in question. With two games remaining, the Knights and Beasts were tied with 100 wins. Luisville won two more while Brooklyn lost its final two games. Therefore, the Beasts earned home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Key West Corals fought off challenges from the Allies, Sky Chiefs, and Maples to win the division for the fifth time in six years. By winning their division with a 80-84 record, the Vancouver Wild achieved the dubious distinction of having the worst regular season record ever for a playoff team. This is familiar territory for Vancouver. The Wild were 80-82 in 2008 when they staged a shocking upset over the Knights to win the World Championship.

The League Series match-ups:
Brooklyn Knights (100-62) vs. Luisville Beasts (102-60)
Vancouver Wild (80-84) vs. Key West Corals (95-68)

Head to head:
The Knights were 14-10 against the Beasts this season.
The Corals were 17-6 against the Wild this season.

Playoff injury report:
The Knights are without team captain and staff ace Porfírio Portío, who had radial decompression surgery on his elbow September 22. Likewise, the Brooklyn bullpen is without two lefties who are on the disabled list with elbow injuries—Rikiya Kiyomizu and Christófer De Jesús. The Beasts have several injuries to their pitching staff. Starters Vincent Cadieux and Fred Dyball are out. Perhaps just as important are the injuries to key relievers—Benny Alazardo, Sergio Aispro, and Albin Audelo. Luisville will also play without star second baseman Rico Gómez, who is on the DL with shoulder bursitis. Veteran Alberto Harrington and fellow starting pitcher Lynden O’Hagerty are out for Vancouver. Relievers Tommy Killy and Rob Muncy as well as right fielder Rubén Viladina are off of the playoff roster due to injuries. The Corals’ lineup is in good shape. Their pitching staff, however, has been impacted by injuries. Starters Marcos Amaya and Chun-hua Wen will be missed. Key West’s superstar bullpen is without two big arms. Elbow injuries to Thornton Peters and Tim Sanders will keep them out of action until 2018.

September 2017 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Blas Ramos (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Angel Martinez (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Givon Hopkins (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Almandeto Trillio (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Nick Koche (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)