Today is the anniversary of the Game Central website. It debuted on May 25, 2006 so this is the 20th anniversary. I can hardly believe two decades have passed since I started the site mainly as an archive for our old tabletop RPG campaigns. Over time, I added a lot of video game information as well. Game Central also linked to STBL-Web, the home of the Southern Tier Baseball League. The STBL was our computer baseball league, powered by various versions of Earl Weaver Baseball. My last major update to STBL-Web was in 2023. Prior to that, there was a sizable update in 2018. The STBL started in 1987 so next year will be its 40th anniversary. However, I wanted to do something special now and not wait another year.

I rebuilt the site, which comprised several hundred pages. I kept it simple and largely preserved the existing layout. Most of the stats came from text reports output from DOS games so there was no reason to get too fancy. One thing the site lacked was good navigation. You had to keep coming back to the home page. I created links between seasons and some of the other pages to streamline things. I found and corrected quite a few errors along the way. The biggest addition, however, is new pages for the preseason drafts. Earl Weaver baseball came with all-star teams of players from 1900 to 1975. They also released MLBPA stats disks with new seasons, starting with 1986. Just before the 1988 season, we instituted a four round draft with a MLB 1986 player pool. When we didn't have a new season available. we started drafting from the late 1970s. These drafts are now included on STBL-Web.

If you are interested in the STBL, check out the updated STBL-Web.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2025.

League 1

Outstanding Batter Award: Zacarías Marquis (Dayton Grizzlies)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: James McKinning (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Ken Hannah (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Lúcio Betancourt (St. Rock Mudcats)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Anastasio Meza (Nashville Firecats)
First Baseman: Steve Sherlock (St. Rock Mudcats)
Second Baseman: Don Hartz (Brooklyn Knights)
Third Baseman: Charles Harbin (Nashville Firecats)
Shortstop: Bubba John Gómez (Las Vegas Luck)
Left Fielder: Grayson Currall (Brooklyn Knights)
Center Fielder: Gilberto Malgoso (Dunedin Otters)
Right Fielder: Zacarías Marquís (Dayton Grizzlies)
Designated Hitter: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Nashville Firecats)
Catcher: Shannan Breslin (Dunedin Otters)
First Baseman: Roberto Cortés (Cornfield Axemen)
Second Baseman: Don Hartz (Brooklyn Knights)
Third Baseman: José Guevera (Luisville Beasts)
Shortstop: José Arzate (Dunedin Otters)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Dayton Grizzlies)
Center Fielder: Namboku Shimohira (Brooklyn Knights)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2

Outstanding Batter Award: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Renato Balcazar (Stade Maples)
Reliever of the Year Award: Berto Sarzoza (Stade Maples)
Newcomer of the Year: Rich Andrews (Key West Corals)
Manager of the Year: Glen Marchand (Stade Maples)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Ernesto Estero (Washington Allies)
Catcher: Sancho Alguírre (Phoenix Rattlers)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Brandon Duke (St. James Crusaders)
Third Baseman: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Shortstop: Larry Moseby (St. James Crusaders)
Left Fielder: Pedro Castro (Vancouver Wild)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Gilberto Suárez (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Catcher: George Medforth (Washington Allies)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Jason Inge (Phoenix Rattlers)
Third Baseman: Elijah Lewis (St. James Crusaders)
Shortstop: Ric Crane (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Left Fielder: Justyn MacLugash (Stade Maples)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: Ken MacEachern (Key West Corals)

2025 World Championship Series - Stade Maples (90-72) vs. Brooklyn Knights (101-61)

Game 1: Brooklyn 7, Stade 0
Game 2: Brooklyn 4, Stade 1
Game 3: Stade 6, Brooklyn 4
Game 4: Brooklyn 8, Stade 0
Game 5: Stade 4, Brooklyn 3
Game 6: Stade 3, Brooklyn 2
Game 7: Stade 2, Brooklyn 1

Series MVP: C Lorenzo Torres (Stade Maples)

For the second straight season, the underdog Stade Maples emerged as NALB World Champions. They faced the same formidable opponents as last year—the St. James Crusaders and the Brooklyn Knights. They dispatched the Crusaders, a team that won 95 games in the regular season, in a five game League Championship Series. In the World Championship Series, they needed a full seven games to defeat NALB's top team, the Brooklyn Knights. It was a particularly impressive performance considering the Maples lost the first two games and trailed 3-1 after four games. They won the final three games by a single run, however, to take the title once again. The Stade Maples are building quite a dynasty, having won the championship three times in the last four seasons.



Click the image for the NALB 2025 World Championship roster

Game 7. Winner take all. After a hard fought series, the Maples and Knights squared off in Brooklyn for this decisive game. The starting pitchers were two of the very best. Stade's Renato Balcazar won 14 games in the regular season and led League 2 with an ERA of 2.08. Brooklyn's James McKinning was a 13 game winner who led League 1 with a 2.56 ERA.

The Maples were in hostile territory and faced a fired up Brooklyn crowd. They never looked rattled, however. Stade scored the game's first run in the second inning off of a Lorenzo Torres double. An RBI single by Ramiro Vázquez in the fourth inning put the Maples up 2-0. The Knights got on the board in the fourth with a solo home run by Dick Gosden. Both teams had some base runners down the stretch but neither team could deliver another run against such great pitching.

The Stade Maples held on to win and became back to back champions.

Final score: Stade 2, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   2  9  1
Brooklyn     0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   1  6  0

W: R. Balcazar
L: J. McKinning
S: Y. O'Croly

Player of the game: Renato Balcazar

Down three games to two, the Maples traveled to Brooklyn to face the Knights in another elimination game. The starting pitchers were the same as game two. The Maples turned to Braulio Crame while the Knights had Marcos Delgadillo on the mound.

Stade caught a break in the first inning. With two men on and two out, a throwing error by shortstop Frank Brunson caused a run to score. The Knights evened the score in the bottom of the second inning when Grayson Currall led off with a home run. The score remained 1-1 until the sixth. Alfredo Germán led off with a single and Ramiro Vázquez laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance him to second base. Catcher Lorenzo Torres hit an RBI single to put the Maples up 2-1. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Brooklyn got a hit and a walk. They later scored a run due to an error by Stade second baseman Bobby Eizaguirre. The game went into extra innings tied 2-2. In the tenth, the Maples had men on first and third with two outs. Knights' closer Ken Hannah threw a wild pitch and the runner on third scored. Brooklyn started to mount a comeback in the bottom of the tenth. Catcher Nick Koche singled and Grayson Currall got a hit as well. Currall tried to stretch the hit into a double but was cut down at second base by a tremendous throw by center fielder Ramiro Vázquez to end the game.

Final score: Stade 3, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10   R  H  E
Stade        1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1   3 10  2
Brooklyn     0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  0   2  8  2

W: B. Sarzoza
L: P. Johnstone

Player of the game: Braulio Crame

The Stade Maples faced elimination down three games to one. Game five was a rematch of game one's starting pitchers with Brooklyn's Tony Tamayo vs. Stade's Yusuf O'Croly. That game was a 7-0 loss for the Maples but they hoped to change their fortune playing at home.

The starting pitchers were on their respective games and delivered a pitchers' duel into the middle innings. Tamayo pitched a four-hit shutout through 5.2 innings. Likewise, O'Croly took a shutout into the sixth inning. In the top of the sixth, the Knights scored a run thanks to a Dave Crayton double and a single by Clement Barrows. The Maples' bats finally came alive against the Knights' bullpen. In the bottom of the seventh, they delivered three hits and scored three runs. Stade's lead was short-lived, however, as the Knights scored two runs in the eighth off of a pinch hit double by Bruno Lavigne. The score was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth when pinch hitter Min-zhong Xie delivered the knockout blow with a walkoff home run. Maples' magic struck again as it did in game three!

Final score: Stade 4, Brooklyn 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0   3  7  0
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1   4  9  0

W: B. Sarzoza
L: K. Hannah

Player of the game: Yusuf O'Croly

The Knights' Aaron Patterson (10-6, 3.13 ERA) and the Maples' Aricin MacKerricher (3-5, 2.87 ERA) were the starting pitchers for game four.

The Brooklyn Knights came to play and the Stade Maples could do nothing to stop them. Patterson threw six innings of shutout ball and Brooklyn's offense looked impressive as well. The Knights scored eight runs on thirteen hits with multi-hit games from Shimohira, Currall, Koche, Gosden, and Brunson. Six of their hits went for extra bases, including a fourth inning home run by center fielder Namboku Shimohira. Takanobu Kishita pitched the last three innings to complete the shutout.

Final score: Brooklyn 8, Stade 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   8 13  1
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  3  2

W: A. Patterson
L: A. MacKerracher
S: T. Kishita

Player of the game: Aaron Patterson

Game three featured a pair of elite starting pitchers—Brooklyn's James McKinning (13-3, 2.56 ERA) and Stade's Renato Balcazar (14-7, 2.08 ERA).

The Knights got a couple of hits in the first inning that led to two runs. Third baseman Dave Crayton smashed a solo home run in the second inning to make it 3-0 Brooklyn. The Maples came right back, however. In the bottom of the second, a walk and three singles scored three runs. Stade added another run for a 4-3 lead. That was how the scored remained until the ninth. The Knights tied the game thanks to a solo homer by Clement Barrows. Brooklyn's excitement was short-lived. With one man on base, Alfredo Germán came on to pinch hit in the bottom half of the inning. He crushed a walk-off home run to win the game.

Final score: Stade 6, Brooklyn 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   4  6  0
Stade        0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2   6 10  0

W: B. Sarzoza
L: P. Johnstone

Player of the game: Renato Balcazar

For game two, the Maples had lefty Braulio Crame (12-10, 2.78 ERA) on the mound. The Knights started 38-year old right-hander Marcos Delgadillo (10-8, 3.56 ERA).

The Brooklyn Knights fed off of the home town crowd's energy. They quickly scored four runs in the first inning thanks to consecutive hits by Koche, Kakuta, Gosden, and Brunson. Delgadillo, known for his impeccable control, cruised through five scoreless innings. The Maples got a run off of him in the sixth but that was all they could manage. The Knights had to work out of trouble in the top of the sixth. The score was 4-1 Brooklyn with two out. Stade mounted a threat by loading the bases. Min-zhong Xie dug in at the plate but popped out to end the inning.

Final score: Brooklyn 4, Stade 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0   1  5  0
Brooklyn     4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X   4  9  1

W: M. Delgadillo
L: B. Crame
S: K. Hannah

Player of the game: Marcos Delgadillo

The World Championship Series is a rematch of last year's teams. In 2024, the Brooklyn Knights won an impressive 108 games and faced a Stade Maples team that won a mere 80 games. Despite the mismatch, the Maples won the series in six games. In 2025, the defending champions won 90 regular season games while the Knights won 101. Will the Maples repeat as champions or will the Knights win their first NALB Championship since 2018?

The starting pitchers for the opening game were Yusuf O'Croly (10-3, 1.58 ERA) for Stade and Tony Tamayo (16-5, 3.36 ERA) for Brooklyn.

The Knights and Maples were NALB's top two defensive teams with outstanding pitching and fielding. Therefore, it was not surprising that the game was scoreless after four innings. Tamayo was almost unhittable but had trouble finding the strike zone. He gave up only one hit and struck out seven but walked four batters. After 4.2 innings, he was pulled for a relief pitcher. The Knights got things going in the bottom of the fifth. Don Hartz led off with a double and scored on a single by Clement Barrows. After DH Bruno Levigne walked, catcher Nick Koche cleared the bases with a three-run homer. Brooklyn padded its lead with another three runs in the eighth inning.

Final score: Brooklyn 7, Stade 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  3  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 4 0 0 3 X   7 10  0

W: A. Alfaro
L: Y. O'Croly

Player of the game: Nick Koche

2025 League 1 Series - Nashville Firecats (87-75) vs. Brooklyn Knights (101-61)

Game 1: Brooklyn 5, Nashville 0
Game 2: Nashville 5, Brooklyn 4
Game 3: Brooklyn 4, Nashville 3
Game 4: Brooklyn 8, Nashville 2
Game 5: Brooklyn 7, Nashville 5

The Nashville Firecats won their division fairly easily. The Brooklyn Knights had no such luck as they battled the Dayton Grizzlies to the very end of the regular season. Nashville and Brooklyn last faced off in the League 1 Series in 2016.

Tony Tamayo (16-5, 3.36 ERA) and the Brooklyn Knights opened the League Series in brilliant fashion, shutting out the visiting Nashville Firecats at Neutral Fields, 5-0, and securing an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. Tamayo, the Knights right-hander, threw 8.0 innings of shutout ball. Firecats starter David Bracy (13-9, 3.19 ERA) struggled and gave up all five runs.

Starters Paco Rivera (9-6, 2.99 ERA) and James McKinning (13-3, 2.56 ERA) were on the mound for game two in Brooklyn. Both starters surrendered four earned runs. The Firecats' Paco Rivera pitched six innings while McKinning didn't make it through the fifth. A Kakuta homer in the fourth inning put Brooklyn on top 4-2 but Nashville tied the game in the fifth. In the tenth inning, a Dave Groot double scored the go-ahead run. The Firecats held on for the 5-4 win.

Despite a great performance by Nashville starter Cory Gregory (6-2, 1.28 ERA), the Brooklyn Knights defeated the Firecats by the score of 4-3 in game three. Gregory threw 6.0 innings of two-hit ball, but he couldn't prevent the Knights from moving one game closer to the World Championship. Brooklyn got a timely hit from Dave Crayton to secure the win. The third baseman stroked a run-scoring double in the top of the seventh inning to put the Knights ahead, 3-2. Starter Marcos Delgadillo (10-8, 3.56 ERA) was credited with the win.

In game four, Brooklyn started Aaron Patterson (10-6, 3.13 ERA). Nashville countered with two-way player (1B/SP) Thane Leith (3-4, 4.25 ERA). Riding the 2-hit performance of shortstop Frank Brunson, the Brooklyn Knights got an 8-2 road win. Brunson was 2-3 with a home run and a walk, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once for the Knights. With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh, Brunson had a key at-bat for Brooklyn. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Brunson hit a 3-run home run off Doug Green, making the score 5-2, Knights. Brooklyn padded 3 more runs in the ninth to coast to victory.

The Firecats faced elimination at home in game five. Game one starter David Bracy was back on the mound for Nashville. The Knights decided to start lefty Dan Courtlandt (5-3, 1.64 ERA). Courtlandt wasn't sharp but neither was Bracy. After four innings, Nashville was up 5-4. The Knights mounted and impressive comeback, however. They scored two runs in the sixth and another run in the ninth. Final score: Brooklyn 7, Nashville 5.

Knights shortstop Frank Brunson was named series MVP, as he hit .294 with a .368 on-base percentage. He had 2 home runs, drove in 6 RBI and scored 2 runs.

2025 League 2 Series - Stade Maples (90-72) vs St. James Crusaders (95-67)

Game 1: Stade 2, St. James 0
Game 2: Stade 6, St. James 1
Game 3: St. James 6, Stade 0
Game 4: Stade 3, St. James 2
Game 5: Stade 4, St. James 2

The Stade Maples of 2024 were truly a cinderella team. With only 80 regular season wins, they were an unlikely division winner. After losing the opening game of the 2024 League 2 Series to the St. James Crusaders, they won four straight games to advance and eventually win the World Championship Series. They returned to the League 2 Series this year with a stronger team anchored by tremendous pitching and fielding. Once again, their opponent was the St. James Crusaders. As they did last year, the Crusaders won 95 games thanks to great offense and defense. They have many strengths and few weaknesses. Along with home field advantage, they came in as the favorites.

The opening game starters were Stade's Renato Balcazar (14-7, 2.08 ERA) and St. James' Eddie Rodríguez (13-7, 2.70 ERA). It was a classic pitchers' duel. The deciding moment came in the top of the eighth. Jamie Nieto blasted a pinch hit two-run homer to give the Maples a 2-0 win.

Game two featured starters Yusuf O'Croly (10-3, 1.58 ERA) for the Maples and Bobby Kirkup (12-6, 2.93 ERA) for the Crusaders. Kirkup struggled while O'Croly shined. Although not known for their hitting, Stade's batters pounded Kirkup for six runs in 4.1 innings on way to a 6-1 win.

The Crusaders came to play in game three. With Gutierre Jiménez (3-6, 2.14) getting the start, St. James looked like a different team. The Maples' starter, Braulio Crame (12-10, 2.78 ERA) didn't stand a chance. The Crusaders got hit after hit, 16 in all. St. James won 6-0 but the score could have been even more lopsided.

For game four, the St. James started Ángel Martínez (4-11, 2.52 ERA). Stade started Alex Mobley (10-6, 2.99 ERA). Both pitchers lasted six innings and gave up two runs. The bullpens were effective and the game went into extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th inning, the Crusaders had 37-year old veteran reliever Joe Farrell on the mound. Jordan Blanchard hit a walk-off solo home run to give the Maples a 3-2 victory.

With a 3-1 series lead, the Stade Maples had a chance to close things out at home in game five. That is exactly what they did. The starting pitching was a rematch of game one—Rodriguez vs. Balcazar. Both pitchers were sharp again. After six innings, the score was tied 1-1. It was a battle of the bullpens the rest of the way and the Maples had the edge. They took a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning only to see the Crusaders come back to tie it 2-2 in the eighth. Stade came through in the bottom of the eighth, however. Kurt Johnson was hit by a pitch and Mead Ward doubled. Aluino Zúñiga's single provided the clutch hit that scored two runs. Stade prevailed 4-2.

Although the St. James Crusaders had the deeper and more well-rounded team, they could not solve the Stade Maples. The Crusaders were 8-15 against the Maples in the regular season and 1-4 against them in the playoffs.

"This isn't the big one, but of course we need to get through this before we can win a World Championship, so it's an important step," said Stade's Justyn MacLugash as he took a break from celebrating. "Our guys are happy and excited to be moving on."

MacLugash was named series MVP, as he hit .357. He had 2 home runs, drove in 4 RBI and scored 3 runs.

The NALB 2025 regular season is over. Only the Nashville Firecats cruised to a division title. The Brooklyn Knights edged out the Dayton Grizzlies by three games. In League 2, the Maples and Crusaders each won their divisions by a four game margin. Three teams with over 90 wins failed to make the playoffs: Grizzlies (98), Slam (91), and Wild (91).

The League Series match-ups:
Nashville Firecats (87-75) vs. Brooklyn Knights (101-61)
Stade Maples (90–72) vs. St. James Crusaders (95-67)

Head to head this season:
The Firecats were 14-9 against the Knights.
The Maples were 15-8 against the Crusaders.

Both series feature intriguing matchups. The lower seeded teams did very well against the higher seeded favorites. The League 2 Series is a rematch of the same teams from 2024. Last year, the Maples defeated the Crusaders in five games and went on to become World Champions.

Playoff injury report:

Brooklyn's lefty starter Dan Courtlandt tweaked his back a bit in his last start but he is expected to be available in a few days.
Nashville has a number of players on the injured list: LF Graviel Estado, SP Carly Bausermann, LF Oscar Barrientes, SP Bryan Murphy, LF Chris Lee, and RP K.J. McKilligan. Some of these players were injured a while ago so the Firecats have been playing and winning without them for some time,

St. James has RP Félix Oralle and RP Jesús Montufar on the IL.
Stade has a number of pitchers on the IL: RP Johan Gaier, SP José Trujilio, SP, Eriq Barber, SP Sosuke Nakamura, and CL Michael Tadlock.

September 2025 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Zacarías Marquis (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Fernando Villazana (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Lúcio Betancourt (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Ximen Palmeiro (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Adolph Hoch (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

Despite a 16-12 record in August the Brooklyn Knights lost some ground to the Dayton Grizzlies. The Nashville Firecats had no such problem, however. They extended their lead to 11 games over the Dunedin Otters. The League 2 division races are very close. The Stade Maples cling to a 1.5 game lead. The St. James Crusaders looked very beatable in August. Their 12-17 record for the month dwindled their lead to just 2 games.

August 2025 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Zacarías Marquis (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Eric McEachran (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Lúcio Betancourt (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Rico Gómez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Iemitsu Kanemitsu (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Adolph Hoch (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

The Dayton Grizzlies ate into a Knights' lead that peaked at nine games. By the end of July, it was down to five games. A 13-12 July record was Brooklyn's worst month this season. The Otters struggled and let the Firecats build an even bigger lead in July. Over in League 2, the Maples and Crusaders continue to pace the field but there is plenty of baseball left to play.

July 2025 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Quilvio Martínez (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Paco Rivera (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Edwin Meister (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Rich Andrews (Key West Corals)

The NALB All-Star Game was played on July 14, 2025. The League 1 All-Stars are dominated by the Brooklyn Knights, which filled 12 out of 25 spots on the roster. The Stade Maples were most represented on the League 2 All-Stars with five players.

In the annual Midseason Classic, League 1 beat League 2 by a final score of 4-2. Leading the way for the League 1 All-Stars was first baseman Steve Sherlock. "I go out there and do my best every game, All-Star game or not," the star said after his great show, going 1-for-2 in the contest.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 All-Stars   1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0   4  8  0
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0   2  9  0

W: D. Courtlandt
L: B. Fox
S: K. Hannah

The NALB Home Run Challenge was held on July 13. Dunedin's Damion Caligas and Key West's Jeff Currey were the finalists after surviving the field of eight's first two rounds. With his father pitching to him, Caligas was victorious with 6 home runs to Currey's 3 in the final round.

Also on July 13, the NALB All-Star Prospects game was played. The League 1 Future Stars defeated the League 2 Future Stars 5-4. Center fielder Rai Malvido was named the game's MVP. The 23 year old plays for the Glendale Hippos, which is the Triple A affiliate of the St. James Crusaders.

                        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 Future Stars   3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0   5  8  1
League 2 Future Stars   1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0   4  7  0

W: M. Creech
L: J. Silvers
S: R. Archunde

The Brooklyn Knights and Dayton Grizzlies are League 1's two best teams. Both are piling up wins but the Knights extended their division lead to seven games. In League 1 Division 2, the Dunedin Otters surrendered first place to the Nashville Firecats. The Stade Maples hold a precarious half-game lead over the Quebeck Sky Chiefs. They will need to keep playing at a high level if they are going to win back to back championships. In League 2 Division 2, the St. James Crusaders continue to impress. They are on pace to surpass their excellent 95-win season from a year ago.

June 2025 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)
Pitcher of the Month: Fernando Villazana (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Earl Brant (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Ron Bourchier (Richmond Slam)
Rookie of the Month: Adolph Hoch (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

Despite losing their series against the Dayton Grizzlies two games to one, the Brooklyn Knights ended May with a four game lead over their rivals. The Firecats and Otters battled for the top spot in their division all month long. Heading into June, the Otters have a one game lead. The defending champion Stade Maples closed out May with a four game losing streak but still maintained a two game division lead. Finally, the St. James Crusaders continue to impress as one of the league's best teams. A 30-19 record put them solidly in first place.

May 2025 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Dick Gosden (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Jorge Martínez (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Mercutio Averill (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Rhys Ritson (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Steve Sandoval (Washington Allies)

The Brooklyn Knights and Dayton Grizzlies vied for the top record in their division throughout April. At the end of the month, they were tied at 13-9. The Dunedin Otters edged the Nashville Firecats by a half game for the best record in League 1 Division 2. Likewise, the defending champion Stade Maples had a half game lead in their division. NALB's best record in April, however, was the St. James Crusaders' 15-6.

April 2025 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Grayson Currall (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Mercutio Averill (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Vancouver Wild)
Pitcher of the Month: Eddie Rodríguez (St. James Crusaders)
Rookie of the Month: Rich Andrews (Key West Corals)

The Brooklyn Knights finished spring training a division-leading 17-13. The Cornfield Axemen were an NALB best 19-11. In League 2, the defending champion Stade Maples (18-12) and Richmond Slam (16-14) led their respective divisions in spring training.

The Knights are very healthy heading into the regular season. John Vance is on the 15-day injured list with some back stiffness. Single A Kawanari Suzuki reliever is on the IL with a sprained elbow.

Other key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: RP Juan Vidals has shoulder inflammation, which should keep him on the IL until mid-July.
• Dunedin Otters: Kearney Snipes ruptured his UCL (ulnar collateral ligament). That injury will require over a year of surgery and rehabilitation before he can return.
• Key West Corals: LF Bruno Payton is expected to miss two months with forearm inflammation.
• Phoenix Rattlers: RP Edison Torrefiel has an arthritic elbow and will be out four to five months.
• Quebeck Sky Chiefs: CF Derain Haile ruptured his Achilles tendon. He is projected to return to action in late August.
• St. James Crusaders: RP Thornton Peters has a torn triceps and will be out for three months.
• St. James Crusaders: SP António Soriel has a strained hamstring, which should keep him out of the rotation for five weeks.
• Vancouver Wild: LF Greg Webb tore the flexor tendon in his elbow. That is a season ending injury.
• Vancouver Wild: SP Maureo Frederick's elbow suffered a torn flexor tendon. The projection is a lengthy 15 to 16 months of recovery.

Here were some notable roster moves prior to the 2025 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights had the following offseason/preseason activity:

• Extended the contracts of nine players through salary arbitration: RF Dick Gosden, SP Takanobu Kishita, SS Frank Brunson, 2B Estevan Portillo, 3B Dave Crayton, RP Armando Alfaro, RP Niklaus Durante, CF Clement Barrows, and 2B Don Hartz
• RP Norman Forbes, RP Jesús Montufar, 1B Ramon Alconer, and LF Milburn Hutchison filed for free agency.
• Signed international amateur CF John Parham out of Mexico to a minor league contract.
• Lost SS Mike O'Cannahan in the Rule 5 Draft to the Dayton Grizzlies.
• Signed international amateur C Regis Vanali out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.
• Signed international amateur CF Elliott Ekdar out of Canada to a minor league contract.
• Signed international amateur SS Juan Montóñez out of Mexico to a minor league contract with a $212,000 signing bonus.
• Signed international amateur CL Tajo Durán out of Puerto Rico to a minor league contract with a $153,000 signing bonus.
• Signed international amateur SP Jamal Linje out of South Africa to a minor league contract.

Notable contract extensions:

• Richmond Slam: Signed SP Lyndon Coulombe to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $7,600,000.
• Stade Maples: Signed CL Berto Sarzoza to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $20,100,000.
• St. James Crusaders: Signed CL Javier Soto to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $7,360,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed RP Matt Genge to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $10,800,000.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• Cornfield Axemen: Signed free agent 3B Lariel Gómez to a 2-year contract worth a total of $12,900,000.
• Cornfield Axemen: Signed free agent RP Jesús Montufar to a 2-year contract worth a total of $3,680,000.
• Key West Corals: Signed free agent C Pedro González to a 6-year contract worth a total of $25,800,000.
• Key West Corals: Signed free agent 3B Rich Andrews to a 4-year contract worth a total of $36,400,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent LF Chris Lee to a 5-year contract worth a total of $32,000,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent SP Heath MacKissock to a 3-year contract worth a total of $10,720,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent LF Oscar Barrientes to a 3-year contract worth a total of $16,900,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent 2B Dave Groot to a 4-year contract worth a total of $47,600,000.
• Phoenix Rattlers: Signed free agent SP Dave Kirby to a 4-year contract worth a total of $21,620,000.
• Quebeck Sky Chiefs: Signed free agent LF Sancho Malclonado to a 5-year contract worth a total of $41,200,000.
• Quebeck Sky Chiefs: Signed free agent RF Sozen Shimizu to a 6-year contract worth a total of $55,800,000.
• Stade Maples: Signed free agent 1B Kurt Johnson to a 2-year contract worth a total of $10,400,000.
• St. Rock Mudcats: Signed free agent RP Daniel Doble to a 3-year contract worth a total of $16,200,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed free agent RP Ximen Palmeiro to a 3-year contract worth a total of $52,800,000.
• Washington Allies: Signed free agent RF Pat West to a 5-year contract worth a total of $15,880,000.

Notable offseason trades:

• The Nashville Firecats traded 22-year old RHP Ralph Lindner, 21-year old minor league 1B Adrian Debaga, 21-year old minor league RHP Tim Andrade, 24-year old RF Michael Burgess, and a 3rd round draft pick to the Quebeck Sky Chiefs, getting 26-year old LHP Bryan Murphy in return.
• The Richmond Slam traded 23-year old minor league RF Durant Watson and 21-year old minor league C Danny Blair to the Dunedin Otters, getting 30-year old RHP Tim Sanders in return.
• The Richmond Slam traded 20-year old minor league LF Ichiro Yamakura and 24-year old minor league C Tommy Boggis to the Dunedin Otters, getting 28-year old RHP Erasmo Glade and $20,000 in cash in return.
• The Luisville Beasts traded 19-year old minor league LHP Donzel García and 24-year old minor league 1B Collin Picklesimer to the Key West Corals, getting 38-year old C Matthew Loy in return.
• The Nashville Firecats traded 24-year old minor league 2B Cayden Killingsworth, 23-year old minor league LHP Mark Willing, and a 4th round draft pick to the Washington Allies, getting 36-year old RHP David Bracy (retaining 10%) and $90,000 in cash in return.
• The Key West Corals traded 32-year old RHP Matt Genge (retaining 50%) and $60,000 in cash to the Vancouver Wild, getting 20-year old minor league LHP Glendon López and 21-year old minor league LHP Bruno Costello in return.
• The Dunedin Otters traded 23-year old minor league 1B José Quintanilla and 19-year old minor league 2B Palbán Valle to the Dayton Grizzlies, getting 29-year old LHP Jade Pradia in return.
• The St. James Crusaders traded 19-year old minor league RHP Álex Arciliares, 21-year old minor league RF Amado Cruz, and 23-year old minor league RHP Ben Verde to the Vancouver Wild, getting 36-year old RHP Thornton Peters (retaining 40%) and $120,000 in cash in return.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2024.

League 1

Outstanding Batter Award: Zacarías Marquis (Dayton Grizzlies)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Ken Hannah (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Jesús Ornelas (Nashville Firecats)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Nick Koche (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Toru Kobayashi (St. Rock Mudcats)
Second Baseman: Amsalu Kanda (Luisville Beasts)
Third Baseman: Lariel Gómez (St. Rock Mudcats)
Shortstop: Bubba Webb (Luisville Beasts)
Left Fielder: Zacarías Marquís (Dayton Grizzlies)
Center Fielder: Namboku Shimohira (Brooklyn Knights)
Right Fielder: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Designated Hitter: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: Shannan Breslin (Dunedin Otters)
First Baseman: Roberto Cortés (Cornfield Axemen)
Second Baseman: Dennis Guijosa (St. Rock Mudcats)
Third Baseman: Don Hartz (Brooklyn Knights)
Shortstop: Vicente Pato (Nashville Firecats)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Kol-in-sen Keow (Dayton Grizzlies)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2

Outstanding Batter Award: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Eddie Rodriguez (St. James Crusaders)
Reliever of the Year Award: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)
Newcomer of the Year: John Rose (Stade Maples)
Manager of the Year: Glen Marchand (Stade Maples)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Harry Miele (Richmond Slam)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Brandon Duke (St. James Crusaders)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: Pedro Castro (Vancouver Wild)
Center Fielder: Ronald Garrett (Phoenix Rattlers)
Right Fielder: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Alex Mobley (Stade Maples)
Catcher: George Medforth (Washington Allies)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Jaime Nieto (Stade Maples)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Francisco Lafantano (Vancouver Wild)
Left Fielder: Josuke Wakatsuke (St. James Crusaders)
Center Fielder: Ronald Garrett (Phoenix Rattlers)
Right Fielder: Ken MacEachern (Stade Maples)

2024 World Championship Series - Stade Maples (80-82) vs. Brooklyn Knights (108-54)

Game 1: Brooklyn 3, Stade 0
Game 2: Stade 6, Brooklyn 4
Game 3: Stade 1, Brooklyn 0
Game 4: Brooklyn 7, Stade 5
Game 5: Stade 4, Brooklyn 2
Game 6: Stade 5, Brooklyn 0

Series MVP: SS Lerrin Ruíz (Stade Maples)

The Stade Maples secured their third championship in franchise history and their second in the last three seasons. With a record of 80-82, Stade appeared completely overmatched heading into the playoffs. Yet they dispatched the St. James Crusaders in five games of the League 2 Series. As the lowest scoring (498 runs) team ever to reach the World Championship Series, few gave them much of a chance against the Brooklyn Knights. The Maples rode their hot streak to four wins in six games, including two shutout wins. Stade's pitching did a tremendous job against Brooklyn. Combined with timely hitting and reliable fielding, they proved more than a match for the Knights.

"When you wear Maples on your shirt, you're good at something." Stade skipper Glen Marchand told the press. Maples shortstop Lerrin Ruiz was named MVP of the series after he went .474 with 1 home run and 5 runs batted in. 'It feels totally incredible " Ruiz said. "I could live to 1,000 years old and I'd remember this moment."



Click the image for the NALB 2024 World Championship roster

It was Sosuke Nakamura (1-4, 2.91 ERA) vs. Dan Courtlandt (16-6, 3.63 ERA) as the starters for game six. This was a pitching rematch of game two. The Knights had their backs to the wall down three games to two in this must win game. For the Maples, this was a chance to clinch their second World Championship in three seasons.

Nakamura and Courtlandt both looked good. Neither surrendered any runs. Courtlandt pitched five impressive innings while Nakamura pitched six. Things broke open in the sixth inning, however. With Pat Johnstone on the mound, Knights' shortstop Frank Brunson committed a throwing error, which allowed Kurt Johnson to reach first base. Ramiro Vázquez doubled to score Johnson. Lorenzo Torres and Ken MacEachern followed with doubles of their own and Stade had a 3-0 lead. In the top of the seventh, the Maples had a pair of base runners. The Knights called for closer Ken Hannah to try and limit the damage. Hannah struck out two batters before facing Ramiro Vázquez. A passed ball advanced the runners and then Vázquez doubled to score two more runs. The Maples lead was 5-0, which was the game's final score.

Perhaps the most improbable of champions, the Stade Maples did it again by winning the 2024 World Championship Series.

Final score: Stade 5, Brooklyn 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0   5  9  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  5  1

W: S. Nakamura
L: P. Johnstone

Player of the game: Sosuke Nakamura

Game four featured a rematch of the starting pitchers from game one. Pitching for the Knights was Marcos Delgadillo (10-10, 3.55 ERA) and Alex Mobley (9-13, 2.86 ERA) got the start for the Maples.

Brooklyn's center fielder Namboko Shimohira singled in the first run of the game in the third inning. In the fourth, Don Hartz doubled to put the Knights up 2-0. The sixth proved to the game's pivotal inning. The Maples scored their first run off of a sacrifice fly from catcher Lorenzo Torres. The next batter, shortstop Lerrin Ruíz, blasted a three run homer to give Stade a 4-2 lead. The Knights loaded the bases in the eighth and had two men in scoring position in the ninth but failed to score.

As in 2023, the World Championship Series returns to Brooklyn for game six with the Knights down three games to two.

Final score: Stade 4, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0   2  6  0
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0   4 11  0

W: G. Orozco
L: M. Durante

Player of the game: Lerrin Ruíz

Starting pitchers for game four were Aaron Patterson (10-9, 3.74 ERA) for the Knights and Dave Kirby (17-9, 2.71 ERA) for the Maples. Kirby led his team in wins on the season. Aaron Patterson was a bit inconsistent but he pitched phenomenally well down the stretch. Over the last two months of the regular season, he was 7-1 with a 1.60 ERA.

The action heated up in the top of the second inning. After the Knights scored a quick two runs, Syman Lowery hit a fastball from Dave Kirby for a 3-run homer, putting Brooklyn up 5-0. Lowery came through again in the fourth inning with another hit, which led to a two run inning for the Knights. The 7-0 blowout didn't last long, however. In the bottom of the fourth, the Maples roared back as Patterson was pulled for a reliever. The main damage was done by pinch hitter Hipolito Núñez, who hit a three run home run. That was followed by a solo homer by leadoff hitter Mead Ward. That made it 7-5 Knights, which ended up being the final score.

Final score: Brooklyn 7, Stade 5

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0   7  9  1
Stade        0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0   5 13  0

W: S. Dzhafarov
L: D. Kirby

Player of the game: Syman Lowery

Fans attending game three of the World Championship Series were treated to two of the game's best pitchers—Brooklyn's Tony Tamayo (15-8, 2.76 ERA) and Stade's Braulio Crame (14-9, 2.74 ERA). In this much anticipated showdown between staff aces, these starters did not disappoint.

Tamayo and Crame both pitched a gem of a game. The difference maker was Maples' first baseman Kurt Johnson. Johnson hit a solo homer in the fourth inning, which was the game's only run.

Final score: Stade 1, Brooklyn 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  4  0
Stade        0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   1  4  1

W: B. Crame
L: T. Tamayo

Player of the game: Braulio Crame

Sosuke Nakamura (1-4, 2.91 ERA) was on the mound for the Maples in game two of the World Championship Series. Nakamura suffered from shoulder inflammation and only pitched in nine games during the regular season. The 35 year old was now healthy and ready to go. Dan Courtlandt (16-6, 3.63 ERA) formerly pitched for Stade but was traded to Brooklyn in 2021. He strove to give the Knights a 2-0 series lead and was excited to face his old team.

The Maples scored the first run of the game in the third inning, The fifth inning was decisive, however. The Maples got a walk and four hits, including a bases clearing double by Kurt Johnson. That gave Stade a 5-0 lead. The Knights began chipping away in the sixth inning and put a lot of pressure on the Maples. They missed too many opportunities, however, and left nine men on the bases on the way to a 6-4 loss. The series is now tied at one game apiece. Making an impact was Maples' shortstop Lerrin Ruíz, who went 3 for 3 with 3 singles, while adding 2 RBI and scoring once.

Final score: Stade 6, Brooklyn 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 0 1 0 4 0 0 1 0   6 12  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1   4 11  0

W: S. Nakamura
L: D. Courtlandt

Player of the game: Lerrin Ruíz

The 2024 World Championship Series is a David vs. Goliath matchup. The Brooklyn Knights (108-54) dominated opponents during the regular season. Next, they vanquished the Luisville Beasts convincingly in a five game League 1 Series. The Stade Maples (80-82) won a weak division and then stunned the St. James Crusaders in a League 2 Series upset. Despite a losing record, the Maples have hope. Two other teams won NALB Championships with an 80-82 record—the 2008 Vancouver Wild and the 2022 Stade Maples.

Starting the opening game were pitchers Alex Mobley (9-13, 2.86 ERA) and Marcos Delgadillo (10-10, 3.55 ERA). Alex Mobley was formerly with the Knights. In 2021, the Knights sent Mobley and Júlio Guillén to the Maples in a trade that brought Dan Courtlandt to Brooklyn.

The Knights scored a quick run in the first inning. The biggest excitement came in the fourth inning, however. Symon Lowery and Dave Crayton hit back to back home runs to give the Knights a 3-0 lead. That was all Brooklyn needed. Delgadillo worked out of a few jams over six scoreless innings. Relievers Pat Johnstone, James McKinning, and Ken Hannah came on in relief to finish the game and secure the shutout win.

Final score: Brooklyn 3, Stade 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  5  0
Brooklyn     1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0   3  7  0

W: M. Delgadillo
L: A. Mobley

Player of the game: Marcos Delgadillo

2024 League 2 Series - Stade Maples (80-82) vs St. James Crusaders (95-67)

Game 1: St. James 4, Stade 1
Game 2: Stade 2, St. James 0
Game 3: Stade 4, St. James 1
Game 4: Stade 6, St. James 3
Game 5: Stade 8, St. James 3

The Stade Maples were one of the most surprising teams of the 2024 season. They were the lowest scoring team with only 498 runs on the season. They had a slow start and a weak finish, winning only 80 games. Yet somehow, they managed to hold off their division rivals and punch their ticket to the playoffs. On the other hand, the St. James Crusaders looked like champions most of the season. They excelled at hitting, pitching, fielding, and base running. Their 95 wins were a franchise record and led all League 2 teams.

The opening game had starters Stade's Braulio Crame (14-9, 2.74 ERA) vs. St. James' Eddie Rodríguez (17-6, 2.45 ERA). Both pitchers shined. The game was decided in the seventh inning when the Crusaders pushed three runs across. They held on to win 4-1.

Game two was a delight to any fan of pitching. The starting pitchers were Alex Mobley (9-13, 2.86 ERA) for the Maples and Ángel Martínez (16-4, 1.96 ERA). The Crusaders were dealt a big blow in the second inning. Ángel Martínez had to leave the game due to back stiffness. He had pitched tremendously all season so his absence was certainly felt. The Crusaders' bullpen was equally fantastic, however. After nine innings, the game was still scoreless. In the top of the tenth, the Maples came up with three hits and two runs to take a 2-0 victory.

The starters for game three were 23 year old Bobby Kirkup (13-6, 2.71 ERA) for the Crusaders and 35 year old veteran Sosuke Nakamura (1-4, 2.91 ERA) for the Maples. Nakamura had missed most of the season with shoulder inflammation. His shoulder looked just fine in this one, however, as he pitched six scoreless innings. Stade banged out 11 hits to notch a 4-1 win.

In game four, St. James turned to starter Carlos Valterza (8-10, 3.72 ERA). Stade felt very confident with Dave Kirby (17-9, 2.71 ERA) on the mound. Kirby looked great under pressure and delivered 6.0 shutout innings. Once again, the Maples outhit the Crusaders as they won 6-3.

The Maples were up 3-1 and wanted to finish the series in game five at home. As in game one, the starting pitchers were Braulio Crame and Eddie Rodríguez. Crame was very effective once again. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, Rodríguez was not. The Maples' hitters were aggressive and jumped on Rodríguez early. They pounded him for seven runs in 2.1 innings. By the end of the third inning, Maples' fans were already starting to celebrate thanks to an 8-0 lead. The Crusaders mounted a small comeback but never made it close. They lost the game 8-3 and the League 2 Series 4-1.

The St. James Crusaders squandered a rare playoff opportunity as the more talented team. The Stade Maples were 9-15 against the Crusaders in the regular season. Despite being a long shot to reach the World Championship Series, their cinderella season continues.

Maples' third baseman Mead Ward was named the series MVP. In the series, he hit .476 (10 for 21) with 1 HR and 6 RBIs.

2024 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (86-76) vs. Brooklyn Knights (108-54)

Game 1: Brooklyn 14, Luisville 3
Game 2: Brooklyn 5, Luisville 0
Game 3: Brooklyn 3, Luisville 0
Game 4: Luisville 3, Brooklyn 1
Game 5: Brooklyn 13, Luisville 4

It came down to the last day of the season for the Luisville Beasts to clinch their division for the eighth straight year. They battled the Otters and Firecats over the course of a hard fought season. The Brooklyn Knights won 108 games on their way to the League 1 Series. Last year, they lost the World Championship Series in the 11th inning of a heartbreaking game seven. For them, 2024 is all about redemption in a quest for their first championship since 2018.

Game one featured two of the league's best starting pitchers. Luisville's Whitney Sanders (13-12, 3.78 ERA) faced Brooklyn's Tony Tamayo (15-8, 2.76 ERA). Tamayo looked comfortable at home, striking out seven over a solid five innings. It was the Knights' offense that made the difference, however. Brooklyn had 16 hits and scored 14 runs. The highlight was eight runs in the eighth inning, which led to a crushing 14-3 win in the opener.

Luisville's starter, Paco Rivera (13-13, 5.09 ERA), struggled and was pulled in the third inning of game two. The Brooklyn Knights got a strong performance from pitcher Marcos Delgadillo (10-10, 3.55 ERA), who stymied the visiting Luisville Beasts en route to a 5-0 win. The Beasts could never get a bead on Delgadillo, who threw 6.1 innings of shutout ball.

If the Beasts hoped to turn things around in Luisville for game three, they were disappointed. The Beasts' Ton Tsuruta (12-9, 3.22 ERA) pitched a fine game. However, the Knights stifled the Beasts by a score of 3-0. Knights' lefty Dan Courtlandt (16-6, 3.63 ERA) had a strong performance. He threw 7.0 innings of shutout ball.

After getting shutout in back to back and down 3-0 in the series, every game was a must win for the Luisville Beasts. With their backs to the wall, they responded in game four. It was a pitcher's duel between Luisville's Fernando Villazana (5-4, 2.65 ERA) and Brooklyn's Aaron Patterson (10-9, 3.74 ERA). Villazana spent most of the season as a relief pitcher but showed he can deliver the goods as a starter. He looked sharp over 6.1 innings and led his team to a 3-1 victory.

Game five was the last game in Luisville. The starters were Sanders and Tamayo as in game one. If there was any home field advantage, you wouldn't know it by the play of the Beasts. The Knights hitters were on fire, scoring in four of the first six innings. Brooklyn's power was on display as Nick Koche and Toshiro Kakkuta homered, while Don Hartz homered twice. The Beasts put up a bit of a fight late in the game but lost convincingly, 13-4.

The Knights looked every bit the series favorite. It was a disappointing series for the Luisville Beasts, however. They were outscored 36 to 10 and committed 8 errors.

Knights' designated hitter Blas Ramos was chosen as the series MVP. He put up a .385 average with a .520 on-base percentage, scored 3 runs, and had 4 RBIs.

The Brooklyn Knights cruised to another division title with a 108 win season. They boast the league's top defense and were number one in pitching and fielding. They also have an impressive offensive and were second in scoring behind the Beasts. They face a familiar foe in Luisville, a team which won its division for the eighth straight year.

The Stade Maples scratched out a playoff berth despite a losing record. They were the lowest scoring team in the league but were saved by a competent pitching staff. The St. James Crusaders look formidable by comparison with League 2's top offense and number 2 defense (pitching and fielding).

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (86-76) vs. Brooklyn Knights (108-54)
Stade Maples (80–82) vs. St. James Crusaders (95-67)

Head to head this season:
The Knights were 15-8 against the Beasts.
The Crusaders were 15-9 against the Maples.

Playoff injury report:

The Beasts have two key injuries heading into the playoffs. They are without starting pitcher Gutierre Jiménez and slugging outfielder Manuel Montaya. Both players were injured in September. The Knights have two players on the injured list—reliever Jesús Montufar and outfielder Grayson Curall. Curall's shoulder inflammation is improving, however, and he could return if the Knights advance to the World Championship Series.

Two Maples' players are injured and will miss the playoffs. One is outfielder Javier Cirneros and the other is starting pitcher Eriq Barber. The Crusaders have a number of players on the IL: RP Félix Oralle, RP Konrad Forbes, LF Josuke Wakatsuki, 1B Cletus MacPherson, and C Rogério Rodríguez.

September 2024 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Zacarías Marquis (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Ralph Lindner (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)
Rookie of the Month: LLemuel Zachery (St. James Crusaders)

With August in the books, teams have the flexibility of expanded 40 player rosters as they begin their final push to the end of the season. The playoff picture is wide open with but one exception. The Brooklyn Knights have not mathematically clinched their division but the outcome is a mere formality. With a lead of over 20 games, another division title is almost certain. About the only thing that didn't go well for the Knights was an injury to their standout rookie outfielder Grayson Currall. Currall was sent to the injured list with shoulder inflammation. It appears probable that he will miss the rest of the season. The other three divisions are up for grabs heading into September. The Beasts have a three game lead over the Otters. The Maples have a two and a half game lead over the Allies. Finally, the Crusaders cling to a mere two game lead over the Slam.

August 2024 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Dick Gosden (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Dusty Copp (Las Vegas Luck)
Rookie of the Month: Pat Johnstone (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Brandon Duke (St. James Crusaders)
Pitcher of the Month: Eddie Rodríguez (St. James Crusaders)
Rookie of the Month: John Rose (Stade Maples)

In July. the Knights struggled and lost six of their first seven games. They had a strong finish to the month, however, winning 14 out of 18. The Luisville Beasts continued their surge and have taken the division lead. The Nashville Firecats plummeted as injuries took their toll. The Firecats appear to have conceded the division and began trading off players, including starting pitcher Broderick MacIlrevie. There were new division leaders in League 2 by the end of July. The Stade Maples overtook the Washington Allies while the Vancouver Wild surpassed the St. James Crusaders.

July 2024 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Sanders (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Jesús Ornelas (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Ximen Palmeiro (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Iggy Sánchez (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

The NALB All-Star Game was played on July 9, 2024. For League 1, the Brooklyn Knights had eight players named to the roster. Unfortunately, Toshiro Kakkuta and Blas Ramos are on the Injured List so they were unable to play. Alternates had to be selected in their places.

Rodas Contreras of the Las Vegas Luck homered in the bottom of the first inning. The Stade Maples' Ramiro Vázquez homered in the top of the third to tie the game. Contreras put the League 1 All-Stars ahead for good with an RBI single in the fifth inning. He was named the Player of the Game.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0   1  5  0
League 1 All-Stars   1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 X   2  7  0

W: S. Dzhafarov
L: J. Farrell
S: K. Hannah

The 2024 All-Star Home Run Challenge was held on July 8. The Wild's Pedro Castro and the Luck's John Gómez squared off in the final round. Castro defeated Gómez 12-8.

Things are looking good for the Brooklyn Knights in the standings. They finished June with a substantial lead on their divisional rivals. Unfortunately, DH Blas Ramos sprained his knee legging out a triple and will miss seven weeks. Therefore, the Knights' best hitter (for average) joins Kakuta, their best power hitter, on the Injured List. The Nashville Firecats and Dunedin Otters have been battling all season for a lead in League 1 Division 2. However, the surging Luisville Beasts may be the team to watch. They are now only a half-game out of first place. League 2 Division 1 is still a close race between the Washington Allies and the Stade Maples. In League 2 Division 2, the World Champion Vancouver Wild trail the St. James Crusaders by only one game.

June 2024 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Jesús Ornelas (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Colby MacLea (Washington Allies)

The beginning of May dealt a major blow to the Brooklyn Knights. Star first baseman Toshiro Kakuta ruptured his Achilles tendon and will most likely miss most, if not all, of the regular season. Kakuta had been the league's top player this season with a .327 average and an NALB best 11 HR and 30 RBI. Despite the injuries, Brooklyn widened its division lead during the month. League 1 Division 2 is turning out to be quite a contest. The Otters overtook the Firecats for first place. Don't count out the Luisville Beasts, however. They won the division the past seven seasons and are still well within striking distance. The Washington Allies cling to a narrow one game lead while the World Champion Vancouver Wild lost its division lead to the surging St. James Crusaders.

May 2024 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Bubba Webb (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Gutierre Jiménez (Luisville Beats)
Rookie of the Month: Rocky Wright (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Buddy Seaver (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Rookie of the Month: Todd Huggins (St. James Crusaders)

NALB's top two records in April belonged to the league champions from last season—Vancouver and Brooklyn. The World Champion Wild finished the opening month 18-9 and the Knights finished 19-10. League 1 Division 2 was a bit surprising. The Firecats and Otters battled for the top spot while the mighty Beasts sputtered to a 11-16 start. In League 2 Division 1, the Allies looked solid as they head into May with a five and a half game lead.

April 2024 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Toshiro Kakuta (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Broderick MacIlrevie (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: John Gómez (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Pedro Castro (Vancouver Wild)
Pitcher of the Month: Angel Martínez (St. James Crusaders)
Rookie of the Month: Chris Russell (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

The Brooklyn Knights finished spring training 20-10, which was tied with the Cornfield Axemen for NALB's best record. In League 2, the surprising Quebeck Sky Chiefs (19-11) and St. James Crusaders (16-14) had division leading spring training records.

The Knights enter the regular season quite healthy. Only 3B Dave Crayton is on the Injured List. He suffered a bruised wrist in the next to last spring training game and is expected to be out for two weeks.

Other key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: RP Pedro Corazao tore the flexor tendon in his elbow. He will miss most of the regular season.
• Dunedin Otters: SP Heinie Mata needs surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. He will not play in 2024.
• Las Vegas Luck: RP Dave Bruton has bone chips in his elbow and will be out for the first half of the season.
• Phoenix Rattlers: 2B Rico Gómez strained an oblique muscle on March 13. That injury will keep him out of action for about 6 weeks.
• Richmond Slam: RP Ramón Uribes tore his rotator cuff in spring training. It will require a long road back, probably 13-14 months before he can play again.
• Richmond Slam: RP Lyndon Coulombe tore the labrum in his pitching shoulder on February 28. There is a chance he may return by the end of June.
• Stade Maples: SP Sosuke Nakamura is dealing with shoulder inflammation. The team's current projection for him is a July return.
• Vancouver Wild: Iván Martínez

Here were some notable roster moves prior to the 2024 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights had the following offseason/preseason activity:

• Retired uniform #28 in honor of Hsiao-lou Yeh.
• Signed RF Dick Gosden to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $2,440,000.
• Extended the contracts of 10 players through salary arbitration: Dave Crayton, Norman Forbes, Don Hartz, Clement Barrows, Frank Brunson, Estevan Portillo, Armando Alfaro, Chase Combs, Ramone Alconer, and Milburn Hutchison.
• RF Maurilio Godim, 2B Kent von Kantzow and CF Beagan Cajar filed for free agency.
• Discovered 16-year old pitching phenom Toshio Ikoma in Japan and signed him to a minor league contract.

Notable contract extensions:

• Cornfield Axemen: Signed RF Andrew Dickens to a 8-year contract extension worth a total of $54,960,000.
• Dayton Grizzlies: Signed RF Li-ben Chai to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $7,200,000.
• Key West Corals: Signed CL Lowie Zuydam to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $18,000,000.
• St. Rock Mudcats: Signed free agent 1B Toru Kobayashi to a 6-year contract worth a total of $67,800,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed LF Pedro Castro to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $7,000,000.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• Dayton Grizzlies: Signed free agent SP Francisco Camaño to a 5-year contract worth a total of $49,000,000.
• Key West Corals: Signed free agent SP Vincent Cadieux to a 6-year contract worth a total of $61,800,000.
• Las Vegas Luck: Signed free agent LF Ángel Santago to a 3-year contract worth a total of $15,400,000.
• Luisville Beasts: Signed free agent 3B Aleck Gomorán to a 4-year contract worth a total of $15,360,000.
• Richmond Slam: Signed free agent 1B Codie Laton to a 4-year contract worth a total of $13,440,000.
• Richmond Slam: Signed free agent RP Alfredo Maldonardo to a 3-year contract worth a total of $28,600,000.
• St. James Crusaders: Signed free agent 1B Jonathan Grandberry to a 4-year contract worth a total of $52,200,000.
• St. Rock Mudcats: Signed free agent 1B Marc-André Lavoie to a 4-year contract worth a total of $37,600,000.
• St. Rock Mudcats: Signed free agent RF John Patterson to a 5-year contract worth a total of $33,000,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed free agent RP Thornton Peters to a 2-year contract worth a total of $7,120,000.

Notable offseason trades:

• The Quebeck Sky Chiefs traded 29-year old 3B Mead Ward (retaining 80%) and $240,000 in cash to the Stade Maples, getting 20-year old minor league LHP Dan McCleery in return.
• The Washington Allies traded 22-year old RHP John O'Halligan to the St. James Crusaders, getting 36-year old RHP Johan Gaier and 23-year old minor league 3B Tom Medina in return.
• The Luisville Beasts traded 24-year old minor league 3B Álex Escorcega, 24-year old minor league 1B Andrew Martínez, and a 3rd round draft pick to the Stade Maples, getting 31-year old RHP Miguel Catarino in return.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2023.

League 1

Outstanding Batter Award: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Marcos Delgadillo (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Ken Hannah (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Bill Wallace (Dunedin Otters)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Nick Koche (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Okura Kono (Luisville Beasts)
Second Baseman: Amsalu Kanda (Luisville Beasts)
Third Baseman: Damion Caligas (Dunedin Otters)
Shortstop: Bubba Webb (Luisville Beasts)
Left Fielder: Zacarías Marquís (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)
Designated Hitter: Alberto Pajón (Las Vegas Luck)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: Nick Koche (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: John Ruben (Las Vegas Luck)
Second Baseman: Joshua Ridings (Las Vegas Luck)
Third Baseman: Joe Epp (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Morgan Kittle (Cornfield Axemen)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Valentín Valigura (Cornfield Axemen)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2

Outstanding Batter Award: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Reliever of the Year Award: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)
Newcomer of the Year: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)
Manager of the Year: Anthony Zimmer (Vancouver Wild)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Brock James (Vancouver Wild)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: Javier Cirneros (Stade Maples)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Secundus Cunningham (Phoenix Rattlers)
Catcher: Lorenzo Torres (Stade Maples)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (St. James Crusaders)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Francisco Lafantano (Vancouver Wild)
Left Fielder: Oscar Barrientes (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: John Patterson (Key West Corals)

2023 World Championship Series - Vancouver Wild (98-64) vs. Brooklyn Knights (113-49)

Game 1: Vancouver 5, Brooklyn 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 2, Vancouver 1
Game 3: Vancouver 4, Brooklyn 2
Game 4: Vancouver 2, Brooklyn 1
Game 5: Brooklyn 3, Vancouver 1
Game 6: Brooklyn 8, Vancouver 3
Game 7: Vancouver 3, Brooklyn 2

Series MVP: 3B Fernando Chira (Vancouver Wild)

The Vancouver Wild topped the Brooklyn Knights 3-2 in a 12-inning game seven to win the World Championship. It was the second title in franchise history. This was an extremely competitive series. Brooklyn actually outscored Vancouver 20-19 across seven games but the Wild came through when it counted. In the deciding game, the Knights were on the verge on winning the game in the eighth inning. The Wild turned a clutch double play to preserve the tie, however. In extra innings, reliever José Scharf's contributions were as important as any player on either team. Scharf was nearly flawless as he pitched the 10th, 11th, and 12th innings. He did not allow a single base runner.

"When you play for championships, you have to play better than the team in the other dugout. We did that in this series, and all year. Now we're the best team in baseball," said Vancouver third baseman Fernando Chira, who was named series MVP.

The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the League 2 Division 2 and a 98-64 record. Vancouver manager Anthony Zimmer grinned and nodded when asked to comment on Chira's words. "Fernando said it best -- we played better than the other team," the skipper said. Hometown officials announced they were already planning a "grand celebration" for the winners in the days to come.



Click the image for the NALB 2023 World Championship roster

It seemed only fitting that NALB's two best teams would need seven games to determine who would be crowned World Champion. The pitching matchup featured two of the absolute best, the Wild's Rey Alvarado (23-4, 1.87 ERA) and the Knights' Tony Tamayo (17-5, 2.47 ERA).

In the game's first at bat, Codie Laton got right to work and led off with single. Pedro Castro hit a home run and the Brooklyn fans were quieted by Vancouver's 2-0 lead. Tamayo settled in and didn't allow another run. He lasted 7⅓ innings and struck out eight. Unfortunately for the Knights, they had no answers for Rey Alvarado. Alvarado looking completely in control as he pitched seven scoreless innings. In the seventh inning, the Knights got a pair of base runners. Despite men on first and third with only one out, they failed to score. Facing closer Joe Farrell in the eighth inning, the Knights finally got on the scoreboard. Shimohira, Ramos, and Koche hit consecutive doubles, which scored a two runs. The game was tied 2-2. As the bullpens settled in, the game went into extra innings. The Wild got a pair of walks off of Humphrey Wonnacott. Lefty Jesús Motufar was brought in to face Oliverios Gallegos. Gallegos singled to right field and Evardo Gustamente was waved on by the third base coach. Brooklyn's right fielder, Dick Gosden, ripped off a strong throw that beat the runner to home plate. Unfortunately, the throw was wide. Gustamonte was safe and the throw was ruled an error. José Scharf retired the Knights in order in the twelfth inning to deliver the 3-2 win.

With this thrilling game seven victory on the road, the Vancouver Wild are the 2023 NALB World Champions!

Final score: Vancouver 3, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12   R  H  E
Vancouver    2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0  0  1   3  8  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  0  0  0   2 10  1

W: J. Scharf
L: H. Wonnacott

Player of the game: Rey Alvarado

The World Championship Series returned to Brooklyn for game six. The starters were the same as in game two, Rudolph Carpoza (14-9, 3.71 ERA) and Aaron Patterson (9-8, 3.16 ERA). The Knights prevailed in that game 2-1 although neither starter got the decision.

The Wild wasted no time getting started in this one. Leadoff hitter Codie Laton singled and Rubén Viladina followed with a single as well. Laton made a daring steal of third base and Morris Brown batted him in for a quick 1-0 lead. The Knights countered with a two out rally in the bottom of the first inning. After back to back singles by Nick Koche and Dick Gosden, Ramon Alconer crushed a three-run home run to center field. In the bottom of the third, the Knights struck again with another three-run homer. This time, it was couttesy of shortstop Frank Brunson. A triple by Joe Geddes in the top of the fourth scored Fernando Chira. Geddes later scored on a single by Codie Laton. The Wild narrowed the deficit to 8-3. Brooklyn's relief pitching took them the rest of the way, however. Takanobu Kishita and James McKinning provided scoreless long relief the rest of the way.

The Brooklyn Knights and the Vancouver Wild will take the World Championship to a decisive seventh game.

Final score: Brooklyn 8, Vancouver 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0   3  8  0
Brooklyn     3 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 X   8  8  0

W: T. Kishita
L: R. Carpoza

Player of the game: Ramone Alconer

Game five was the final game in Vancouver. Up 3-1, the Wild desperately wanted to win the Championship at home. Standing in their way was Knights' starter Marcos Delgadillo (17-6, 2.02 ERA). The Wild felt good with Anastasio Urbáez (13-15, 3.22 ERA) on the mound. Urbáez had looked sharp in the playoffs with a 2-0 record.

The Knights' offense had been anemic in the World Championship Series. In game five, however, Brooklyn wanted to score early with aggressive hitting. They did exactly that. With two outs in the first inning, Dick Gosden singled. Nick Koche followed with another single and Don Hartz drew a walk. With the bases loaded, Ramone Alconer drove a ball deep to center field. It initially looked like a grand slam but fell just short of the wall. Alconer settled for a bases clearing double that put the Knights up 3-0. The game quickly turned into a pitcher's duel. Delgadillo pitched six shutout innings and Urbáez pitched into the seventh. In the eighth inning, Fernando Chira hit a solo home run over the right field wall to give the Wild some life. Knights' closer Ken Hannah pitched a clean ninth, however, and dashed Vancouver's hope for a comeback.

The WCS heads back to Brooklyn with the Wild up three games to two.

Final score: Brooklyn 3, Vancouver 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   3  5  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   1  6  0

W: M. Delgadillo
L: A. Urbáez
S: K. Hannah

Player of the game: Marcos Delgadillo

The game four starters were Brooklyn's Dan Courtlandt (15-5, 2.06 ERA) and Vancouver's Miguel Vela (8-8, 2.61 ERA). The Wild entered the game with a 2-1 Series lead.

It was a low-scoring well-pitched game. The Knights scored the first run on a Ramone Alconer homer in the fifth inning. The bottom of the sixth inning, however, was decisive. The Wild got a leadoff single from Codie Laton. Sardar Dzhafarov then came on in relief for Courtlandt. Brock James laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Pedro Castro drew a walk and then stole second base. Fernando Chira delivered a clutch 2-RBI single to put the Wild ahead for good.

Final score: Vancouver 2, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   1  4  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 X   2  5  0

W: M. Vela
L: S. Dzhafarov
S: J. Scharf

Player of the game: Miguel Vela

Game three was a heavyweight matchup of pitching aces—the Knights' Tony Tamayo (17-5, 2.47 ERA) vs. the Wild's Rey Alvarado (23-4, 1.87 ERA).

The game was scoreless through four innings. Heading into the fifth, Alvarado had given up a mere two hits while Tamayo was pitching a no-hitter. The Vancouver Wild came alive, however, with consecutive hits by James, Gustamante, and Geddes to score the game's first run. Just when it looked like Tamayo would limit the damage, Codie Laton hit a two-out triple, which scored two runs. The Knights responded in the top of the sixth. After Ramos singled, catcher Nick Koche doubled to give Brooklyn its first run. In the bottom of the sixth, catcher Morris Brown blasted a solo homer to extend the Wild's lead to 4-1. The Knights showed some life in the eighth inning when Shimohira doubled off of closer Joe Farrell and later scored. That was all Brooklyn could manage, however. Farrell closed out the ninth to save the win.

Final score: Vancouver 4, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0   2  5  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 X   4  6  1

W: T. Tamayo
L: R. Alvarado
S: J. Farrell

Player of the game: Rey Alvarado

The Brooklyn Knights were feeling a bit of pressure after losing the home opener of the World Championship Series. The last thing they wanted was to travel to Vancouver down two games.

The Wild's game two starter was Rudolph Carpoza (14-9, 3.71 ERA), an excellent young Mexican power pitcher. Aaron Patterson (9-8, 3.16 ERA) started for the Knights. Patterson pitched pretty well throughout the season but got very little run support.

The game was scoreless for three innings as both starters looked in command. In the fourth, the Wild scored the first run of the game thanks to doubles by Rubén Viladina and Morris Brown. The Knights countered in the bottom half of the inning. Blas Ramos walked and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramone Alconer. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Maurílio Godim was called on to leadoff as a pinch hitter. He singled and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Estevan Portillo. Namboka Shimohira followed with a single, advancing Godim to third base. Blas Ramos came through with a clutch sac fly to left field. Knights' closer Ken Hannah retired three batters in the ninth for the save.

Final score: Brooklyn 2, Vancouver 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   1  5  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 X   2  5  0

W: H. Wonnacott
L: J. Farrell
S: K. Hannah

Player of the game: Aaron Patterson

In 2023, two teams clearly emerged as the league's best—the Brooklyn Knights (113-49) and the Vancouver Wild (98-64). The Knights ranked second in scoring, first in pitching, and first in fielding. The Wild were first in scoring, second in pitching, and League 2's top fielding team. After winning their respective League Series in six games, they now meet in the World Championship Series. This is the first time since 2018 that NALB's two winningest teams will play in the WCS.

Veteran starter Anastasio Urbáez (13-15, 3.22 ERA) was the Wild's pitcher for game one. The Knights had their own veteran, Marcos Delgadillo (17-6, 2.02 ERA), on the mound.

Marcos Delgadillo is known for his pinpoint control and poise on the mound. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, the 36-year old didn't look sharp. He gave up hits to the first three batters of the game and then walked the cleanup hitter to force in the game's first run. Thanks to some good defense, the Knights were only down 1-0 after two innings. Delgadillo continued to struggle in the third, however. After a Viladina single, Castro and Brown hit consecutive doubles. The Wild stretched their lead to 3-0. After a scoreless fourth inning, Delgadillo struggled to survive the fifth. He gave up one more run and was pulled after two outs. Takanobu Kishita came on in relief to finish the inning. Kishita began the sixth by walking the first two batters. A wild pitch and sac fly ensued and Vancouver extended the lead to 5-0. The Knights finally showed signs of life in the sixth inning. Shimohira was hit by a pitch to leadoff. Singles by Gosden and Hartz led to Brooklyn's first run. In the bottom of the seventh, Estevan Portillo hit a solo homer and the Knights were only down 5-2. With closer Joe Farrell on the mound in the ninth, the Knights still had a chance. Joe Lindsey got on via a base on balls. Portillo singled and the tying run came to the plate with two outs. The comeback was extinguished when Farrell struck out Shimohira swinging.

Final score: Vancouver 5, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    1 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0   5 11  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0   2  7  0

W: A. Urbáez
L: M. Delgadillo

Player of the game: Anastasio Urbáez

2023 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (85-77) vs. Brooklyn Knights (113-49)

Game 1: Luisville 3, Brooklyn 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 1
Game 3: Luisville 3, Brooklyn 0
Game 4: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 3
Game 5: Brooklyn 5, Luisville 2
Game 6: Brooklyn 8, Luisville 1

For the seventh consecutive season, the Luisville Beasts were division champions and playoff bound. The 2023 Beasts struggled a bit this season. They only won 85 games, which was their lowest total in seven years. The Brooklyn Knights left no doubt as to which team was NALB's best. With 113 wins, the Knights displayed excellence in hitting, pitching, and fielding.

Game one in Brooklyn had a starting pitching matchup of the Beasts' Paco Rivera (13-13, 3.74 ERA) vs. the Knights' Tony Tamayo (175-, 2.47 ERA). With the game tied 2-2 in the eighth inning, Luisville's Yvon Chouinard hit an RBI single for the 3-2 win.

Whitney Sanders (13-8, 3.76 ERA) took the mound for the Beasts in game two. Dan Courtlandt (15-5, 2.06 ERA) got the start for the Knights. Courtlandt shined as the player of the game. Don Hartz hit a two-run home run to help lead Brooklyn to victory by the score of 4-1.

With game three in Luisville, starter Noel Trevenot (16-10, 3.40 ERA) treated the fans to a gem. He pitched 6.1 scoreless innings and struck out eight. Knights' starter Marcos Delgadillo (17-6, 2.02 ERA) looked good but he couldn't match Trevenot's excellence. The Beasts scored a run in three separate innings on the way to a 3-0 victory.

There was some question as to the Knights' starter for game four. Patterson or Kishita? They decided on Aaron Patterson (9-8, 3.16 ERA) and were glad they did. Patterson was sharp over 6.1 innings, giving up only one run. The Beasts' Jonathan Farsey was not as sharp. The Knights tagged him for two homers (by Koche and Ramos) and four runs total. The Beasts made it interesting, however. Home runs by Joe Epp in the seventh and Leonard O'Marron in the ninth closed the gap to 4-3. That is how the game would end. The series was now tied at two games a piece.

Game five was pivotal. With the series tied, the final game in Luisville was particularly critical for the Beasts. The pitching matchup was a rematch of game one—Tamayo vs. Rivera. This time, Tamayo came out on top. The Knights lit up Rivera early, scoring three runs in the first, one in the second, and one in the third. The biggest damage was catcher Nick Koche's three-run homer in the first inning. Although the Knights prevailed 5-2, the win was costly. Left fielder Syman Lowery made a spectacular defensive play with a diving catch. He hurt his back and had to come out of the game. Afterwards, he was diagnosed with a herniated disc and will miss the rest of the playoffs.

With Syman Lowery out due to injury, the Knights added left-fielder Joe Lindsey to their playoff roster. It was Courtlandt vs. Sanders again for game six. The game was a must-win for the Beasts. Unfortunately for them, the Knights played their best baseball of the series. Brooklyn jumped on Sanders early. They delivered eight hits and four runs against him in 3.1 innings. In the sixth inning, right-fielder Dick Gosden hit a three-run homer to give the Knights a 7-1 lead. If there was any doubt to the outcome, Joe Lindsey removed it. He blasted a solo home run in the seventh, which sealed the Knights' 8-1 win.

The Brooklyn Knights avenged their 2022 League 1 Series loss to the Luisville Beasts by defeating them in six games.

Knights' designated hitter Blas Ramos earned series MVP honors, hitting for a .385 average with 1 home run and 4 RBI.

2023 League 2 Series - Key West Corals (83-79) vs. Vancouver Wild (98-64)

Game 1: Key West 3, Vancouver 0
Game 2: Key West 6, Vancouver 2
Game 3: Vancouver 8, Key West 3
Game 4: Vancouver 2, Key West 1
Game 5: Vancouver 2, Key West 0
Game 6: Vancouver 3, Key West 1

After a dominant playoff run from 2012 to 2017, the Key West Corals hadn't been to the postseason since 2019. That year the Corals won 100 games but this year's team snuck into the playoffs with a mere 83 wins. For the Vancouver Wild, they returned to the postseason after losing to the underdog Stade Maples last year. The 2023 Wild won an impressive 98 games, which was the most in franchise history.

The opening game featured starters Cary Hash (11-11, 3.22 ERA) vs. Miguel Vela (8-8, 2.61 ERA) for the Corals and Wild, respectively. Key West prevailed in a low-scoring duel of fine pitching. The Corals won on the road 3-0.

In game two, the Corals sent veteran Charlie Revels (8-14, 4.77 ERA) to the mound against the Wild's Rey Alvarado (23-4, 1.87 ERA). Revels had a tough season while Alvarado put up one of the most dominating pitching seasons in league history. After seven shutout innings, Alvarado left the game with a 2-0 lead. Joe Farrell blew the lead, however. The Corals struck for six runs (five unearned) in the eighth inning, helped by a pair of Vancouver errors. The home crowd was stunned by the 6-2 loss.

The series shifted to Key West for game three. Anastasio Urbáez (13-15, 3.22 ERA) got the start for the Corals. The Wild countered with starter Catón Huincho (13-9, 3.57 ERA). Vancouver's bats were hot. The Wild's twelve hits translated to eight runs, including four in the sixth inning. Vancouver looked impressive in the 8-3 win.

Vancouver's Rudolph Carpoza (14-9, 3.71 ERA) and Key West's Danny Ruíz (8-13, 3.83 ERA) were named the game four starters. It was another pitcher's duel. Despite outhitting the Corals 10-5, the Wild managed a narrow 2-1 victory.

Game five, the final game in Key West was a rematch between game one starters Miguel Vela and Cary Hash. Both were outstanding. Vela hurled seven shutout innings while Hash pitched a two-hit shutout into the eighth. The game was still scoreless when it went into extra innings. In the top of the 11th inning, hits by Laton, Chira, Brown, and James led to two runs off of reliever Ximien Palmeiro. The Wild closed out the 2-0 shutout for the win.

Back in Vancouver, the Wild had to love their chances with Rey Alvarado on the mound again. They were not disappointed. The Corals' Charlie Revels couldn't match Alvarado's mastery. Alvarado pitched seven innings with no walks and six strikeouts. He only gave up a single run. A three-run homer by left-fielder Pedro Castro in the third was all the offense that the Wild needed. A 3-1 outcome made the Vancouver Wild League 2 champions.

Wild first baseman Codie Laton was named the series MVP. In the series, he hit .360 (9 for 25).

The Brooklyn Knights had a nearly flawless season. They wrapped up the division by the end of August and led League 1 in almost every team stat. For most of the season, injuries did not plague the Knights. Unfortunately, CF Clement Barrows fractured his fibula on August 2. The second big blow came on September 20 when top slugger 1B Toshiro Kakuta suffered a broken ulna when he was hit by a pitch. Brooklyn's offense sputtered to the finish line and they lost seven of their final nine games. After winning 90+ games in each of the last six seasons, the Luisville Beasts only managed 85 wins this year. In 2022, the Beasts won the League 1 Series over the Knights in seven games. They ultimately fell to the Stade Maples in the World Championship Series.

The Key West Corals were a perennial power for many years. They slipped in 2021 and 2022, however, with back to back third place finishes. This year, the Corals went on a September surge to overtake the Washington Allies and win the division by three games. The Vancouver Wild fought off the Richmond Slam this season but ultimately cruised to nine game lead and a division title.

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (85-77) vs. Brooklyn Knights (113-49)
Key West Corals (83-79) vs. Vancouver Wild (98-64)

Head to head this season:
The Knights were 15-8 against the Beasts.
The Wild were 14-9 against the Corals.

Playoff injury report:

The Beasts are hot and ready for the League 1 Series with a healthy roster. The Knights are without two of their star players—CF Clement Barrows and 1B Toshiro Kakuta. Barrows was the team's leadoff hitter and Kakuta led the team in home runs and RBIs.

The Corals have several injured players. The most notable are CF Félix Mulen, RP Jaime Coría, and SS Larry Arceniaga. The Wild will have to make do without SP Vincent Cadieux and RP Iván Martinez.

September 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Fred Routh (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Catón Huincho (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)

With a 20-8 record in August, the Brooklyn Knights were crowned division champions on the final day of the month. The other divisions are still up for grabs, however. The Beasts lead the Otters by four games and the Allies lead the Maples by the same margin. The Wild currently lead the Slam by a slightly more comfortable six games. Now it is time to expand the rosters for the final stretch of the season.

August 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Steve Sherlock (St. Rock Mudcats)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Irving von Klingenberg (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Roddie Estes (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

At the end of July, it is all but certain that the Brooklyn Knights will emerge as division winners. The Knights currently have a 21 game lead over the Las Vegas Luck. The Dunedin Otters swept the individual batter, pitcher, and rookie awards for the month. Despite playing its best baseball of the season, the Otters still trail the Luisville Beasts by 9 games. Dunedin's offense is solid but its pitching and fielding are at the league's bottom. The Stade Maples clawed their way to the top of League 2 Division 1 in July. In League 2 Division 2, the Richmond Slam and Vancouver Wild share the lead.

July 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Damion Caligas (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Jesús Alonso (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Ender Moniavas (Dunedin Otters)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Javier Cirnenos (Stade Maples)
Pitcher of the Month: Joe Farrell (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)

The NALB All-Star Game was played on July 11, 2023. For League 1, the Brooklyn Knights had the top vote-getters in six out of eleven positions. They led all teams with eleven players named to the All-Star squad. The Maples, Slam and Wild each had six players named to the League 2 All-Star team.

Although the League 1 All-Stars struck first with a run in the first inning, it was the League 2 All-Stars that prevailed. League 2 exploded for seven runs in the third inning and never looked back. Oscar Barrientes was named the game's MVP.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 All-Stars   1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   1  6  0
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 X   7 10  0

W: M. Wheelock
L: T. Tamayo

The NALB Home Run Challenge was held on July 10. Richmond's Derk McParland and Washington's Shozen Shimizu were the finalists after surviving the field of eight's first two rounds. McParland won the contest with 12 home runs to Shimizu's 8.

On July 9, the NALB All-Star Prospects game was played. The League 1 Future Stars defeated the League 2 Future Stars 3-1. Right fielder Grayson Currall emerged with the MVP. trophy The 24 year old plays for the Santa Ana Drifters, which is the Triple A affiliate of the Brooklyn Knights.

At the halfway point of the 2023 NALB season, it is increasingly likely that the Brooklyn Knights and the Luisville Beasts will meet in the League 1 Championship Series. League 2 has traditionally been much more competitive. That is true again this year. The Key West Corals and Richmond Slam hold narrow leads in their divisional battles. Unfortunately for the Knights, Blas Ramos' recovery from a sprained knee has gone more slowly than expected. Hopefully, he will return around the All-Star break.

June 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Neil Snyder (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Tim Menard (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)

The Knights are doing everything they can to make sure the road to the World Championship Series goes through Brooklyn. After a strong 18-7 start in April, the Knights followed with a 21-7 record in May. Brooklyn's only adversity came in its last game of the month. On a four for four day, DH Blas Ramos sprained his knee legging out a double. Ramos heads to the IL and will miss five weeks. The Luisville Beasts also easily maintained an iron grip on first place. The Key West Corals are back in first place as they battle the Allies and resurgent Maples. In League 2 Division 2, the Richmond Slam edged the Vancouver Wild by a single game to take the top spot.

May 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Okura Kono (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Daniel Gutérrez (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Bobby Kirkup (St. James Crusaders)

The Brooklyn Knights lost their first two games and opened the season 3-4. They rattled off 14 wins in their next 15 games, however. At the end of April, the Knights sat atop their division with a two game lead on the Luck. The Luisville Beasts, the defending league 1 champs, also looked very strong to start the season. In League 2, the Washington Allies and the surprising St. James Crusaders finished April in first place.

April 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Sanders (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Stephen Wolfgang (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Stade Maples)
Pitcher of the Month: Renato Balcazar (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Roddie Estes (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

The Brooklyn Knights finished spring training with an NALB best 20-10 record. The Luisville Beasts had a 17-13 record and looked good this spring. In League 2, the Washington Allies (19-11) and Vancouver Wild (18-12) posted the best spring training records.

The Knights tried to keep oft-injured Blas Ramos healthy, moving him from right field to designated hitter. The team is pretty healthy going into the regular season. No major leaguers were injured. Unfortunately, four minor league relief pitchers were sent to the injured list: Pat Johnstone, James Massey, Anderson Eliserio, and newly acquired Ginton Venereo.

Other key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: SP Everett Burleigh requires elbow ligament reconstruction surgery. He will miss the entire 2023 season.
• Dunedin Otters: SP Maureo Frederick tore the flexor tendon in his elbow and will be unable to play this season.
• Las Vegas Luck: SP Stanley Jackson will undergo elbow ligament reconstruction surgery. He will not play this year.
• Phoenix Rattlers: RP Vic West has a partially torn UCL. It will be at least 11 months before he can resume throwing a baseball.
• Stade Maples: RP Yusuf O'Croly has a partially torn labrum. He is expected to miss 2 to 3 months.
• Washington Allies: SP Leif Kondo has a herniated disc. This back injury will require 2 to 3 weeks of recovery time.
• Washington Allies: RP Jesus Brandariz needs surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. He will be out for an estimated 6 months.

Here were some notable roster moves prior to the 2023 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights had the following offseason/preseason activity:

• Two NALB legends announced their retirements on October 25, 2022—3B Hooks Goetz and 2B Flavio Marquez.
• Assistant general manager Allen Humphreys decided to join the St. Rock Mudcats as their new general manager. The Knights replaced him with Orlondo Corvalán.
• The Knights extended the contracts of 5 players through salary arbitration: Norman Forbes, Kent von Kantzow, Armando Alfaro, Chase Combs, and Ramone Alconer.
• 3B John Ruben and RP Stokley McGruder filed for free agency.
• 2B Bryan Inge was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Key West Corals. They later released him and he returned to the Knights organization.
• Traded 24-year old minor league RHP Tim Menard to Dayton in exchange for 24-year old SS Don Hartz and 25-year old CF Beagan Cajar.
• The Knights swapped 19-year old minor league RHP Mário López, 19-year old minor league RHP Teófilo Martínez, 25-year old minor league 1B Jamie Gentle, 25-year old minor league LHP Daniel Gutérrez, 25-year old minor league 2B Tommy Lesher, and 25-year old minor league 3B Vinny Warrilow to the Sky Chiefs getting 24-year old RF Dick Gosden and 23-year old minor league RHP Ginton Venereo in return.
• Former Brooklyn catcher Ted Pollet was elected to the Hall of Fame with 89.6% of the vote.
• Signed 31-year old free agent 3B Dave Crayton to a 1-year, $600,000 minor league contract with majors option.
• Amateur free agent CF Rufo Rivas inked a deal with the Knights. The 16-year old Puerto Rican signed a minor league contract with an $860,000 signing bonus.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• 3B Pete Chavez signed a 2-year, $19.2 million contract with the Stade Maples.
• RF Manuel Montaya offered his big bat to the free agent market. In the end, he decided to re-sign with the Luisville Beasts. His new contract is worth $58 million over 5 years.
• 1B Jorge Morales is moving from Las Vegas to Nashville. The Firecats 3-year $10,960,000 offer convinced him to sign.
• After spending the first 12 years of his career in Richmond, living legend Tony Rodarte has become a mercenary bat for hire. This season, the 40-year old will play for the Nashville Firecats. His new contract is for 3-years and $10.32 million.
• LF Luís Vergel found a new home in Washington. The Allies swayed him with a $12.8 million deal over 4 years.
• 1B/3B John Ruben left the Knights to join the Luck. Las Vegas gave him $8,040,000 for 3 years.
• Ximien Palmeiro was the top closer in this year's free agent market. After weighing his options, he elected to return to Key West. The Corals value relief pitching probably more than any other team and had no problems giving him $12.72 million for 3 years.
• RP Júlio Guillén found it tough to pass up Key West's offer to join the league's best bullpen. He will earn $11.04 million over 3 years.
• The Corals weren't done adding top-notch arms to their bullpen. They rounded out their relief staff with free agent Matt Genge. His contract is worth $9.6 million over 3 years.
• Veteran SP Tyler Stivers will be back in Stade. The Maples offered him a 2-year deal worth $12.6 million.
• The Dayton Grizzlies took a big gamble on shortstop Carlos Cardenas. The 37-year old has a history of injuries and will need to stay healthy in order to earn his $13.4 million, 2-year contract.
• CF Terry Bannatyne declared free agency and landed a sizable 4-year, $20.4 million contract with the Firecats.
• As one of the few coveted starters in this free agent class, David Bracy was in demand. He was happy to ink a 4-year, $28.8 million deal with the Allies.
• Veteran 3B Lariel Gómez is going to St. Rock. The 36-year old joined the Mudcats after they offered him $11.8 million over 2-years.

Notable offseason trades:

• The St. Rock Mudcats traded 30-year old 1B Toru Kobayashi (retaining 40%) to the Dayton Grizzlies, getting 20-year old minor league CF LLemuel Zachery, 24-year old minor league RF Alberto Fonticoba, 22-year old minor league C Jon Rupp, and 23-year old minor league LF Mercutio Averill in return.
• The Richmond Slam traded 22-year old minor league 2B Francisco Segura and 19-year old minor league RHP Dongdo-pa Duan to the Dunedin Otters, getting 28-year old 3B Derk McParland in return.
• The Nashville Firecats traded 31-year old LF Sancho Malclonado (retaining 100%) to the Cornfield Axemen, getting 22-year old LF Ambrosio Sánchez and 19-year old minor league RHP Tim Andrade in return.
• The Luisville Beasts traded 21-year old minor league LHP José Scharf and 23-year old minor league RHP Jeff Ayliffe to the Key West Corals, getting 28-year old RHP Tim Sanders (retaining 95%) in return.

May 25 means another year has gone by for Game Central. Today marks the 17th anniversary of the site. Five years ago, I celebrated its anniversary with a massive update to STBL WEB, the home of the Southern Tier Baseball League. This year is the 25th anniversary of the last STBL season played. In honor of that quarter century mark, I completed another significant update to STBL WEB. The Earl Weaver Baseball series was ahead of its time. It kept an impressive amount of stats at the team and player level. Where other baseball video games might present a box score for a single game, Earl Weaver Baseball tracked stats for an entire season. Unfortunately, it didn't have a career mode so there was no record of lifetime stats. I wanted a complete picture of players' careers so I took on that task manually.

STBL WEB now has a section for All-Time Leaders. I combed through 17 seasons of data to create leaderboards in four categories: batting (single season), pitching (single season), batting (lifetime), and pitching (lifetime). Now, STBL fans have the information to answer a variety of trivia questions. Who played more STBL games than any other player? Consult the batting (lifetime) chart and find the answer (spoiler—it's Ted Kluszewski). The other big addition this year is the inclusion of The STBL Encyclopedia. It includes the all-time leaders but also has a complete record of every position player and pitcher who ever played in the STBL. I modeled it after The Baseball Encyclopedia from Macmillan, which was one of my favorite baseball books I owned.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2022.

League 1

Outstanding Batter Award: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Alfredo Maldonardo (Cornfield Axemen)
Newcomer of the Year: Toshiro Kakuta (Brooklyn Knights)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Nick Koche (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Toshiro Kakuta (Brooklyn Knights)
Second Baseman: Amsalu Kanda (Luisville Beasts)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Dunedin Otters)
Shortstop: Bubba Webb (Luisville Beasts)
Left Fielder: Zacarías Marquís (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Designated Hitter: Angel Santago (Cornfield Axemen)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: António Pacheco (Cornfield Axemen)
First Baseman: Jorge Morales (Las Vegas Luck)
Second Baseman: Joshua Ridings (Las Vegas Luck)
Third Baseman: Joe Epp (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Carlos Cardenas (Dunedin Otters)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Hamilton Look (Nashville Firecats)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2

Outstanding Batter Award: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Reliever of the Year Award: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)
Newcomer of the Year: Rudolph Carpoza (Vancouver Wild)
Manager of the Year: Anthony Zimmer (Vancouver Wild)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Ernesto Estero (St. James Crusaders)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Brock James (Vancouver Wild)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (St. James Crusaders)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: Pedro Castro (Vancouver Wild)
Center Fielder: Bruno Payton (Richmond Slam)
Right Fielder: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Tyler Stivers (Stade Maples)
Catcher: George Medforth (Washington Allies)
First Baseman: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Second Baseman: José Arzate (Stade Maples)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (St. James Crusaders)
Shortstop: Ramiro Socastro (Stade Maples)
Left Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Joe Geddes (Vancouver Wild)
Right Fielder: Lorenzo Evidio (St. James Crusaders)

The 2022 NALB season had a different feel to it. Pitching dominated and offenses struggled. In this low-scoring season, the Stade Maples emerged as World Champions. Expectations were high in Stade as the season began. However, the Maples struggled with a series of injuries that decimated their pitching staff:

On May 23, starter Eriq Barber suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder.
On August 16, reliever Murray Hurst tore the labrum in his shoulder.
On August 25, reliever Hartman Ivers tore a flexor tendon in his elbow.
On September 12, starter Tyler Stivers went to the Injury List with acute elbow soreness.

The Maples led their division most of the way until they had a horrendous August. An 8-20 record for the month almost derailed their season. Heading into September, the Maples trailed the Washington Allies by three games. Washington faded, however, and Stade won the division by two games. The Maples faced the Vancouver Wild in the League 2 Series. The Wild had very good hitting, decent pitching, and the league's best fielding. The Maples won in seven games. The World Championship Series featured the Stade Maples vs. the Luisville Beasts. Just as the League 1 Series and League 2 Series had done, the WCS went the full seven games. The pivotal game was certainly game five. With the series tied 2-2, the teams battled for 21 innings. Stade fans will never forget Francisco Soa's walk-off hit to give them a 5-4 victory and the series lead. A 3-1 road win in game seven gave the Maples the World Championship, their second overall.



Click the image for the NALB 2022 World Championship roster

2022 World Championship Series - Stade Maples (80-82) vs. Luisville Beasts (94-68)

Game 1: Stade 9, Luisville 1
Game 2: Luisville 11, Stade 6
Game 3: Luisville 4, Stade 0
Game 4: Stade 8, Luisville 3
Game 5: Stade 5, Luisville 4
Game 6: Luisville 7, Stade 0
Game 7: Stade 3, Luisville 1

Series MVP: Luís Vergel (Stade Maples)

The Stade Maples were making their seventh appearance in the World Championship Series. Previous trips had been disappointing for Maples fans with five defeats in six tries. Their lone championship was in 2006. The 2022 Maples team was devastated by injuries to its pitching staff and snuck into the playoffs with an 80-82 record. The Luisville Beasts on the other hand were preseason favorites to win the championship. After downing the 105-win Brooklyn Knights, the Beasts were a heavy favorite over the Maples.

Game 1: Braulio Crame (19-9, 2.41 ERA) vs. Noel Trevenot (12-7, 3.22 ERA). Stade's starter looked good and Luisville's starter did not. That was the difference. Trevenot was roughed up for six runs and he was pulled in the third inning. Although the Beasts had NALB's top offense, it was the Maples that put on a hitting display. Stade clubbed four home runs in a 9-1 rout.

Game 2: Dave Kirby (3-5, 4.84 ERA) vs. Paco Rivera (16-10, 3.80 ERA). The Beasts got off to a quick start with three runs off of Kirby in the first inning. Paco Rivera couldn't hold the lead, however. The Maples scored against him in the second, third, and fourth innings to go ahead 5-3. After five innings, Stade was in charge 6-4. Luisville's lineup is more than capable of winning a slugfest and that's exactly what happened. The Beasts scored late and often to even the series with an 11-6 comeback win.

Game 3: Whitney Sanders (14-11, 3.72 ERA) vs. Renato Balcazar (10-13, 3.52). The Maples hoped for a spark at home in game three but they didn't get it. Although Balcazar delivered a quality start, Whitney Sanders was even better. Sanders pitched into the eighth and combined with closer Ed Boudreau for a 3-0 shutout.

Game 4: Porfiro Quiñones (8-1, 2.59 ERA) vs. Trip Taraz (1-1, 5.29 ERA). After getting shutout in game three, the Maples responded with an offensive show. They scored eight runs on sixteen hits, which included two home runs. Trip Taraz pitched a solid six innings, allowing three runs. Stade's bullpen took care of the rest as the Maples cruised to a series tying 8-3 victory.

Game 5: Noel Trevenot vs. Braulio Crame. The final WCS game in Stade was a classic. If some of the playoff games felt like heavyweight fights, game five was like an old bare-knuckles boxing match. You didn't know how long it was going to last but the winner was the last man standing. The Maples failed to hold a 4-2 lead and couldn't put the Beasts away. Luisville scored two runs in the eighth and the game went into extra innings. Both teams battled back and forth, using 17 pitchers and every position player available. When the dust settled, there were a total of 34 hits. The game winner was a walk-off single in the bottom of the 21st inning by Francisco Soa. The Maples prevailed 5-4 in an 8 hour 12 minute game that finished at 4:17 AM.

Game 6: Dave Kirby vs. Paco Rivera. The Beasts were happy to be back home in Luisville. Unfortunately, they were in the unenviable position of having to win both games remaining to take the title. They were fortunate that starter Paco Rivera brought his "A" game. Rivera had all of his pitches working as he threw a complete game five-hit shutout. The Beasts bats delivered 13 hits and 7 runs. The 7-0 blowout ensured there would be a winner-take-all game seven.

Game 7: Renato Balcazar vs. Whitney Sanders. Having won game six at home, the confident Luisville Beasts hoped to ride the momentum to a World Championship. Unfortunately for them, it was not to be. The Maples were poised and seemingly unaffected by the vocal Luisville fans. In the second inning, Lerrin Ruíz doubled and José Arzate singled to put Stade up 1-0. In the top of the sixth inning, Ruíz hit an RBI single to make the Maples lead 2-0. In the bottom of the sixth, Manuel Montaya doubled to score a run for the Beasts. They could do no more, however, and left runners stranded on second and third base. Hippolito Núñez added an insurance run in the eighth inning when he launched a solo homer to left field. Closer Miguel Catarino finished the game to give the Stade Maples a 3-1 victory. They are NALB World Champions for the second time in franchise history.

Maples left fielder Luís Vergel was named the World Championship Series MVP. Vergel hit .324 (11 for 34) with 2 HR and 5 RBI.

2022 League 2 Series - Stade Maples (80-82) vs. Vancouver Wild (91-71)

Game 1: Stade 2, Vancouver 0
Game 2: Vancouver 3, Stade 2
Game 3: Stade 2, Vancouver 1
Game 4: Vancouver 6, Stade 5
Game 5: Stade 6, Vancouver 2
Game 6: Vancouver 7, Stade 1
Game 7: Stade 5, Vancouver 3

The Stade Maples are no stranger to the postseason. They have won four out of the last five division titles and are in the playoffs for the thirteenth time. This year's team is different, however; they had a losing record in the regular season. The only other time that happened in NALB history was 2008 when the Vancouver Wild (80-82) shocked the world by defeating the Brooklyn Knights (113-49) for the World Championship. Facing the Stade Maples were the Vancouver Wild so there was an interesting storyline for the League 2 Series.

Game one pitted Stade's Braulio Crame (19-9, 2.41 ERA) against Vancouver's Rudolph Carpoza (6-3, 2.48 ERA) as starting pitchers. It was a low-scoring affair. The Maples struck for two runs in the second inning, which was enough to secure a 2-0 win.

The starters for game two were Renato Balcazar (10-13, 3.52 ERA) for the Maples and Rey Alvarado (12-13, 3.34 ERA) for the Wild. Alvarado was a bit better to lead his team to a 3-2 victory. He pitched six innings, struck out four, and only allowed four hits.

The series was tied 1-1 as it moved from Vancouver to Stade for game three. The Wild started Ivan Martinez (13-7, 3.47 ERA) and the Maples started Sosuke Nakamura (9-12, 2.89 ERA). Both pitchers were excellent in seven innings of work. Nakamura prevailed in this pitching duel, however, with a four-hit, no walk outing. He gave up only one run and earned the 2-1 win.

In game four, fans were finally treated to a bit more scoring. Both starters, Vancouver's Nelson Sanchez (4-5, 3.09 ERA) and Stade's Dave Kirby (3-5, 4.84), were solid. Kirby gave up one run and Sanchez's three runs were all unearned. They excitement and drama came late in the game. Down 4-1, Vancouver roared back with 4 runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead. Stade scored in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Right fielder Gregg Webb hit an RBI double in the tenth to give the Wild a 6-5 win.

Braulio Crame once again out-pitched Rudolph Carpoza to give the Maples another win in game five. This time, the Maples won 6-2 as Kurt Johnson led the way with a 2 for 3 day at the plate, including a home run.

With their backs to the wall in game six, the Wild needed a fine performance out of veteran pitcher Rey Alvarado. They got that and more. Alvarado was magnificent as he threw a 119-pitch complete game. Vancouver's bats came alive with 7 runs on 10 hits. First baseman Joe Barnstaple was impressive as he singled, doubled, and homered in four at bats in a 7-1 win.

Vancouver hosted the winner-take-all game seven. Unfortunately for fans of the Wild, there was little joy to be had in the outcome. The Stade Maples finished off the Vancouver Wild 5-3 in the deciding game of the League 2 Series. Stade's leadoff hitter, right fielder Javier Cirnernos was instrumental in the Maples' success. He was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and scored 3 runs. The Maples' Sosuke Nakamura was once again effective on the mound as he registered his second win of the series. With a 5-3 victory, the Stade Maples pulled off the upset and will play the Luisville Beasts for the NALB World Championship.

Maples first baseman Kurt Johnson was named the series MVP. He hit .385 with a home run and 7 RBI.

2022 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (94-68) vs. Brooklyn Knights (105-57)

Game 1: Brooklyn 2, Luisville 1
Game 2: Brooklyn 3, Luisville 2
Game 3: Luisville 8, Brooklyn 1
Game 4: Brooklyn 6, Luisville 4
Game 5: Luisville 8, Brooklyn 4
Game 6: Luisville 4, Brooklyn 3
Game 7: Luisville 5, Brooklyn 0

For the sixth straight season, the Luisville Beasts won their division and were playoff bound. The Brooklyn Knights were making their first playoff appearance since 2019. From 2017 to 2019, the Luisville Beasts and Brooklyn Knights squared off in the League 1 Series so the rivalry was rekindled in this fitting matchup. The Beasts featured the top scoring offense while the Knights had the top pitching staff in North American League Baseball.

The League 1 Series began with the host Brooklyn Knights taking a 2-1 win over the Luisville Beasts. Brooklyn's starter, left-hander Dan Courtlandt (17-3, 1.44 ERA), was marvelous. Luisville's Noel Trevenot (12-7, 3.22 ERA) was almost as good. Toshiro Kakuta and Nick Koche swatted back to back solo home runs for Brooklyn in the bottom of the fifth.

The Brooklyn Knights got a strong performance from starter Marcos Delgadillo (12-11, 2.85 ERA) in game two, but it was some clutch hitting that ultimately delivered the win. Luisville starter Paco Rivera (16-10, 3.80 ERA) was effective. He gave up two runs in six innings. It came down to relief pitching, however, as the game went into extra innings. The clutch at-bat came in the bottom of the 12th inning, when Brooklyn first baseman Toshiro Kakuta, facing Ed Boudreau, had a run-scoring single. It gave the Knights the 3-2 win.

In game three, the Luisville Beasts got a great start from 35-year-old right-hander Whitney Sanders (14-11, 3.72 ERA), as the Beasts took the 8-1 win over the Knights. Sanders threw 7.1 innings of 3-hit ball and helped Luisville close their deficit to two games to one. Brooklyn's starter, Tony Tamayo (18-4, 2.25 ERA) didn't have his best stuff. He struggled early and didn't make it out of the fifth inning.

With left fielder Syman Lowery leading the charge, the Brooklyn Knights got a road win over the Luisville Beasts, 6-4 in game four of the League 1 Series. Lowery was 1 for 2 with a home run, a walk, and was hit by a pitch, while scoring two runs to help Brooklyn take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. Brooklyn starter Aaron Patterson (16-9, 3.09 ERA) had trouble putting hitters away. He gave up four runs in the first four innings. Luisville's starter, Porfiro Quiñones (8-1, 2.59 ERA), had a 4-0 lead after four innings but then things began to unravel. The Knights tied the game in the fifth. They scored again in the sixth and ninth to secure the win.

Down three games to one in the series, every game was a must-win for the Luisville Beasts. They responded with a convincing 8-4 victory over the Brooklyn Knights in game five. Beasts left fielder Yvon Chouinard was 2 for 4 with a home run and a walk, while scoring 2 and driving in 2. With a chance to clinch the pennant, the Knights were surprisingly unfocused. Brooklyn played a sloppy game filled with miscues, including three errors, a wild pitch, a hit batsman, and a balk.

The series returned to Brooklyn for game six. In another must-win situation, the Beasts beat the Knights 4-3 to force a decisive game seven. Luisville right-hander Paco Rivera had a big role in the win. He kept Brooklyn hitters off-balance, while giving the Beasts seven quality innings. Rivera threw 100 pitches, allowing 3 hits and striking out 9. An error by third baseman John Ruben (his third in two games) cost Brooklyn at least one run. Despite falling behind 4-0, the Knights staged an exciting comeback. Down 4-3 in the ninth, the Knights had baserunners on first and third but failed to bring them home.

The League 1 Series went down to its final game, with the Luisville Beasts and the Brooklyn Knights giving their fans plenty of drama. In the end, the Beasts came out on top, winning 5-0 to take the series 4-3. Whitney Sanders out-dueled Tony Tamayo for the second time in the series. Home runs by Hsiao-lou Yeh and Pete Chavez powered the Beasts offense as they cruised to victory.

This was the ninth time these two teams met in the League 1 Series. After losing the previous eight contests, the Luisville Beasts finally prevailed and will play for the NALB World Championship.

Beasts third baseman Pete Chavez earned series MVP honors, hitting for a .444 average, with 2 home runs, 7 RBI and 5 runs scored.

After a two year playoff absence, the Brooklyn Knights roared back with a 105-57 record and easily won their division by 28 games. The Luisville Beasts fought off a tough Dunedin Otters team to secure another playoff appearance. No stranger to the postseason, the Stade Maples made the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years. The Vancouver Wild battled the Phoenix Rattlers and Richmond Slam most of the season. At season's end, the Wild prevailed over the Rattlers by a single game in the standings.

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (94-68) vs. Brooklyn Knights (105-57)
Stade Maples (80-82) vs. Vancouver Wild (91-71)

Head to head this season:
The Knights were 13-10 against the Beasts.
The Wild were 13-10 against the Maples.

Playoff injury report:

The Beasts are without starting pitcher Ton Tsuruta, who tore his UCL on August 1. LF Yvon Chouinard and RF Manuel Montaya are a little banged up but on the playoff roster. The Knights are injury free heading into the League 1 Championship Series.

The Maples have four starters on the injured list with serious injuries: Murray Hurst, Hartman Ivers, Eriq Barber, and Tyler Stivers. The Wild are without starter Gerald Lavin and closer Joe Farrell. Also on the IL for Vancouver are SS Francisco Lafantano and RF Evarado Gustamante.

September 2022 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Li-Ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Sanders (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Gordon Owen (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Jonathan Grandberry (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Rudolph Carpoza (Vancouver Wild)

The Brooklyn Knights played well in August, going 19-10. Brooklyn's lead over Las Vegas is a substantial 19½ games. Unfortunately for the Knights, Blas Ramos went on the injured list with a hamstring strain. He is not expected to return until late September at the earliest. The Dunedin Otters finally overtook the Luisville Beasts. They have a one game lead heading into August. August was very good to the Washington Allies. The Allies went from third to first, jumping ahead of the Maples and the Corals to establish a solid six game division lead. The Richmond Slam remained in first place. However, that division is up for grabs with both the Phoenix Rattlers and the Vancouver Wild only one game behind.

August 2022 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Toru Kobayashi (St. Rock Mudcats)
Pitcher of the Month: Jesús Alonso (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Rudolph Carpoza (Vancouver Wild)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Charles Revels (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Cordero Decena (St. Rock Mudcats)

The Brooklyn Knights had a 15-10 record in July. That was good enough to widen the lead over the Las Vegas Luck to 13 games. The Luisville Beasts had an up and down month. In mid-July, they ran off 12 straight wins but followed it with a 6 game losing streak. Heading into August, they hold a precarious half-game lead over the Dunedin Otters. In League 2, the Stade Maples remained in first place. However, the Vancouver Wild slipped into a tie for second with the Phoenix Rattlers. The Richmond Slam emerged as the division leader.

July 2022 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Eric McEachran (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Gin-fan Min (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Joe Farrell (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Carlos Valterza (Washington Allies)

The NALB All-Star Game was played on July 12, 2022. For League 1, the Brooklyn Knights had the top vote-getters in six out of eleven positions. They led all teams with eight players named to the All-Star squad. Vancouver led League 2 with six players named to the All-Star team.

The League 2 All-Stars reigned supreme with a 4-3 triumph over the League 1 All-Stars. League 2 right fielder Aramis Jaquez led the way for the winning club, putting up a 3-for-3 mark to earn game MVP honors. It was an exciting game tied 2-2 heading into the ninth inning. Jaquez homered in the top of the ninth inning but the League 1 All-Stars tied it to force extra innings. In the 11th inning, Jaquez hit another home run. That ended up as the game winner.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11   R  H  E
League 2 All-Stars   0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  0  1   4  7  1
League 1 All-Stars   0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1  0  0   3 11  0

W: D. Bracy
L: K. Hannah

The NALB Home Run Challenge was held on July 11. Fans who came to watch the 2022 HR Challenge expected to see some drama. Drama they received. Arturo Guerrero, the
Phoenix Rattlers right fielder, ended up winning the contest after out-homering Ming Lam in the final round by a score of 9-8.

On July 10, the NALB All-Star Prospects game was played. The League 1 Future Stars defeated the League 2 Future Stars 3-1. Second baseman John Gómez was named the game's MVP. The 22 year old plays for the Stockton Greens, which is the Single A affiliate of the Las Vegas Luck.

The Brooklyn Knights went 17-10 in June. The last two weeks of the month showed the Knights at their best with a 9-2 record. Brooklyn extended its lead once again over Las Vegas and Dayton. The Knights biggest concern heading into the second half of the season is injuries. Third baseman John Ruben was hit by a pitch and suffered a broken thumb. He is expected back in mid-July. Left fielder Syman Lowery is battling a serious hamstring strain. He will probably miss all of July and August.

In June, the Luisville Beasts and Stade Maples maintained their respective division leads but the Richmond Slam were overtaken by the Vancouver Wild.

June 2022 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Derk McParland (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Toshiro Kakuta (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Chet Hamm (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Rookie of the Month: Gin-fan Min (Vancouver Wild)

With a 19-10 record in May, the Brooklyn Knights easily stayed atop their division. The Knights extended their lead over the Luck to 7 games. The Luisville Beasts continued to play well and now sit in first place. Thanks to its tremendous pitching staff, the Stade Maples overtook the Key West Corals by a single game. The Vancouver Wild were as hot as any team in May, going 18-8. That propelled them into first place over the Richmond Slam.

May 2022 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Jorge Martínez (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Graviel Estado (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: John Lammond (Phoenix Rattlers)

The Brooklyn Knights were without star right fielder Blas Ramos for the first half of April. In his absence, however, Maurílio Godim did a fine job. Ramos recovered from his torn abdominal muscle and returned to the lineup for the rest of the month. The Knights got off to a slow start losing four out of their first five games and six out of their first nine. Brooklyn's pitching was mostly excellent, particularly its starting pitching. Once the Knights started to hit, they ran off a pretty good winning streak and ended April in first place with a 15-9 record. Most of the division races are very tight at this point, as is to be expected only one month into the season.

April 2022 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Toshiro Kakuta (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Romeo Usquiano (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)
Rookie of the Month: Gin-fin Min (Vancouver Wild)

The Brooklyn Knights finished spring training with a 16-14 record, which put them in a three-way tie for second place. The back-to-back defending champion Dayton Grizzlies led the division at 17-13. The Luisville Beasts looked solid and posted a 17-13 record. In League 2 Division 1, the Quebeck Sky Chiefs and Washington Allies were on top with 16-14 records. The winningest spring training teams, however, were the Phoenix Rattlers and Vancouver Wild. Both teams went 19-11 in League 2 Division 2.

The Knights survived spring training injury free with one exception. Frequently injured outfielder Blas Ramos tore an abdominal muscle on March 14. Brooklyn's starting right fielder is one of the league's best hitters and will be missed in the Knights' lineup. They hope to have him back mid to late April.

Other key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: SP Lariel Balibrera tore his UCL. He will miss the entire 2022 season.
• Key West Corals: C Matthew Loy fractured his thumb on March 13. He is expected to miss most of April.
• Nashville Firecats: RP Wilson Controras suffered a serious ankle sprain on March 16. He is expected to return in early May.

Here were some notable roster moves prior to the 2022 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights had the following offseason/preseason activity:

• The Knights extended the contracts of 7 players through salary arbitration: Sardar Dzhafarov, Ramone Alconer, Norman Forbes, John Ruben, Armando Alfaro, Chase Combs, and Syman Lowery.
• C Andrew Strain, 2B Roberto Hernandez, RP Cristofór De Jesús, RP Bernard Gastelu, CF Cleveland Garfield, and 1B Joe Barnstaple filed for free agency.
• Three players were lost in the Rule 5 Draft: 3B Ulf Durán, LF Loch Westlake, and 1B Howard Keats.
• Traded 26-year old minor league 2B Brenton Gabriel to the Quebeck Sky Chiefs in exchange for C Nick Koche, CL Emílio Hornélas, SP Daniel Gutérrez, 2B B.J. McClellan, and SP Chris Dickson.
• Signed free agent RP Xavier Widdison to a 4 year contract worth a total of $3,760,000. The 30 year old Aussie has played his entire 6 year NALB career with the Dayton Grizzlies.
• Japanese star 1B Toshiro Kakuta announced his attention to play in the U.S. Several teams vied for his services. The Knights won the bidding war and signed him to a 5 year, $30.3 million contract.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• 3B Adelmo Porcayo decided to stay in St. James. He signed a $19.2 million contract for 3 years.
• SP Whitney Sanders was retained by the Beasts for another 4 years. His new contract is worth $40.8 million.
• Vancouver's C Morris Brown was one of the top players available in free agency. The Wild made sure he isn't going anywhere by signing him to a 5 year deal worth a total of $68 million.
• SP Charles Revels found himself a new team. After six seasons with the Beasts, he is headed to Key West thanks to a 3 year, $11,040,000 contract.
• LF Fernando Canales left the Maples and signed with the Slam. He was pleased with Richmond's offer of $35 million over 5 years.
• Sancho Alguirre was the other coveted catcher on the free agent market. Alguirre agreed to a 6 year, $75 million contract and will stay in Phoenix.
• The Sky Chiefs couldn't come to terms with SS Marque Parita. He tested free agency and was rewarded by the Allies with a $29.3 million, 4 year contract.
• Starting pitchers usually draw a lot of interest and command a market premium. That was the case with SP Rey Alvarado. After helping the Grizzlies win back to back championships, Alvarado declared free agency as the best pitcher available. He landed a major deal with the Vancouver Wild—$88.9 million over 7 years.
• SS Joshua Ridings has made a name for himself with his glove. The Las Vegas Luck were looking to upgrade their defense so they signed him for 2 years at a total of $8 million.
• Big name catchers were in supply in this year's free agent market. Andrew Strain won the Platinum Stick Award his last two seasons in Brooklyn. His new home, however, is St. Rock. The Mudcats inked a 5 year, $36,500,000 deal with him.
• The Key West Corals take pride in having the league's best bullpen. They added yet another superstar power-pitching reliever in Júlio Guillén. He agreed to a 2 year contract worth $8,280,000/
• The Stade Maples may have lost Júlio Guillén but they added Miguel Catarino. Catarino is expected to be the Maples' new closer. His defal was for 3 years and a total of $6,840,000.
• There were several highly coveted free agents but perhaps none as much as SS Bubba Webb. The long time Grizzly spent last season in Nashville and had another productive year. He begins a new chapter with the Luisville Beasts thanks to a 5 year deal worth a total of $78.1 million.
• LF Ángel Santago found himself a new home with the Firecats. Santago inked a new contract worth $5,920,000 over 2 years.
• After roaming the outfield of Quebeck for 9 seasons, CF Bruno Payton decided to become a free agent. He opted to join the Richmond Slam thanks to an offer of $9,280,000 over 3 years.

Notable offseason trades:

• Key West sent 32-year old 1B Toshiharu Fuji and 20-year old minor league 2B Wes Frier to the Maples for 31-year old 1B Jason Raynor and 22-year old minor league RHP Tom Bentz.
• Washington traded 32-year old RHP Sosuke Nakamura and 24-year old minor league RHP Aricin MacKerracher to the Maples in exchange for 26-year old C George Medforth and 20-year old minor league RHP António Villanveua.
• Nashville shipped 28-year old HP Renato Balcazar to Stade for 22-year old minor league CF Graviel Estado and 21 -year old minor league RHP Yi-ke Guang.
• Cornfield worked out terms of a deal to send 29-year old LF Luis Vergel to Stade for 33-year old RF Roy Bennett, 20-year old minor league LHP Everette Burleigh, and 23-year old minor league LF Mack McQuisten.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2021.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Pete Chavez (Luisville Beasts)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Jesús Alonso (Dunedin Otters)
Reliever of the Year Award: Alfredo Maldonardo (Cornfield Axemen)
Newcomer of the Year: Clement Barrows (Brooklyn Knights)
Manager of the Year: Steve Blakey (Dayton Grizzlies)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Andrew Strain (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Jorge Morales (Las Vegas Luck)
Second Baseman: Givon Hopkins (Dayton Grizzlies)
Third Baseman: Pete Chavez (Luisville Beasts)
Shortstop: Bubba Webb (Nashville Firecats)
Left Fielder: Luís Vergel (Cornfield Axemen)
Center Fielder: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)
Designated Hitter: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: Kevin Winkle (Luisville Beasts)
First Baseman: Ramone Alconer (Brooklyn Knights)
Second Baseman: José Arzate (Cornfield Axemen)
Third Baseman: Joe Epp (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Carlos Cardenas (Dunedin Otters)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Hamilton Look (Nashville Firecats)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Eriq Barber (Stade Maples)
Reliever of the Year Award: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)
Newcomer of the Year: Chet Hamm (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Manager of the Year: Glen Marchand (Stade Maples)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Eriq Barber (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Chale Ortega (Washington Allies)
Third Baseman: Mead Ward (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Shortstop: Larry Arceniaga (Richmond Slam)
Left Fielder: Dorian Chivers (Washington Allies)
Center Fielder: Justyn MacLugash (Stade Maples)
Right Fielder: Tony Rodarte (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Gutierre Jiménez (Richmond Slam)
Catcher: George Medforth (Stade Maples)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Joshua Ridings (Richmond Slam)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Vancouver Wild)
Shortstop: Ramiro Socastro (Stade Maples)
Left Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: Joe Geddes (Vancouver Wild)

In early July, the Dayton Grizzlies trailed the Brooklyn Knights by six games. By the end of the month, they had claimed the division lead and never relinquished it. It wasn't easy, however. The Knights kept it close the rest of the season. In the end, the Grizzlies were division champs for the second straight year by a slim one game margin. Their path to another championship went through Luisville. The Luisville Beasts had more wins (97) than any other NALB team. They also scored more runs (823) than any other club. The Grizzlies were undaunted, however. With league leading power (217 HR) and solid pitching, Dayton was well equipped to match up against any team. They downed the Beasts in six games and moved on to the World Championship Series. Their WCS opponents were the Richmond Slam. Unlike last year's role as underdogs, the Grizzlies came in as defending champs and solid favorites. The WCS was competitive and went the maximum of seven games. Down 4-3 in the eighth inning, they never quit. A two run homer pulled out the win and made the Dayton Grizzlies the 2021 NALB world champions.


Click the image for the NALB 2021 World Championship roster

2021 World Championship Series - Richmond Slam (86-76) vs. Dayton Grizzlies (90-72)

Game 1: Dayton 5, Richmond 4
Game 2: Dayton 7, Richmond 1
Game 3: Richmond 1, Dayton 0
Game 4: Richmond 2, Dayton 0
Game 5: Richmond 6, Dayton 1
Game 6: Dayton 5, Richmond 4
Game 7: Dayton 5, Richmond 4

Series MVP: Harry Miele (Richmond Slam)

Last season, the Dayton Grizzlies made their first playoff appearance. They won a world championship against a powerhouse Key West Corals team that had won 100 regular season games. This season, the Grizzlies were back in the World Championship Series to defend their title as the favorites against the Richmond Slam. Richmond's last appearance in the WCS was back in 2012. The Grizzlies have a balanced team with good hitting and pitching. The Slam don't score a lot of runs but rely on a very good pitching staff.

Game 1: Catón Huincho (13-9, 3.72 ERA) vs. Saúl Ramírez (10-5, 4.07 ERA). It was cool and cloudy with a threat of rain in the opening game of the WCS. The Slam struck quickly against Saúl Ramirez. After three innings, Richmond held a 4-0 lead. The Grizzlies scored a pair of runs in the fourth and another run in the sixth. Huincho left the game after six innings with a 4-3 lead. Dayton won the game on a pair of late home runs, however. Quilvio Martínez hit a solo homer in the eighth and Givon Hopkins went deep in the ninth to put the Grizzlies on top 5-4.

Game 2: Mariano Ortíz (10-11, 3.17 ERA) vs. Jake Pradia (16-11, 3.09 ERA). Lefty Jake Pradia looked impressive for the Grizzlies. He pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out seven batters. Left fielder Beaghan Cajar powered Dayton's offense with two home runs. Grizzlies 7, Slam 1.

Game 3: Rey Alvarado (12-7, 3.57 ERA) vs. Don Vowles (14-8, 2.91 ERA). Back home in Richmond, the Slam desperately needed a win after dropping the first two games. Rey Alvarado did all he could for the Grizzlies. He was magnificent through 8 scoreless innings with 0 walks and 14 strikeouts. Starter Don Vowles answered the call for Richmond by pitching 6.1 shutout innings. The Slam's bullpen took care of the rest. In the bottom of the ninth the Slam won 1-0 thanks to a walkoff homer by Marc-André Lavoie.

Game 4: Hai Lovatt (3-3, 5.67 ERA) vs. Gutierre Jiménez (7-10, 3.00 ERA). Jiménez pitched 5.1 innings and the Slam bullpen took it the rest of the way for a combined shutout. The Slam had their second consecutive shutout with a 2-0 victory.

Game 5: Saúl Ramírez vs. Catón Huincho. With the series tied 2-2, game five was pivotal. Once again, Ramirez got shelled early. He surrendered five earned runs and didn't last two innings. Second inning homers by Joshua Ridings and Urbano Ramos drove Ramirez out of the game. Huincho gave up only one run through 6.1 impressive innings. Richmond won easily, 6-1.

Game 6: Mariano Ortíz vs. Jake Pradia. Pradia out-dueled Ortíz again. Heading into the eighth inning, Dayton's 5-2 lead appeared pretty secure. Closer Xavier Widdison gave up two runs but held on to get the save. Grizzlies 5, Slam 4.

Game 7: Don Vowles vs. Rey Alvarado. The Grizzlies thrilled their hometown fans in the bottom of the second. Quilvio Martínez led off with a solo home run and three more hits contributed to a three run inning. Alvarado cruised through four innings, striking out eight batters while giving up no runs. Things began to unravel for Alvarado in the fifth inning, however. The Slam scored four runs off of a single, hit batsman, two walks, and a double. Richmond kept its 4-3 lead into the eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, Héctor Veolásquez crushed a 95 mph fastball and sent it over the right field wall. Dayton took a 5-4 lead. Eric Matts held the Slam scoreless in the ninth to give the Grizzlies the win and another world championship. The Grizzlies are only the second team in history (after the Brooklyn Knights) to win back to back NALB championships.

Slam catcher Harry Miele was named the World Championship Series MVP. Despite playing for the losing side, his performance was too impressive to ignore. Miele hit .522 (12 for 23) and had 1 HR, 4 RBI, and scored 4 runs.

2021 League 1 Series - Dayton Grizzlies (90-72) vs. Luisville Beasts (97-65)

Game 1: Dayton 5, Luisville 2
Game 2: Dayton 8, Luisville 7
Game 3: Luisville 3, Dayton 2
Game 4: Dayton 4, Luisville 2
Game 5: Luisville 6, Dayton 2
Game 6: Dayton 5, Luisville 4

Series MVP: Li-ben Chai (Dayton Grizzlies)

In their first playoff appearance last year, the Dayton Grizzlies went all the way and became NALB champions. In 2021, they looked to defend their title against the Luisville Beasts. The Luisville Beasts won their fifth straight division title and hoped to avenge last season's loss to the Grizzlies.

Grizzlies lefty Jake Pradia (16-11, 3.09 ERA) had the task of facing the Beasts and their top scoring offense. The Beasts game one starter was Whitney Sanders (19-9, 2.92 ERA), NALB's winningest pitcher. Sanders pitched well but the Grizzlies chipped away by scoring a run in three of the first five innings. Pradia looked unaffected by the pressure and cruised through six innings, allowing only three hits. Dayton opened the series with a 5-2 win.

Dayton's talented Cuban pitcher Rey Alvarado (12-7, 3.57 ERA) got the game two start. Noel Trevenot (13-6, 3.59 ERA) took the mound for Luisville. After three scoreless innings, the floodgates opened. It was a slugfest the rest of the way. Despite a total of seven runs and sixteen hits, the Beasts were unable to prevail. The Grizzlies committed two errors and had only eight hits but maximized their opportunities. They edged the Beasts 8-7.

As the series moved to Dayton for game three, Luisville started veteran Charles Revels (11-7, 3.27 ERA) against Saúl Ramírez (10-5, 4.07 ERA). The game was a low scoring affair and this time the Beasts came out of top. Luisville topped Dayton 3-2 for its first win of the series.

In game four, Paco Rivera (15-10, 4.24 ERA) was the Beasts starting pitcher. The Grizzlies countered with Hai Lovatt (3-3, 5.67 ERA), a pitcher with relatively little major league experience. The spotlight didn't bother Lovatt a bit. He pitched into the seventh inning and only gave up one run. The Grizzlies won 4-2.

Pradia and Sanders were back on the mound to start game five. Pradia out-pitched Sanders in game one but that wasn't the case this time. Pradia went six innings but gave up five runs. Sanders showed why he led all pitchers in regular season wins. He gave up only two runs (one unearned) in seven innings. Home runs by Chouinard and Chavez helped pace the Beasts to a 6-2 victory.

Game six was an elimination game for the Beasts at home. Down three games to two, they had to win both remaining games in Luisville to stay alive. The starting pitchers were the same as game two, Alvarado vs. Trevenot. The Beasts scored quickly with three runs in the first, including a homer by Hsiao-lou Yeh. Yeh doubled in the bottom of the sixth and scored to make it 4-0. The Grizzlies remained calm and kept fighting. In the seventh inning, a Li-ben Chai homer capped a three run inning. In the top of the ninth, the Grizzlies struck again with three straight hits and two runs. Luisville failed to score in the bottom of the ninth. Dayton has done it again. The Grizzlies won the League 1 series for the second straight year, four games to two.

Grizzlies right fielder Li-ben Chai earned series MVP honors. He posted a .333 average with 8 hits, 2 home runs, and 3 RBI.

2021 League 2 Series - Richmond Slam (86-76) vs. Stade Maples (93-69)

Game 1: Richmond 2, Stade 0
Game 2: Stade 5, Richmond 2
Game 3: Richmond 3, Stade 0
Game 4: Stade 9, Richmond 2
Game 5: Richmond 3, Stade 2
Game 6: Richmond 10, Stade 8

Series MVP: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)

Once a perennial contender, the Richmond Slam hadn't been to the playoffs since 2014. Richmond's road to the championship needed to go through Stade. The Maples are a very complete team with the league's best pitching staff and a decent offense.

The opener featured starters Ramon Uribes (8-8, 1.96 ERA) for the Slam and Eriq Barber (11-6, 2.34 ERA) for the Maples. The game was a fine pitching duel. Both starters were sharp and lasted six innings. Uribes was a bit better, however, and the Slam nailed down a 2-0 shutout with the help of their bullpen.

The Maples desperately wanted to avoid losing the first two games at home. Stade's Braulio Crame (14-10, 3.67 ERA) got the pressure packed start against Don Vowles (14-8, 2.91 ERA). By the fifth inning, the Maples had cruised to a 5-0 lead. Richmond scored a couple of runs late. However, seven solid innings from Crame and two from Berto Sarzosa in relief secured a 5-2 win for the Maples.

With the series tied 1-1, the Slam looked forward to heading back to Richmond for game 3. They started 31 year old Catón Huincho (13-9, 3.72 ERA) against 26 year old Alex Mobley (5-4, 3.47 ERA). Mobley was acquired from Brooklyn on July 31 after spending his entire career in the Knights' organization. The Slam hit three solo home runs—two by Joshua Ridings and one by Roy Dabbs. Richmond's pitching gave the team its second shutout win of the series by a score of 3-0.

Once again, the Maples looked to even the series in game four. The pitching matchup was Stade's Trip Taraz (1-2, 4.94 ERA) vs. Richmond's Mariano Ortíz (10-11, 3.17 ERA). The Maples jumped on top quickly with four runs in the first inning, highlighted by a three run homer by Javier Cirnernos. In the eighth inning, Kurt Johnson added a grand slam to dash any hopes of a comeback by the Slam. The game ended as a 9-2 win for the Maples.

Game five was a rematch between the game one starters, Uribes and Barber. This one went into extra innings tied 2-2. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Carl Gwinn hit a walk-off homer to win the game for Richmond, 3-2.

Game six featured the game two starters, Crame and Vowles. This time, it was a slugfest. After three innings, the Slam led 9-4. Despite two home runs and six doubles for the game, the Maples fell short. Three Richmond home runs powered a 10-8 victory for the Slam.

Richmond right fielder Aramis Jáquez was named the series MVP. He hit .273 with 3 HR and 7 RBI.

The defending champions did it again. The Dayton Grizzlies held off the Brooklyn Knights to win the division by a single game. Brooklyn won four out of the last five games but fell a bit short in their comeback effort. The Grizzlies stamped their ticket to the postseason by winning 14 out of 23 head to head matchups with the Knights. They will face the Luisville Beasts, the league's top scoring team with the best record. In the League 2 Series, the Richmond Slam will face the Stade Maples. The Maples return to the playoffs for the third time in four years after missing the postseason in 2020. Once a perennial playoff team, the Slam won their division for the first time since 2014.

The League Series match-ups:
Dayton Grizzlies (90-72) vs. Luisville Beasts (97-65)
Richmond Slam (86-76) vs. Stade Maples (93-69)

Head to head this season:
The Beasts were 13-10 against the Grizzlies.
The Maples were 11-12 against the Slam.

Playoff injury report:

Starting pitchers Gerald Lavin and Norberto Baleazar are out for the Grizzlies as are 2B Jae-won So and 3B Kazuki Sai. The Beasts' key players out with injuries are with C Dan Conley, SP Porfiro Quiñonez, and RP Ashley Clare.

SS Larry Arceniaga and RP Juan Cambray are on the injured list for the Slam. The Maples have a bunch of pitchers on the IL: SP Tyler Stivers, SP Vincent Cadieux, SP Hartman Ivers, SP Murray Hurst, and RP Almendeto Trillio,

September 2021 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Sanders (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Ascot Balay (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Catón Huincho (Richmond Slam)
Rookie of the Month: Ismael Zamudio (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

The Dayton Grizzlies have been in first place in League 1 Division 1 since taking the lead in July. The Knights trailed the Grizzlies by an average of two games for most of the month. A three game sweep by the Mudcats pushed the deficit to three games. Brooklyn closed to within a single game of Dayton in late August but faltered and ended August 3½ back. Luisville, Stade, and Richmond continued to lead their respective divisions.

Although the Knights starting pitching was quite poor through the first four months of the season, things began to turn around in August. The trade for starter Dan Courtlandt paid off in a big way. In 6 starts for the Knights, Courtlandt was 5-0 with a 1.24 ERA, which earned him pitcher of the month honors.

August 2021 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Pete Chavez (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Larry Fibbin (Dunedin Otters)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Stafford Konig (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Paul Milburn (Vancouver Wild)

The Brooklyn Knights entered July with a 5½ game lead over the Dayton Grizzlies. Brooklyn's lead was as large as six games before the Knights began to slide. A lackluster month (10-15 record) from the Knights coupled with a hot month from the Grizzlies (17-7 record) flipped the division. At the end of July, Dayton held a two game division lead. The other three division leaders stayed on top—Beasts, Maples, and Slam. July 31 was the trade deadline and the Knights made two big trades on the last day of the month.

Brooklyn Knights trades:

• Traded 31-year old RHP Darius Luxton to the St. James Crusaders, getting 31-year old 2B Kent von Kantzow, 23-year old minor league RHP Tim Menard, 23-year old minor league RF Mark Ford, and 25-year old minor league RHP Anderson Eliserio in return.
• Traded 28-year old RHP Júlio Guillén, 26-year old minor league RHP Alex Mobley, and a 1st round draft pick to the Stade Maples, getting 27-year old LHP Dan Courtlandt, 23-year old minor league RHP Todd Ingram, 25-year old minor league 1B Jesús Bolaño, 24-year old minor league 1B Devon Dearana, and 25-year old minor league LF Josiah von Vietinghoff in return.

July 2021 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Beagan Cajar (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Alfredo Maldonardo (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Urbano Delgado (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Kearney Snipes (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Chet Hamm (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

NALB held its annual All-Star Game on July 13, 2021. Eight players from the Brooklyn Knights were voted onto the League 1 All-Stars roster, five pitchers and three fielders. The Maples' Eriq Barber was League 2's starting pitcher and Eric Matts of the Grizzlies got the start for League 1. The game was competitive. Heading into the sixth inning, the score was tied 2-2. Catcher Aneury Martínez of the Las Vegas Luck hit a three-run homer in the sixth. That contributed to a four run inning for League 1. With Ken Hannah on the mound in the ninth, the League 2 All-Stars made it interesting. They scored a pair of runs but ended up losing 6-4. Las Vegas first baseman Jorge Morales was named the player of the game.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 All-Stars   2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0   6  6  0
League 2 All-Stars   1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2   4 12  2

W: N. Forbes
L: D. Courtlandt

The NALB Home Run Challenge was held on the evening prior to the All-Star Game. At the all-star break, Jorge Morales led League 1 with 26 home runs. Morales put his powerful swing on display in the HR Challenge. Morales prevailed in the final round against the Axemen's Luís Vergel by a score of 16-15.

On July 11, the NALB All-Star Prospects game was played. The League 1 Future Stars defeated the League 2 Future Stars 9-6. Catcher Johnny Chamness earned the game's MVP award. The 25 year old plays for the Middlesborough Cavalry, which is the AAA affiliate of the Quebeck Sky Chiefs.

The 2021 season is roughly at its midpoint. Brooklyn went 18-9 in June and opened up a 5½ game lead over Dayton by the end of the month. The Knights got a lot of production out of third baseman John Ruben, who was named League 1's batter of the month. At one stretch, Ruben was as hot as any hitter could be. He got on base In 15 consecutive plate appearances—11 for 11 with 3 walks and a hit by pitch. The Knights finally started to see some improvement in starting pitching, moving from 8th place to 6th place in starters' ERA. The Luisville Beasts worked through their early season stumbles and now hold a solid 4½ game lead over the Otters. The Stade Maples stayed ahead of the Key West Corals. The Vancouver Wild, however, went into free fall. An 8-19 record in June plunged the Wild from first place into last place. The Richmond Slam surged to take over the division lead.

June 2021 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: John Ruben (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Noel Trevenot (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Ascot Balay (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Lowie Zuydam (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Luís Vareas (St. James Crusaders)

The Dayton Grizzlies and Brooklyn Knights continued to battle for the top spot in their division. Near the end of May, the Knights had a 3½ game lead over the Grizzlies. Brooklyn had a weak finish, however, and lost five out of its last six games. The Knights starting pitching continued to struggle with a league worst 5.04 ERA. At the end of May, Dayton sat atop the division, leading by a half-game. The Luisville Beasts came roaring out of last place to come within two games of the Otters. The best team NALB team remained the Stade Maples with a record of 34-19. The Vancouver Wild played well in May and were able to overtake the RIchmond Slam by a half-game.

May 2021 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Clement Barrows (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Luís Vareas (St. James Crusaders)

Without any injuries in spring training, the Brooklyn Knights were a healthy team at the start the 2021 season. Star outfielder Blas Ramos was bothered by a stiff back in early April, however. Although not serious enough to send him to the injured list, it kept him out of the starting lineup for almost two weeks. The Knights played well without Ramos and got off to a 12-5 start. Unfortunately, that was followed by a four game losing streak and an injury to right fielder Maurílio Godim. Godim ruptured a tendon in his foot and is expected to miss five months of action. At the end of April, Brooklyn and Dayton were tied with 14-9 records. The Otters, Maples, and Slam ended the month atop their respective divisions.

April 2021 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Sigfried Crockett (Cornfield Axemen)
Pitcher of the Month: Jake Pradia (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Nelson Sánchez (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Jonathan Grandberry (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Hartman Ivers (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Luís Vareas (St. James Crusaders)

The Brooklyn Knights posted a league best 20-10 record in spring training. The Richmond Slam matched that 20-10 record, which was the best in League 2.

The Knights sailed through spring training without any injuries. They are at full strength entering the regular season.

Key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: C Filip Chambless strained his hamstring and will miss 6 weeks.
• Dunedin Otters: C Willie Nolan broke a bone in his elbow. He will be out for 5 months.
• Las Vegas Luck: RP Sean Pittman suffered a partially torn labrum. He will need 3 months of recovery time.
• Vancouver Wild: 1B Rob Wintle ruptured his medial collateral ligament, which is a season ending injury.
• Washington Allies: SP Francisco Camano is expected to miss 3 weeks due to a sprained elbow.

Here were some notable roster moves prior to the 2021 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights had the following offseason/preseason activity:

• The Knights extended the contracts of 13 players through salary arbitration: Sardar Dzhafarov, Ramone Alconer, Roberto Hernández, Júlio Guillén, Alex Mobley, Darius Luxton, Cleveland Garfield, John Ruben, Syman Lowery, Xerxes Scaife, Cristófor De Jesús, Joe Barnstaple, and Andrew Strain.
• RP Juan Fuentes filed for free agency and signed with the Cornfield Axemen.
• Two players were lost in the Rule 5 Draft—SP Ramón Madriz and LF Loch Westlake
• Traded 27-year old minor league RHP Jens Leach to the Dayton Grizzlies, getting 24-year old minor league 2B Bryan Inge, 23-year old minor league C Frankie Washer, 25-year old minor league SS Jorge Dernove, 23-year old minor league SS Micah Dickerson, and 24-year old minor league RHP Charles Vannoy in return.
• Traded 31-year old RHP Xerxes Scaife and 24-year old minor league RHP Linwood Bloch to the Nashville Firecats, getting 26-year old RHP Milton Mann, 24-year old minor league LF Joe Linsday, and 24-year old minor league RHP Humphrey Wonnacott in return.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• 3B Pete Chavez returned to Luisville after a two year absence. He signed a 2 year $19 million contract.
• 2B Bubba Webb was probably the biggest name in the 2021 free agent market. He opted to join the Nashville Firecats after their $59.5 million offer for 4 years.
• The Phoenix Rattlers added CF Oscar Barrientes to their roster. The deal was $30.1 million for 4 years.
• Veteran SP Porfiro Quiñones agreed to join the Luisville Beasts. His 4 year contract is worth $19,040,000.
• The Dunedin Otters solidified their pitching staff by signing SP Anastasio Urbáez. They locked him up for 5 years, $28.5 million.
• Star shortstop Larry Arceniaga is now with the Richmond Slam. He inked a $15.8 million, 2 year contract.
• SP José Urista agreed to a $8.56 million 2 year deal to join the Key West Corals.
• 3B Hsiao-lou Yuan landed himself a big contract with the Rattlers. His deal is worth $59.1 million over 5 years.
• The Corals were active in free agency. They added LF Victorio Zavaca to the Key West roster. Zavaca will earn $21.8 million over 3 years.
• Legendary slugger Tony Rodarte will play for Quebeck in 2021. The Sky Chiefs offered Rodarte a 2 year deal worth $11.2. The long time outfielder will probably play first base for his new team.
• For some time, Key West has been known for their great relief pitching. That should certainly be the case again as they added RP Ximien Palmiero to their bullpen. His contract was 3 years, $13.42 million
• RP Joe Farrell signed a 3 year $9.0 million deal with the Vancouver Wild.
• On January 3, the Corals landed yet another star reliever in free agency. RP Tim Sanders agreed to a 3 year $6.88 million contract
• SP Lewis McGrew found a new home in Key West. The Corals spent big in the offseason to bolster their pitching staff. McGrew will earn $25.2 million over the next 3 years.
• RF Chris Lee chose to sign with Key West as well. The Corals look to be formidable in 2021 and their 4 year $25.4 million offer made it an easy decision for Lee.
• The Corals weren't done upgrading their bullpen. A 3 year $11.84 million offer lured superstar RP Benny Alazardo to Key West.

Notable offseason trades:

• SP Angel Martinez was traded by the Cornfield Axemen to the Key West Corals in exchange for C António Pacheco and 1B Norberto Bautista.
• LF Bill Hardeman was traded by the Washington Allies to the Key West Corals, along with a 3rd round draft pick, in exchange for RP Miguel Catarino and CL Felipe Casillas.

With an 89-73 record, the Brooklyn Knights had their least successful season ever. In 20 previous seasons, the Knights failed to win their division only once (2013). However, that 2013 team still managed to win 96 games. What went wrong in 2020? The offseason/preseason gave some reasons for concern before the season began. While other teams were making trades and signing free agents, the Knights were the only NALB team that did not add a new player to its roster. Brooklyn's only trades involved minor leagues players, which were not impactful. The Knights' plans for 2020 involved minimum roster changes. One significant decision was to let third baseman Alberto Pescador leave for free agency. The plan was to move John Ruben from first base back to third base, which is his natural position. The Knights wanted to sign Mabon Beniniger as their new first baseman. After seven years in Dunedin, Beniniger filed for free agency and was the most coveted player on the market. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, the Washington Allies wasted no time offering Beniniger a deal. They quickly came to terms ($133.2 million over 8 years) before the Knights could match or exceed the offer. In response, the Knights called up Ramone Alconer from AAA to play first base.

Preseason predictions had the Brooklyn Knights winning 93 games, which placed them 5 games ahead of the Dayton Grizzlies. In April, however, the Knights did not resemble a top team. After the first month of the season, they were in third place with a disappointing 9-13 record. Many thought the 2020 Knights would struggle offensively with far fewer top hitters and less power. Surprisingly, it was their pitching that looked completely atypical. Their pitching staff was a team strength but they did not play like it early on. As the season progressed, however, the Knights looked better and better. By June, they had climbed to first place in the division. They slipped a bit in July but trailed the Grizzlies by a mere two games at the all-star break. Down the stretch, the Grizzlies kept winning just enough to keep the Knights at bay. Brooklyn was never able to close the gap.

Overall, the Knights offense was mediocre and the weakest in franchise history. Out of 8 League 1 teams, they finished 5th in runs scored with 689. Likewise, their team batting average of .252 was only good enough for 5th place. After a rocky start, Brooklyn's pitching mostly returned to form. A team ERA of 3.53 was tops in League 1. That was largely due to the excellence of the Knights' bullpen. Their starters collectively had a 4.19 ERA, which was only 5th best in League 1. Staff ace Tony Tamayo had a particularly frustrating year. He failed to win 10 games for the first time in his career. His 9-12 record was predominately caused by home runs allowed (28) and a career low in run support (2.4 per game).

The outlook for 2021 is somewhat unclear. Three players are over 35 years in age. Hooks Goetz is 40; Bernard Gastelu and Flavio Marquez will turn 38 next year. Their best days are behind them. The Knights could use a younger player with a big bat to add to their lineup. Unfortunately, there are no upcoming free agents the caliber of a Mabon Beniniger. The Knights committed a lot of money to their "big three" starting pitchers: Tony Tamayo ($13.5m), Marcos Delgadillo ($15.0m), and Aaron Patterson ($10.0m). An upgrade to their fourth or fifth starter could be in order. The bullpen appears solid for the near future, particularly with the six-year extension given to closer Ken Hannah. The biggest challenge going forward will be staying competitive with a significantly improved Dayton Grizzlies team, the current NALB champions.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2020.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Reliever of the Year Award: Alfredo Maldonardo (Cornfield Axemen)
Newcomer of the Year: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Manager of the Year: Steve Blakey (Dayton Grizzlies)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Andrew Strain (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Luisville Beasts)
Second Baseman: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Derk McPartland (Dunedin Otters)
Shortstop: Lariel Gómez (Dunedin Otters)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Beagan Cajar (Dayton Grizzlies)
Right Fielder: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Designated Hitter: Toru Kobayashi (St. Rock Mudcats)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: Luís Ellanos (Dayton Grizzlies)
First Baseman: Ramone Alconer (Brooklyn Knights)
Second Baseman: Richard Brehm (Dunedin Otters)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Carlos Cardenas (St. Rock Mudcats)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Jonathan Robb (Cornfield Axemen)
Right Fielder: Michael Jackson (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Reliever of the Year Award: Tim Sanders (Stade Maples)
Newcomer of the Year: Cletus MacPherson (St. James Crusaders)
Manager of the Year: Senon López (Key West Corals)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Dave Groot (Key West Corals)
Third Baseman: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Left Fielder: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Center Fielder: Pedro Castro (Vancouver Wild)
Right Fielder: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Alejandro Rocha (Key West Corals)
Catcher: Nick Koche (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Jorge Cheno (Stade Maples)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Shortstop: Ramiro Socastro (Stade Maples)
Left Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Gilberto Malgoso (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Right Fielder: Joe Geddes (Vancouver Wild)

The Dayton Grizzlies won their first division title in 2020. In this magical season, they held off the Brooklyn Knights to finish in first place. They proceeded to beat the formidable Luisville Beasts in the League 1 Series. Finally, they became NALB champions by defeating the Key West Corals in six games in the World Championship Series. What a season it was for the Grizzlies and their fans. Dayton set a franchise season attendance record as fans increasingly realized this could be "their year." The Grizzlies were two games ahead of the Knights at the all-star break and they never relinquished that lead.

On a team with many great players, there were a few standouts. Starting pitcher Rey Alvarado had a magnificent season with a league leading 20-5 record and 2.36 ERA. Last year's Newcomer of the Year Beagan Cajar followed up with an even better sophomore season. The center fielder hit 41 home runs and led the league with 11 triples and 126 RBI. The Grizzlies' best player may have been Bubba Webb. He split his time between shortstop and first base. With a .287 batting average, 38 doubles, 33 home runs, and a .564 slugging average, Webb had a great all-around season. He elevated his game in the playoffs and was named the MVP of both the League 1 Series and the World Championship Series.


Click the image for the NALB 2020 World Championship roster

2020 World Championship Series - Dayton Grizzlies (93-69) vs. Key West Corals (100-62)

Game 1: Dayton 4, Key West 3
Game 2: Key West 1, Dayton 0
Game 3: Dayton 5, Key West 4
Game 4: Key West 8, Dayton 6
Game 5: Dayton 5, Key West 4
Game 6: Dayton 6, Key West 4

Series MVP: Bubba Webb (Dayton Grizzlies)

The Dayton Grizzlies had been an up and coming team on the verge of breaking out. After three straight second place finishes, they won their first division title in 2020. This season's team was their most talented yet. They were well-balanced with skilled pitching and hitting, plus plenty of power. Proving they were no fluke, the Grizzlies dispatched the Luisville Beasts rather easily in the League 1 Series. Facing the Grizzlies in the 2020 World Championship Series was the Key West Corals. The Corals had somewhat of a dynasty from 2013 to 2016. In that span, they appeared in three World Championship Series and won two. After missing the playoffs the last two seasons, Key West led all teams with 100 wins this year.

Game 1: Rey Alvarado (20-5, 2.36 ERA) vs. Porfiro Quiñones (5-8, 3.73 ERA). Although their regular season records might indicate otherwise, this was an evenly matched game between two experienced starting pitchers. Both hurlers gave up three runs. Quiñones pitched six innings for while Alvarado lasted seven for Dayton. It came down to the closers in the ninth inning. Third baseman Jason Raynor came in to pinch hit for the Grizzlies. He delivered a solo home run off of Lowie Zuydam. Xavier Widdison closed out the game for the Grizzlies' 4-3 win.

Game 2: Jade Pradia (14-6, 2.79 ERA) vs. Alexander Sandilands (10-6, 3.70 ERA). Dayton's Pradia put on a pitching clinic for five innings, giving up only a single run. However, Sandilands was even better. He pitched 5.1 scoreless innings and the Corals' bullpen was equally as effective. The only run in Key West's 1-0 win was from a solo homer by right fielder Carlos Tehera in the third inning.

Game 3: Hartman Ivers (6-5, 4.04 ERA) vs. Eric Matts (9-10, 4.17 ERA). The series moved to Dayton for game three. The Corals had a veteran 34 year old Ivers on the mound. The Grizzlies started big 6'6" lefty Eric Matts, one of the hardest throwers in the game. An early 4-3 lead by the Grizzlies was erased in the sixth inning. Grizzlies' right fielder Rainer Rojas tied the game 4-4 with a solo home run. The game was decided in the bottom of the tenth inning when third baseman Quilvio Martínez won the game for the Grizzlies with a solo homer to left field.

Game 4: Peter Burdick (10-6, 3.61 ERA) vs. Norberto Baleazar (11-12, 4.55 ERA). The starting pitching for game four wasn't as good as previous games. Both pitchers struggled and gave up five runs each. Tied 5-5 after six innings, the seventh inning ended up as the game's decisive turning point. Key West claimed the lead thanks to a three-run homer by Adelmo Porcayo. The Grizzlies scratched out a run in the bottom half of the inning but took the loss by a score of 8-6.

Game 5: Porfiro Quiñones vs. Rey Alvarado. With the series tied 2-2, game five in Dayton had the potential to be the pivotal match-up. It featured a rematch of the game one starters. The score was different but the outcome was the same. The Grizzlies won by a single run. Although Quiñones had a quality start with three runs over six innings, Alvarado was the clear player of the game. The Dayton starter pitched seven shutout innings. With a 3-0 lead heading into the ninth inning, Dayton almost let the game slip away. Closer Xavier Widdison blew the save and gave up four runs. It took a walk-off two-run homer by first baseman Bubba Webb to give the Grizzlies the 5-4 win.

Game 6: Jade Pradia vs. Alexander Sandilands. Down three games to two, the Corals needed to win both remaining games in Key West. They hoped for a repeat of Sandilands' masterful game two start, which contributed to a shutout victory. It was not to be, however. He was pulled in the third inning after surrendering four runs. Pradia fared better with three runs given up over five innings. The Grizzlies scored two runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Corals never managed to catch up. Every time they scored, the Grizzlies answered with more runs. In the end, it was a 6-4 win for Dayton. The Grizzlies' Bubba Webb was masterful. He went 3 for 3 with a walk and 2 home runs. The victory made the Dayton Grizzlies the 2020 NALB World Champions!

Dayton's Bubba Webb was named the MVP of the World Championship Series. Webb had 4 home runs, 7 RBIs, and played tremendous defense at first base. His great play was a key factor in the Grizzlies' success over the regular season and playoffs. He was previously named as the MVP of the League 2 Series.

2020 League 2 Series - Phoenix Rattlers (89-73) vs. Key West Corals (100-62)

Game 1: Key West 4, Phoenix 1
Game 2: Key West 5, Phoenix 0
Game 3: Phoenix 7, Key West 3
Game 4: Key West 2, Phoenix 1
Game 5: Phoenix 2, Key West 0
Game 6: Phoenix 5, Key West 1
Game 7: Key West 9, Phoenix 5

Series MVP: Chi-ju Fong (Key West Corals)

The Phoenix Rattlers, reigning NALB champions, hoped to become the second franchise in league history to win back to back World Championships. To date, the only team with that distinction is the Brooklyn Knights. In the way of the Rattlers was the Key West Corals. They were NALB's winningest team in 2020 with 100 victories in the regular season.

Two veteran pitchers started game one of the League 2 Series. For Phoenix, it was Heath MacKissock (11-11, 4.14 ERA). Key West's starter was Porfiro Quiñones (5-8, 3.73 ERA). Both starters pitched well. Heading into the seventh inning, the Rattlers held a slim 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, the Corals strung together five hits, including a three-run home run. That put Key West up 4-1, which was the final score.

Game two was a one-sided affair. Corals' starter Hartman Ivers frustrated Rattlers' hitters for 6.2 scoreless innings. Key West won easily, 5-0.

The Rattlers looked like a different team back in Phoenix for game three. They jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning and added three more runs in the fifth. Meanwhile, starter Stafford Konig kept Phoenix in check. Konig surrendered only one earned run across 6.1 innings. The Rattlers offensive star was first baseman Grandberry, who had three hits and a walk in four plate appearances. The 7-3 win gave the Rattlers some much needed life.

Game four featured another pitching duel between two pitchers who looked very sharp. Phoenix's Shane McSweeny gave up one run in six innings while Key West's Alexander Sandilands gave up one run in 6.1 innings. The outcome was decided in extra innings. A solo home run by shortstop Chi-ju Fong in the top of the tenth led to a 2-1 Corals' win.

It was do or die for the Rattlers in game five. Fortunately for them, they responded to the challenge. MacKissock avenged his game one loss to Quiñones and the Corals. He pitched 5.2 scoreless innings and gave up a mere two hits. Phoenix's 2-0 shutout victory sent the series back to Key West.

The Corals were unable to wrap up the series in game six. Hartman Ivers was not as sharp as he was in game two. The Rattlers scored five runs off of Ivers, which was plenty for their starter David Bracy. Bracy gave up but a single run and led the Rattlers to a 5-1 win.

Tensions were high for the decisive game seven. The Corals didn't waste any time to secure the victory. After scoring two runs in the first inning, they added six more in the second inning. It was Chi-ju Fong's grand slam in the second that took the steam out of the Rattlers. The Rattlers still showed a lot of fight but the deficit was too great. The Key West Corals won the game 9-5 and will advance to the World Championship Series to play the Dayton Grizzlies.

The sweet swing of shortstop Chi-ju Fong led his team in the League Series. The Key West Corals star earned series MVP honors. For the series, Fong hit .320 with 2 home runs, 7 RBIs, and scored 4 runs.

2020 League 1 Series - Dayton Grizzlies (93-69) vs. Luisville Beasts (97-65)

Game 1: Dayton 5, Luisville 4
Game 2: Dayton 6, Luisville 1
Game 3: Dayton 9, Luisville 6
Game 4: Luisville 13, Dayton 12
Game 5: Dayton 9, Luisville 2

Series MVP: Bubba Webb (Dayton Grizzlies)

With four straight division titles, the Luisville Beasts were no strangers to the League 1 Series. The difference this year was the absence of the Brooklyn Knights. Instead, the Dayton Grizzlies made their first playoff appearance. Both teams were very solid with great hitting and pitching.

The game one opener in Luisville was a competitive contest. The Grizzlies had starter Rey Alvarado (20-5, 2.36 ERA) matched up against rookie sensation Paco Rivera (15-9, 3.46 ERA) for the Beasts. Dayton scored in each of the first three innings and built a 4-0 lead. Luisville tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the third, however. Third baseman Quilvio Martinez hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to give the Grizzlies a 5-4 win.

Game two was a classic pitchers' duel with Dayton's Jake Pradia vs. Luisville's Cory Gregory. After four innings, the game was tied at one run apiece. Both bullpens kept things in check as the game was still 1-1 heading into the 13th inning. The Grizzlies scored five runs to earn a decisive 6-1 win.

Having lost the first two games at home, the Luisville Beasts felt the pressure heading to Dayton for game three. They did not respond well. The Beasts gave up three runs in the first, five more in the fourth, and another run in the sixth. Down 9-0, the outcome appeared certain. The Beasts scored 6 runs in the eighth but their comeback fell short. Grizzlies center fielder Beagan Cajar was the star of the game. The 2019 Newcomer of the Year award winner went 4 for 5 with a double, a home run, and 5 RBIs. Dayton's 9-6 win put them up three games to none and one win away from victory.

The Beasts showed guts in game 4. With their backs up against the wall, they struck early with four runs in the first inning. Going into the sixth inning, they clung to a 5-3 lead. The Grizzlies stormed back in the sixth and seventh, however, and took the lead 10-5. Possessing one of NALB's most formidable offenses, Luisville showed its prowess in the eighth inning. They scored eight runs, which included a three-run homer from third baseman Okura Kono. Dayton almost pulled off a comeback by scoring a run in the eighth and another in the ninth. When the slugfest was over, however, the Beasts remained victorious 13-12.

The Grizzlies had one more chance to wrap up the series at home in game five. They did just that. They scored runs in spurts, putting up three in the second inning, three in the seventh inning, and a final three in the eighth inning. The Beasts scored two runs in the ninth but it was too little, too late. The Dayton Grizzlies won 9-2 to clinch the League 1 Series.

Dayton's first baseman Bubba Webb was named series MVP. Webb was red hot in the series, which saw him put up a .333 average, as well as 2 home runs and 9 RBI.

The Dayton Grizzlies won their division for the first time. This was only the second time in 21 NALB seasons that the Brooklyn Knights failed to finish in first place. Despite some competition from the Otters and Firecats, the Luisville Beasts repeated as division champions for the fourth straight season. The Key West Corals outpaced a tough Stade Maples team to win its first division title since 2017. Finally, the Phoenix Rattlers won their division for the third straight year. The defending champions edged the Vancouver Wild by a single game. They also survived a furious season finish by the Richmond Slam.

The League Series match-ups:
Dayton Grizzlies (93-69) vs. Luisville Beasts (97-65)
Phoenix Rattlers (89-73) vs. Key West Corals (100-62)

Head to head this season:
The Beasts were 12-12 against the Grizzlies.
The Corals were 13-10 against the Rattlers.

Playoff injury report:
Starting pitcher Kent Eliot is on Dayton's injury list. He has been unavailable since May, however, so the Grizzlies have become accustomed to playing without him. Injuries have taken their toll on the Beasts. The following players are on Luisville's injury list: SP Charles Revels, SP Noel Trevenot, SP Anastasio Urbáez, RP Albin Audelo, CL Ed Boudrou, and 2B Amsalu Kanda.

The Corals have several players on the injury list: SP Vincent Cadieux, RP Fred Dyball, RP Danny Ruíz, and CF Phil Tompkins. Likewise, the Rattlers have four players on the IL: SP Ralph Kerfoot, SP Jaview Rosavio, SP Markus Wrightm and RP Fernando Landaes.

September 2020 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Beagan Cajar (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Lowie Zuydam (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: George Medforth (Stade Maples)

Things couldn't have gone much worse for the Brooklyn Knights to start the month of August. Down 5½ games to the Grizzlies, the Knights were an abysmal 4-11 in the first half of the month. In late August, the Knights traveled to Dayton for an important three game series against the Grizzlies. Dayton won two games out of three. Heading into September, the Grizzlies maintain a six game lead over the Knights. With a 14 game lead, the Beasts are well on their way to winning another division. Things look a bit trickier for the Maples. Their lead over the Corals has shrunk to a mere two games. The Rattlers are NALB's reigning champs and appear ready to fight to defend their title. They are back in first place and now have a two game lead in the division.

August 2020 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Renato Balcazar (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Lewis McGrew (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)

Heading into July, the Brooklyn Knights had climbed into first place in their division with a two game lead over the Dayton Grizzlies. By the All-Star break, however, the Grizzlies turned the tables on them and held a two game lead over the Knights. Brooklyn was inconsistent in July, posting a 12-12 record. By the end of the month, Dayton surged to a 5½ game division lead. The Grizzlies were 20-5 for the month, which included a 10 game winning streak and a 9 game winning streak. The Beasts and Maples had no problems staying in first place. Both teams widened their division leads. League 2 Division 2 is often a competitive division and 2020 is no exception. The Vancouver Wild overtook the Phoenix Rattlers in July and now hold a narrow half-game lead.

July 2020 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Cletus MacPherson (St. James Crusaders)
Pitcher of the Month: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Cletus MacPherson (St. James Crusaders)

NALB held its annual All-Star Game on July 14, 2020. Six Brooklyn Knights were voted onto the League 1 All-Stars roster, four pitchers and two fielders. Brooklyn's Tony Tamayo had the honor of starting the game for League 1. Braulio Crame of the Stade Maples got the start for the League 2 All-Stars. Pitching dominated the game early. In the middle innings, however, the bats came alive. After some back and forth scoring, the League 1 All-Stars broke things open with four runs in the seventh inning. The Firecats' catcher, Dacey Rager, was selected as the player of the game. Rager was perfect at the plate with three hits in three at bats.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0   3  8  1
League 1 All-Stars   0 0 0 1 3 0 4 0 X   8 11  1

W: E. McEachran
L: T. Stivers

The NALB Home Run Challenge was held on the evening prior to the All-Star Game. Yves Provençal won the event, though he had to beat some stiff competition. In the final round, the Quebeck Sky Chiefs' third baseman was matched against the Luisville Beasts' Hsiao-lou Yeh. Provençal defeated him by a score of 17-15.

On July 12, the NALB Prospects game was played, which is a great showcase for future stars. It was primarily a one-sided affair. The League 1 Future Stars pounded League 2's pitching and took a 12-1 lead into the ninth inning. The League 2 Future Stars made it interesting, however. They staged a furious 10 run comeback in the ninth and came up short by a single run. Roberto Cabrera earned MVP honors for his impressive performance. The 23 year old catcher plays for Vancouver's AAA team. He had 4 hits, including a double and a home run.

The Brooklyn Knights started red hot in June. Unfortunately, a 16-6 start ended with a disappointing 2-4 finish for the month. Home runs continue to plague the Knights' pitching staff with 95 HRs surrendered in the season thus far. The good news for Brooklyn is that they now sit atop their division with a 44-35 record. The Luisville Beasts were an impressive 19-8 in June and looked worthy of preseason predictions that had them as NALB's best team. The Maples overtook the Corals to build a four game division lead while the Rattlers remained in first place.

June 2020 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Sanders (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Berto Sarzosa (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Stade Maples)

Brooklyn struggled in April and didn't look any better in early May. After losing its first five games in May, the Knights were in last place with a record of 9-18. However, a 13-4 surge to end the month put them in second place, only a half-game behind the Grizzlies. Don't overlook the scrappy Dunedin Otters. They were a hot team in May and leapfrogged the Firecats and Beasts to land in first place. In League 2, the Corals and Rattlers held onto their division leads.

May 2020 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Bubba Webb (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Rodíiguez (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Darryl Doyle (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)

The Knights began the 2020 season with their best hitter on the injured list. Blas Ramos missed all but three games in April, which certainly weakened Brooklyn's lineup. The supposed strength of the team, however, was pitching. Therefore, it was shocking to see how poorly the Knights pitched. After the first month of the season, the Knights had League 1's worst pitching staff with an ERA of 4.57. Brooklyn's 9-13 start puts them in third place, two games behind the Dayton Grizzlies. The Firecats, Corals, and Rattlers currently lead their respective divisions.

April 2020 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Louisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Jake Pradia (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Brad Slocum (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Stade Maples)

The Brooklyn Knights finished spring training in second place with a 15-15 record, behind the Dayton Grizzlies at 19-11. The Luisville Beasts looked very impressive and also posted a 19-11 record. The Stade Maples (21-9) and Vancouver Wild (20-10) had the best spring training records in League 2.

After adding no new players in the offseason/preseason, the Brooklyn Knights completed two trades involving minor league players during spring training:

• Brooklyn acquired 2B Tommy Lesher, SP Kamal Ferris, LF Ricardo Martínez, and SP Bobby Harding from Vancouver in exchange for 2B Ryan Dade and RF Rod Steadman.
• The Knights shipped CF Wolfe Lucas to the Luck for CF Loch Westlake, 3B Ulf Durán, 1B Jamie Gentle, and CL Steve Beard.

The Knights were dealt a serious but hopefully not crippling blow when LF Blas Ramos tore a hamstring on March 16. He hopes to return by the end of April. Minor league center fielders Tim Huddlestone and Luís Tirado also ended up on the 15 day injured list.

Other key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: SP Adam Davis re-injured the same shoulder that sent him to the injured list last March. He will miss 2 to 3 months due to a partially torn labrum.
• Dunedin Otters: RP Lorenzo Gomez has a partially torn UCL, which is a season ending injury.
• Key West Corals: SP Porfiro Quiñones will miss two weeks with an elbow bone spur.
• Key West Corals: RP Fred Dyball is expected to miss 1 to 2 weeks due to elbow strain.
• Nashville Firecats: 1B Alexis Schmidt is out with a bone bruise on his wrist. He will need 2 to 3 weeks to recover.
• Nashville Firecats: RP Wilson Controras tore his UCL, which requires surgery. His season ending injury will require 12 months to rehabilitate.
• Phoenix Rattlers: 2B Roberto Vazquez is out for 2 months with a hamstring strain.
• Phoenix Rattlers: A fractured hand will keep 2B Roberto Vásquez out of the lineup for 2 to 3 months.
• Richmond Slam: SP José Urista has a bone spur on his elbow. He is expected to return in 2 weeks.
• St. Rock Mudcats: 2B Johnny Smith ruptured his medial collateral ligament. He will need 9-10 months to recover so he will not play this season.
• St. Rock Mudcats: SP Mobumasu Nomura tore his rotator cuff. He is out for the entire 2020 season.
• Stade Maples: Elbow strain has RP Mike Wolfe on the IL. The requires 5 weeks of recovery time.
• Stade Maples: RP Thornton Peters suffered a partially torn labrum. He is out for 7-8 weeks.
• Vancouver Wild: Elbow inflammation will keep SP Lewis McGrew out of the rotation for 2-3 months. This is a big blow to the Wild's pitching staff.
• Vancouver Wild: RP George Manzo tore the flexor tendon in his elbow. He needs 8 months of recovery time, which certainly ends his 2020 season.

Years ago, I fell behind in playing my North American League Baseball (NALB) seasons and never caught up. For example, I finished playing the NALB 2019 season two months ago. I've decided to start the 2020 season now to finally achieve parity with the calendar. The last time I played two NALB seasons in a single year was 2000.

Here were some of the notable roster moves prior to the 2020 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights were the only team that failed to sign a new player. However, they had a handful of roster moves:

• Without a doubt, the league's top free agent available was first-baseman Mabon Beniniger. The Knights intended to pursue him aggressively. Unfortunately, the Washington Allies came to terms with him extremely quickly and signed him on November 21, 2019.
• The Knights extended the contracts of 14 players through salary arbitration: Sardar Dzhafarov, Roberto Hernández, Júlio Guillén, Darius Luxton, Aaron Patterson, Cleveland Garfield, Alex Mobley, John Ruben, Joe Barnstaple, Syman Lowery, Xerxes Scaife, Cristófor De Jesús, Juan Fuentes, and Andrew Strain.
• 3B Alberto Pescador filed for free agency and signed with the Cornfield Axemen.
• Some players were waived and claimed by other teams: SP Yuniesky Porraz (Las Vegas Luck), RP Rico Jiménez (Dunedin Otters), RP Mathieu Lemay (Washington Allies), and RP Dave Williams (Luisville Beasts).
• Several players were lost in the Rule 5 Draft: LF Darin Gardiner (St. James Crusaders) , RP David Sprinkle (Cornfield Axemen), C Al Collins (Dunedin Otters), 1B Charley Elam (Washington Allies), 2B José Burgoa (Richmond Slam), and RP Iemitsu Kanemitsu (Dunedin Otters).
• Brooklyn signed several contract extensions: RP Jesús Montufar for 4 years and $2.85 million, CL Ken Hannah for 6 years and $41.5 million, LF Blas Ramos for 7 years and $73.5 million, and SP Aaron Patterson for 7 years and $72.1 million.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• The big signing of the 2020 offseason was 1B Mabon Beniniger, who signed with the Washington Allies. He agreed to an 8 year deal worth $133.2 million. The 27 year old had played his entire NALB career with the Dunedin Otters. He won the League 1 batting title the last two seasons.
• 3B Pete Chavez found a new home in Vancouver. The 36 year old signed a 2 year, $11.8 million contract with the Wild.
• SS Ramiro Socastro is now a Stade Maple. Formerly with Washington, he was the recipient of a 5 year $30.5 million deal.
• After several dominant seasons with seasons with the Corals, CL Almandeto Trillio decided to join the Maples. His 3 year contract is valued at $8.68 million.
• 3B Alberto Pescador was a fixture in Brooklyn's lineup for the past 7 seasons. He took his talents to free agency and landed a 6 year, $42.4 million contract with the Cornfield Axemen.
• SP Vincent Cadieux has been banged up with injuries over the past few seasons. Key West took a chance on the 28 year old Canadian when they signed him for $14 million over 2 years.
• Puerto Rican sensation Paco Rivera decided to play in the NALB. The talented 27 year old starting pitcher was a hot commodity with his strong arm and five pitches in his repertoire. The Luisville Beasts landed Rivera with a 6 year, $57.8 million offer.
• The Nashville Firecats were looking for a new first baseman. They signed a good one in Alexis Schmidt. The 35 year old slugger hit 38 home runs last season and has 368 homers for his career. The Firecats hope his bat will easily be worth the $9.68 million of his 2 year contract.
• 1B Quilvio Martinez has traded in his Luck uniform for a Grizzlies uniform. Dayton felt he was a good fit for their team and offered him $14.72 million over 3 years.

Notable offseason trades:

• The Key West Corals received SP Porfiro Quiñones in exchange for minor league SP Chad D'Arcy and minor league LF Jorell Cassels.
• The St. James Crusaders traded 27 year old SP Hai Lovatt to the Dayton Grizzlies for 24 year old minor league 1B Cletus MacPherson.
• The Richmond Slam traded 31 yer old 3B Feliciano Gómez and 24 year old minor league 2B Dennis Guijosa to the St. Rock Mudcats for 31 year old C Ben Stamp.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2019.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Júlio Guillén (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Beagan Cajar (Dayton Grizzlies)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Dacey Rager (Nashville Firecats)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Okura Kono (Luisville Beasts)
Shortstop: Larry Arceniaga (Nashville Firecats)
Left Fielder: Pat West (Dunedin Otters)
Center Fielder: Oscar Barrientes (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Maurílio Godim (Brooklyn Knights)
Designated Hitter: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Catcher: Luís Ellanos (Dayton Grizzlies)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: José Arzate (Cornfield Axemen)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Fitz Griffey (St. Rock Mudcats)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Jonathan Robb (Cornfield Axemen)
Right Fielder: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Berto Sarzoza (Stade Maples)
Reliever of the Year Award: Berto Sarzoza (Stade Maples)
Newcomer of the Year: Matt Ross (St. James Crusaders)
Manager of the Year: Sakutaro Yoda (Phoenix Rattlers)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Jonathan Grandberry (Phoenix Rattlers)
Second Baseman: Marc-André Lavoie (Richmond Slam)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Left Fielder: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Center Fielder: Dorian Chivers (Washington Allies)
Right Fielder: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Tyler Stivers (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Dave Groot (Key West Corals)
Second Baseman: Brett Scheer (St. James Crusaders)
Third Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yuan (Vancouver Wild)
Shortstop: Carlos Cardenas (Richmond Slam)
Left Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Tad Burridge (Key West Corals)
Right Fielder: Ken MacEachern (Key West Corals)

The 2019 NALB World Championship Series (WCS) featured the familiar Brooklyn Knights (108-54). The Knights' dynasty is a formidable one with 18 WCS appearances and 14 championships in 20 seasons. Representing League 2, the Phoenix Rattlers (91-71) were a bit of a surprise. After April's slow start left them in last place, they spent most of the season in third place chasing the Vancouver Wild and Richmond Slam. Phoenix clinched the tight three-way division race on the last day of the regular season. The Knights and the Rattlers each survived a hard fought seven game League Series to get here.

On paper, the Knights were the better team and solid favorites to win. The Rattlers rode their late-season hot streak, however, and outplayed their opponent. They displayed superior power (8 home runs to Brooklyn's 4) and better relief pitching by their bullpen. In the end, the games were close and competitive but the Rattlers always found a way to win. They edged the Knights every game on way to a World Championship Series four game sweep. This is the first championship for the Phoenix Rattlers in their third try.

Right fielder Arturo Guerrero's .375 average, 6 hits, 4 home runs, and 6 RBI powered Phoenix to victory. Rattlers' fans will long remember his MVP performance.

Game 1: Phoenix 5, Brooklyn 4
Game 2: Phoenix 5, Brooklyn 2
Game 3: Phoenix 7, Brooklyn 6
Game 4: Phoenix 7, Brooklyn 5

Series MVP: RF Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)


Click the image for the NALB 2019 World Championship roster

The Phoenix Rattlers entered game four of the World Championship Series (WCS) in an enviable position. Playing at home, they had a 3-0 series lead over the Brooklyn Knights. Not only were they but one win away from winning the series, they had the opportunity to secure a four-game sweep. In 17 previous WCS appearances, the Knights had never been in this position before.

Brooklyn's starter Aaron Patterson (15-7, 3.11 ERA) had a lot of pressure on him in this win or go home game. Phoenix had 30 year old journeyman José Sandoval (0-1, 2.14 ERA) on the mound. The Rattlers acquired Sandoval from the Maples in July. Sandoval hadn't seen much action this year, starting only two games and pitching some relief work in 11 games.

The Knights wanted to get out in front quickly and they got their wish. A base on balls and a pair of singles led to the game's first run. That lead was squashed, however, in the third inning. A 3-run home run by first baseman Jonathan Grandberry and a 2-run homer by catcher Sancho Alguirre put the Rattlers on top 5-1. The Knights felt the game slipping away but managed to load the bases in the fourth inning. Syman Lowery crushed a Sandoval fastball and his grand slam tied the game at 5-5. The Rattlers kept fighting and scored a run in the fifth off of a double by Sancho Alguirre. It looked like Brooklyn had a chance to tie the game in the eighth when pinch hitter Ramon Alconer singled to right field. However, the speedy base-stealing threat took too big of a lead off of first base and was picked off for the inning's first out. That was bad news for the Knights as Syman Lowery delivered a line-drive double to the center field wall in the very next at bat. It was probable that Alconer would have scored on that hit. The Rattlers added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when second baseman Ríco Gómez hit an RBI single.

Final score: Phoenix 7, Brooklyn 5

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0   5 10  0
Phoenix      0 0 5 0 1 0 0 1 X   7 12  0

W: D. Green
L: X. Scaife

The World Championship Series shifted to Phoenix for game three. With a League 2 team as host, there were no designated hitters. The Rattlers hoped to use home field advantage to add to its 2-0 series lead. The starting pitching matchup was Phoenix's Markus Wright (13-9, 3.68 ERA) vs. Brooklyn's Marcos Delgadillo (17-10, 2.92 ERA).

The Knights gave up an unearned run in the first inning after a throwing error by shortstop Estevan Portillo gave the Rattlers their first base runner. Brooklyn kept its poise, however and racked up five runs in a second inning highlighted by a home run by Maurílio Godim. The Rattlers and Knights each added a run in the second and fourth innings, respectively. Down 6-2, Phoenix started its comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Arturo Guerrero hit a two-run homer and the Rattlers scored three runs overall to cut the deficit to one. With Julio Gullén on in relief in the eighth inning, Alvino Flores tied the game with a single to center field. The game was still up for grabs in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Guerrero hit a fastball from Armando Alfaro for a solo home run. The Rattlers, in dramatic fashion, had a walk-off win.

As he had done in game one of the WCS, Arturo Guerrero homered twice and was once again named the player of the game. The Phoenix Rattlers are now one game away from a sweep of the Brooklyn Knights.

Final score: Phoenix 7, Brooklyn 6

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   6 13  1
Phoenix      1 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 1   7 14  0

W: S. Konig
L: A. Alfaro

After winning the opener, the Phoenix Rattlers faced another road game in Brooklyn. Saul Ramírez (15-9, 3.78 ERA) was on the mound for Phoenix, their second left-handed starter in as many games. The Knights starter for game two was staff ace Tony Tamayo (18-5, 2.87 ERA).

The game was a pitching duel for the first four innings. The Rattlers' bats came alive in the fifth inning, however. After Charles Difranco smashed a solo home run, the hits continued to pile up. Phoenix built a 5-0 lead and Tamayo was pulled from the game. Brooklyn responded in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff triple by Maurílio Godim, who later scored. The Knights got a solo homer from designated hitter Joe Barnstaple in the seventh but that was all they could muster in another losing effort.

Six strong innings pitched by Saul Ramírez made him the player of the game.

Final score: Phoenix 5, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Phoenix      0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0   5  8  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0   2 10  0

W: S. Ramírez
L: T. Tamayo

For the sixth year in a row, the Brooklyn Knights (108-54) are in the World Championship Series and hosting game one. The Phoenix Rattlers (91-71) are making their third appearance in the WCS. Their previous trips were in 2003 and 2009. Each team won a hard fought seven game League Series to get here. Both teams suffered playoff injuries to key players. The Knights' top hitter, outfielder Blas Ramos, hurt his knee in game seven of the League Series and was sent to the injured list. Likewise, the Rattlers sent starting pitcher Ralph Kerfoot to the IL.

The Rattlers had lefty ace Heath MacKissock (15-10, 2.76 ERA) on the mound for the opening game. The Knights starter was Darius Luxton (13-12, 4.37 ERA).

Right fielder Arturo Guerrero was the player of the game. Guerrero went 2 for 5 with 2 home runs and a walk. He drove in 3 runs and scored twice. His first home run keyed a three run fourth inning for the Rattlers. His second homer was a solo shot in the sixth inning. The Knights finally pushed some runs across in the seventh inning. DH Joe Barnstaple blasted a three run homer as Brooklyn scored four runs to tie the game. The game went into extra innings and lasted until the 13th inning. With Norman Forbes on the mound for Brooklyn, center fielder Carl Gwinn led off with a home run to give Phoenix the win. It was extra sweet for Gwinn to have this big WCS moment in Brooklyn as he played for the Knights from 2010 to 2013.

Final score: Phoenix 5, Brooklyn 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13   R  H  E
Phoenix      0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0  0  0  0  1   5 12  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0  0  0  0  0   4  7  2

W: N. Chávez
L: N. Forbes

2019 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (98-64) vs. Brooklyn Knights (108-54)

Game 1: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 1
Game 2: Luisville 9, Brooklyn 2
Game 3: Luisville 10, Brooklyn 4
Game 4: Brooklyn 9, Luisville 8
Game 5: Luisville 3, Brooklyn 2
Game 6: Brooklyn 5, Luisville 3
Game 7: Brooklyn 9, Luisville 5

For the third straight year, the Luisville Beasts and Brooklyn Knights met in the League 1 Series. This was a matchup of the league's two highest scoring teams. Brooklyn had the better pitching staff, however, and home field advantage as well. These teams were very evenly matched in their 23 regular season games with the Knights edging the Beasts 12-11. The Beasts were dealt a bad break in the final game of the season when star center fielder Oscar Barrientes fractured his wrist. His spot on the playoff roster will be filled by Clive Thoma, a minor league outfielder.

The opener featured this season's two winningest pitchers—Luisville's Noel Trevenot (19-5, 3.20 ERA) vs. Brooklyn's Tony Tamayo (18-5, 2.87 ERA). Tamayo gave up a solo home run to Yvon Chouinard in the first inning. He cruised through the next five innings, striking out 11. The Knights got a three-run homer from Maurílio Godim in the sixth inning. Brooklyn added another run in the eighth and prevailed 4-1.

In game two, Luisville center fielder Leonard O'Marron produced all the offense the Beasts needed in the club's 9-2 win over the Brooklyn Knights. O'Marron slugged two home runs, one in the first inning and a grand slam in the ninth. He drove in seven runs and scored twice as Luisville moved into a tie in the League Series.

Game three was very similar to game two. Luisville's offense overwhelmed Brooklyn's pitching. After three scoreless innings, the Beasts came alive. They scored four runs in the fourth inning, two in the sixth inning, and put the game out of reach by adding four more in the eighth. The Knights had plenty of chances but mostly failed to take advantage of them. Despite twelve hits, they managed to score only four runs and left twelve men on base. With two fielding errors adding insult to injury, it was a game Brooklyn would rather forget.

Game four was an entertaining slugfest. The Knights struck quickly as they scored five runs in the first inning, which was capped by a Flavio Marquez three-run homer. Hsiao-lou Yeh answered in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer. The Beasts added a run in second and another run in the third to narrow the score to 5-4. Cleveland Garfield's home run contributed to three more runs for Brooklyn in the fourth inning. Luisville never quit, however. They tied the game 8-8 in the eighth. The Beasts fell short in their comeback when the Knights scored in the ninth and Ken Hannah closed out the game for the 9-8 win to tie the series.

Game five was another great pitching duel between Tony Tamayo and Noel Trevenot. The Knights took a quick 2-0 lead after catcher Andrew Strain homered in his first at bat. The Beasts got a run in the fourth thanks to Amsalu Kanda, their speedy leadoff man. He singled and stole second base and third base before scoring. Despite a 35 minute rain delay in the sixth inning, the pitchers kept cruising. Okura Kono hit a solo home run in the eighth to give Luisville a chance. The game went into extra innings tied 2-2. In the 14th inning, Amsalu Kanda came through again. He singled, stole two more bases, and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. The Knights will be thinking about all of the missed opportunities on the trip back to Brooklyn. They had plenty of chances to win game five but stranded 13 men on base.

Brooklyn took advantage of its home field advantage to prevail in game six. The Knights had Marcos Delgadillo on the mound for this must-win game. Although opposing pitcher Whitney Sanders was good, Delgadillo was just a bit better. He gave up only one run in 6.1 innings and struck out nine without walking a single batter. The Beasts had some success against Brooklyn's relief pitchers, scoring two runs in the seventh inning and another run in the eighth. However, the Knights held on to win 5-3, which forces a decisive game seven. Along with Delgadillo, the game's star was clearly Andrew Strain. The Knights' catcher was 4 for 4 at the plate with 2 singles, a double, and a home run.

The Brooklyn Knights and Luisville Beasts fought their way to game seven of the League 1 Series. After meeting 29 times in the regular season and postseason, the Knights held an ever so slight 15-14 edge. The Beasts had done a better job scoring runs in this series, however, and that trend continued early in game seven. After getting a base on balls to start the game, Amsalu Kanda used his blazing speed to steal second base and later score. A single by shortstop Connor Duck in the top of the fifth drove in a run to extend Luisville's lead to 2-0. Up till that point, Brooklyn had followed its usual script of stranding baserunners and failing to score. That came to an end in the fifth inning. A five run offensive explosion brought the crowd to a roar. The runs came courtesy of a 3-run home run by Milburn Hutchison and a 2-run homer by Flavio Marquez. With victory so near, the Knights showed a killer instinct. They added three more runs in the seventh inning and another run in the eighth inning. With a 9-2 lead, the Knights decided to send starter Alex Mobley to the mound to finish the last two innings in relief. After pitching a scoreless eighth inning, Mobley struggled in the ninth. After he surrendered back to back home runs, he was pulled. Closer Ken Hannah came in to retire the next three batters and secure the 9-3 win. The only disappointment in Brooklyn was related to the status of star outfielder Blas Ramos. Ramos sprained his knee during the game and is awaiting further evaluation.

Knight's catcher Andrew Strain was the consensus choice for series MVP. Strain hit .419 with a .455 on-base percentage. He had 3 home runs, 6 RBI and scored 6 runs.

Series MVP: C Andrew Strain (Brooklyn Knights)

2019 League 2 Series - Stade Maples (89-73) vs. Phoenix Rattlers (91-71)

Game 1: Phoenix 3, Stade 1
Game 2: Phoenix 6, Stade 3
Game 3: Stade 3, Phoenix 2
Game 4: Phoenix 8, Stade 3
Game 5: Stade 6, Phoenix 3
Game 6: Stade 9, Phoenix 4
Game 7: Phoenix 5, Stade 4

In a rematch of last year's League 2 Series, the Stade Maples will once again play the Phoenix Rattlers. Although the Maples led their division since June, the Phoenix Rattlers surprised most onlookers with a late surge. After a last place April start, they were in third place for most of the season. It was quite a comeback to overtake the Wild and Slam to win the division.

Heath MacKissock out-dueled Braulio Crame in game one. Although Crame only gave up one run in six innings, MacKissock gave up none in 6.1 innings. Leading 3-0 after seven innings, the Rattlers held on to win 3-1.

After the solid pitching of game one, the starters struggled in game two. Ralph Kerfoot turned his ankle and only pitched one inning for the Rattlers. The Maples' Tyler Stivers didn't look good at all. He gave up seven hits and six runs and failed to make it through the first inning. Although the Phoenix bullpen surrendered three runs, the early lead was enough to carry the Rattlers to a 6-3 victory.

In game three, Stade third baseman Kurt Johnson put the Maples ahead 2-0 with a home run in the first inning. The Rattlers tied the game 2-2 in the top of the third. Kurt Johnson scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a Kensaku Shemada single.

The Phoenix Rattlers pulled off a road win in game four despite committing three errors in the field. Starter José Sandoval out-pitched Stade's David Bracy. After six innings, the Rattlers led 5-3. Phoenix sealed the win in the seventh inning, however, by scoring three runs off of five hits.

Home field advantage helped the Stade Maples win game five and stay alive in the League 2 Series. Down three games to one, the Maples relied on solid pitching from starter Braulio Crame and their bullpen. Third baseman Kurt Johnson was Stade's MVP for the game. Johnson drew a walk, had two hits (including a home run), and three RBI. The 6-3 win sends the series back to Phoenix.

The Rattlers squandered a chance to win the League 2 Series at home in game six. Phoenix fell behind 4-0 but tied the game 4-4 in the fifth inning. Both starters were out of the game by then. The Maples' relievers were excellent the rest of the way. The same could not be said about the Rattlers' bullpen. They gave up a run in the eighth and four more in the ninth. Stade's center fielder Terry Bannatyne went 3 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBI. He was the game's MVP.

After building a 3-1 series lead, the Phoenix Rattlers had lost the momentum after dropping the last two games. Game seven presented the Rattlers with one final chance at home and they delivered. Catcher Sancho Alguirre led the offense with a 3 for 3 performance and starting pitcher Markus Wright tossed six solid innings, giving up only two runs. The Rattlers' 5-4 victory avenges last season's game seven loss to the Maples in the League 2 Series. The Rattlers move on to play for the NALB World Championship. Phoenix's last appearance in the World Championship Series was in 2009 when the lost in six games to the Nashville Firecats.

The Most Valuable Player Award went to Stade third baseman Kurt Johnson. Despite playing for the losing side, Johnson did all he could. His .370 average, 10 hits, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI helped push this series to go the distance.

Series MVP: 3B Kurt Johnson (Stade Maples)

The Brooklyn Knights cruised to another playoff appearance after wrapping up the division title on September 9. The Luisville Beasts and Stade Maples also took division crowns without any major drama down the stretch. League 2 Division 2 was a different story. The Vancouver Wild and Richmond Slam battled all season long in this extremely competitive division. In the end, however, the Phoenix Rattlers rode a red hot finish to take the division by a single game. Only two games separated these three teams in the final standings. Therefore, all four playoff teams from last year will be back again.

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (98-64) vs. Brooklyn Knights (108-54)
Stade Maples (89-73) vs. Phoenix Rattlers (91-71)

Head to head this season:
The Knights were 12-11 against the Beasts.
The Rattlers were 12-11 against the Maples.

Playoff injury report:
The Knights are without four players from their opening day roster: DH and team captain Hooks Goetz, starting pitcher José Arisa, reliever Stokley McGruder, and reliever Jesús Montufar. McGruder and Montufar are both lefties so that limits Brooklyn's bullpen options. Likewise, the Beasts have four notable players on the Injured List: Noriaki Momotami, Roberto Farinas, Miguel López, and Paul Thompson. Momotami is a starter and the other three are relief pitchers.

The Rattlers and Maples are quite healthy going into October. Phoenix will be without center fielder John Buker in the playoffs. Stade's only player on the Injured List is second baseman Rustin Appling.

September 2019 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Darius Luxton (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Beaghan Cajar (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Jonathan Grandberry (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Berto Sarzosa (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Stafford Konig (Phoenix Rattlers)

At the end of August, the Brooklyn Knights appear poised to win another divisional title. Their magic number is down to 11. The Luisville Beasts ended the month on a 6 game losing streak but remain solidly in first place by 12 games. The Stade Maples will need to fend off the Washington Allies in September in order to protect their 7½ game lead. League 2 Division 2 is the hottest race with three teams—the Slam, Wild, and Rattlers—all within 6 games of each other.

August 2019 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Eric Matts (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Beagan Cajar (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Wes Crawford (Richmond Slam)

July is always a pivotal month in the season. The All-Star Game and the trade deadline are now behind us. With each team having played at least 107 games, the playoff picture is starting to take shape. Three out of the four division leaders maintained their respective leads in July. The one exception was the Vancouver Wild, which fell four games behind the Richmond Slam. Also notable was the fall of the Key West Corals. After a dismal 8-17 record in July, the Corals went from one game out of first place to a daunting nine games back. The Brooklyn Knights played near flawlessly during the month. A 22-3 record catapulted them past the Beasts to claim the league's top record.

July 2019 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Quilvio Martínez (Las Vegas Luck)
Pitcher of the Month: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Broderick MacIlrevie (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Heath MacKissock (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Marc Wheelock (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

On July 9, 2019, NALB held its annual All-Star Game. Seven Brooklyn Knights made the League 1 All-Stars roster, including five pitchers and two fielders. Brooklyn's Marcos Delgadillo was named the game's starting pitcher. Sosuke Nakamura of the Washington Allies got the start for the League 2 All-Stars. League 2 scored quickly, putting up two runs in the first inning. They never relinquished their lead. A balanced attack led to seven runs. Sancho Alguirre hit the game's only home run and was named MVP as League 2 cruised to a 7-1 victory.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 All-Stars   0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   1  8  0
League 2 All-Stars   2 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 X   7  8  1

W: E. Barber
L: M. Delgadillo

On the night before the All-Star Game, NALB hosted its first Home Run Challenge. In front of a raucous crowd, it provided great drama. Outlasting the competition was John Edwards. The Nashville Firecats second baseman knocked off Aramis Jáquez in the final round by a score of 10-9.

On July 7 was the NALB Prospects game, which gathers together the league's top prospects to perform before an energetic crowd. Regardless of the outcome, many fans just want to see potential future phenoms in action. The League 1 Future All-Stars defeated the League 2 Future All-Stars. Catcher Roberto Cabrera earned the game's MVP award with a 3 for 3 effort at the plate. Cabrera currently plays for Vails Gate Conquest, the AAA affiliate of the Vancouver Wild.

The Brooklyn Knights finally started to look like world champions again. Brooklyn's 21-7 record for the month was highlighted by a four game sweep of the Beasts at home. After a red hot May, the Luisville Beasts cooled off a bit in June. Their 18 game winning streak ended on June 2 and the Beasts went on to compile a 15-12 June record. They still hold a healthy lead over the second place Dunedin Otters. The Stade Maples clawed their way from the cellar to take over the League 2 Division 1 lead. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Wild's lead over the Richmond Slam dwindled from five games to two.

There were some notable injuries in June. Shoulder inflammation ended the season for Sky Chiefs' starter Milton Mann. Quebeck also sent left fielder Bruno Payton to the Injured List for a projected 6 weeks. The Otters' third baseman Pete Chavez injured his hamstring, which will cause him to miss 3 to 4 weeks. Center fielder Miguel Gaytán sprained his knee and will miss 4 to 5 weeks. Key West Corals' closer Thornton Peters was diagnosed with radial nerve compression and will miss 5 months. The Luisville Beasts were derailed somewhat by June injuries: RP Paul Thompson (bone chips in his elbow, 6 months), RP Roberto Farinas (torn flexor tendon in his elbow, 14-15 months), and SP Anastasio Urbáez (elbow inflammation, 3 months).

The Brooklyn Knights did not escape June without injuries. Third baseman Alberto Pescador was diagnosed with a strained medial collateral ligament and will miss 5 weeks. The biggest blow came on June 29 in a loss to the Cornfield Axemen. Team captain and future Hall of Famer Hooks Goetz fractured his knee and will miss the rest of the season. The durable NALB legend has been a fixture of the Knights' organization for 17 seasons. The 38 year old was in the last year of his contract.

June 2019 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Estevan Portillo (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Marc-André Lavoie (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Berto Sarzoza (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Don Vowles (Richmond Slam)

The division leaders from April continued to play well enough remain in first place with one exception. The Dunedin Otters failed to keep pace with the red hot Luisville Beasts. Luisville's 24-4 record in May made them the clear #1 team in the latest NALB power rankings. The Beasts have the most formidable lineup and top scoring offense in either league. Their pitching is almost as good, however. Luisville starter Noel Trevenot was named League 1's Pitcher of the Month. Ralph Kerfoot earned League 2's Pitcher of the Month honors. Unfortunately, the veteran starter suffered a torn biceps during his final start of the month for the Rattlers. Offensively, Mabon Beniniger and Aramis Jáquez are tearing up the leaderboards with their hitting stats. Both players have people talking about possible triple crown seasons.

May 2019 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Noel Trevenot (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Li-Ben Chai (Vancouver Grizzlies)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Ralph Kerfoot (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Don Vowles (Richmond Slam)

After the first month of the season, the Brooklyn Knights hold a precarious division lead of half a game over the Dayton Grizzlies. Some inconsistent play led to a 15-11 record. A herniated disc sent starting second baseman Flavio Marquez to the injured list but backup Pedro Lopez played well in his place.The Beasts and Otters were expected to battle for first place in League 1 Division 2. They are currently tied with 17-10 records. The Key West Corals played .500 ball but it was good enough to lead their division. With an NALB best 20-7 record to start the season, the Vancouver Wild looked as good as any team.

April 2019 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Ed Boudreau (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Edgardo Alvero (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Jonathan Grandberry (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Matt Genge (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Cesaro Vera (St. James Crusaders)

The Brooklyn Knights finished spring training with a 14-16 record, which put them in third place. The Las Vegas Luck led the division with a spring training record of 17-13. The other division leaders were the Dunedin Otters and Luisville Beasts (tied), the Washington Allies, and the Phoenix Rattlers. They all had 18-12 records. Preseason predictions have the Knights, Beasts, Sky Chiefs, and Wild winning their respective divisions. Free agency cost the Knights several key players in their starting lineup: C Dan Conley, SS Lariel Gómez, and CF Romeo Usquiano. Brooklyn's division is comparatively weak, however, and the Knights remain strong favorites. Luisville won 96 games last year but they look even more impressive heading into the 2019 season. The Beasts added a lot of talent in the offseason: CF Oscar Barrientes, C Dan Conley, SP Anastasio Urbáez, CL Ed Boudrou, RP Juan Cambray, RP Pat Allen, RP Paul Thompson, SP Cherokee Swaffer, RP Roberto Farinas, RP Bengie De La Torre, and SP Yuniesky Porraz. They will be a contender for NALB's best record.

The Knights had only a single serious injury in spring training. Oft-injured starter José Arisa was sent to the 60 day Injured List with shoulder inflammation. He is expected to miss up to three months.

Other key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: SP Adam Davis is out with a torn labrum (shoulder). He is expected to miss 4 to 5 months.
• Cornfield Axemen: RP Manny Huebe has a torn elbow ligament, which will cause him to miss the 2019 season.
• Key West Corals: 1B Dave Groot is experiencing shoulder tendinitis. He should be back in about 3 weeks.
• Key West Corals: 2B Alfredo Herran broke a bone in his elbow. With an estimated 7 month recovery time, he will likely be out for the season.
• Luisville Beasts: RP Juan Miranda strained a hamstring. He will probably miss 2 months.
• Luisville Beasts: RP Roberto Farinas will be out approximately 5 weeks with elbow tendinitis.
• Nashville Firecats: RF Chris Lee should return in 2 weeks. He suffered a partially torn labrum.
• Phoenix Rattlers: RP Myles Wexler experienced bicep tendinitis but is expected to be back in 6 weeks.
• Phoenix Rattlers: A fractured hand will keep 2B Roberto Vásquez out of the lineup for 2 to 3 months.
• Richmond Slam: RP Mario Torralbo has an oblique strain but should recover in about 3 weeks.
• St. James Crusaders: Shoulder inflammation sent SP Rolf Goosens to the 60 day IL. He will need 3-4 months of recovery time.
• St. Rock Mudcats: LF Lynn Smith struggled with elbow tendinitis and needs 2-3 weeks of rest.
• St. Rock Mudcats: SS Wilson Bullard is out of action for 5 to 6 months with a torn labrum (shoulder).
• Stade Maples: SP Murray Hurst strained his back pitching. He should be back in 3 weeks.
• Stade Maples: RP Jose Sandoval is on the 60 day IL with shoulder inflammation. He is expected to need 3 months to recover.
• Vancouver Wild: SP Ashley Bowlby ruptured his ulnar collateral ligament. He will certainly miss the 2019 season. He will require surgery and 14 months recovery time.
• Washington Allies: RP Haven O'Morony has a partially torn labrum, which will keep him out of action for 2 months.
• Washington Allies: SP Francisco Camano suffered a very serious injury—a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. He return is unlikely before 17 months.
• Washington Allies: RP Rico Lagumbay needs another 3-4 weeks to rest his shoulder tendinitis.
• Washington Allies: RP Gabriel Ortegon requires surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. He may be able to return 4 months from now.

Prior to the 2019 NALB season there were some notable roster moves.

The Brooklyn Knights were notably quiet during the offseason. Here were their roster moves:

• The Knights extended the contracts of 11 players through salary arbitration: Marcos Delgafillo, Roberto Hernández, Júlio Guillén, Darius Luxton, Aaron Patterson, Ken Hannah, Andrew Strain, Alberto Pescador, Xerxes Scaife, Juan Fuentes, and Cristófor De Jesús.
• Arbitration was offered to Dan Conley and Lariel Gómez. Both players declined and opted to file for free agency. Romeo Usquiano also entered the free agent market.
• Several players were lost in the Rule 5 Draft: SP Yuniesky Porraz to the Luisville Beasts, 2B Marcos Perlanga to the Washington Allies, SP Dave Williams to the Nashville Firecats, and 3B Ning Wa to the St. Rock Mudcats.
• Brooklyn traded 34-year-old reliever Rikiya Kiyomizu to the Quebeck Sky Chiefs, getting 25-year-old reliever Iemitsu Kanemitsu, 23-year-old minor league first baseman Mark Bulger and 24-year-old minor league starting pitcher Jesús Medián in return. The Knights agreed to retain $1.9 million of Kiyomizu's $2 million salary. Kanemitsu gives the Knights organization a younger left-handed reliever. He will start the season with the AAA Santa Ana Drifters.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• The Dunedin Otters landed veteran third baseman Pete Chavez. After hitting .345 last season, the Otters felt comfortable offering Chavez $9.1 million for one year.
• It didn't take long for the first mega-deal of the offseason. On November 26, 2018, second-baseman Rico Gómez signed an eight year contract with the Phoenix Rattlers for $82.8 million. The 27 year old had previously spent his entire career with the Luisville Beasts.
• Catcher Dan Conley left the Brooklyn Knights for free agency. He found a new home in Luisville. The Beasts and Conley agreed to a $33 million deal over five years.
• Jonathan Grandberry has had a successful career with the Cornfield Axemen. He is now headed to Phoenix thanks to a six year $56.5 million offer from the Rattlers.
• Lariel Gómez will be wearing green and gold in 2019. The former Brooklyn Knight is now a member of the Dunedin Otters. His four year contract is worth $24.4 million.
• The Key West Corals added quality arms to its bullpen. They signed Joe Farrell for $7.36 million over two years. Sergio Aispro also signed with the club for a meager $550,000 one year contract. Aispro has struggled with staying healthy and was pleased to find a new home in 2019.

Notable offseason trades:

• The St. Rock Mudcats traded 32 year old center fielder Oscar Barrientes to the Luisville Beasts for 22 year old first baseman Steve Sherlock, 23 year old minor league first baseman Pat Byrd, and 21 year old minor league first baseman Dud Hildebrandt. St. Rock is currently in rebuilding mode and wanted to offload $10.22 million of Barrientes' salary. A fixture in the Mudcats' lineup for the past 13 seasons, he has been one of the league's best center fielders with a .326 career batting average. Unfortunately, Barrientes suffered a torn ribcage muscle last season and missed a significant number of games. He hopes to stay healthy and be productive once again in Luisville.
• The Richmond Slam traded 29 year old first baseman Codie Laton to the St. James Crusaders for 36 year old starting pitcher Logan MacImmey and 24 year old minor league left fielder Miguel Gago.
• The Stade Maples traded 25 year old center fielder Ken MacEachern to the Key West Corals for 26 year old closer Berto Sarzoza.
• The St. James Crusaders traded 30 year old starting pitcher Anastasio Urbáez to the Luisville Beasts for 29 year old center fielder Ramón Cantú, 22 year old minor league shortstop Ric Crane, and a 3rd round draft pick.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2018.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Marcos Delgadillo (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Ken Hannah (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Javier Cirneros (Las Vegas Luck)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Dacey Rager (Nashville Firecats)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Alberto Pescador (Brooklyn Knights)
Shortstop: Bubba Webb (Dayton Grizzlies)
Left Fielder: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)
Center Fielder: Leonard O’Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Rico Gómez (Luisville Beasts)
Designated Hitter: Hooks Goetz (Brooklyn Knights)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Catcher: Luís Ellanos (Dayton Grizzlies)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (Dayton Grizzlies)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Carlos Cardenas (Dunedin Otters)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Hamilton Look (Nashville Firecats)
Right Fielder: Ángel Padilla (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Tyler Stivers (Stade Maples)
Reliever of the Year Award: Berto Sarzoza (Key West Corals)
Newcomer of the Year: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)
Manager of the Year: Noriyuki Hyata (Stade Maples)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)
First Baseman: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
Second Baseman: Marc-André Lavoie (Richmond Slam)
Third Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yuan (Vancouver Wild)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Left Fielder: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Center Fielder: Terry Bannatyne (Stade Maples)
Right Fielder: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Logan MacImmey (St. James Crusaders)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
Second Baseman: Dave Groot (Key West Corals)
Third Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yuan (Vancouver Wild)
Shortstop: Ramiro Socastro (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Tad Burridge (Key West Corals)
Right Fielder: Ming Ngui (Key West Corals)

The 2018 NALB World Championship Series (WCS) featured a familiar matchup as the Stade Maples faced the Brooklyn Knights. This was familiar territory for the Knights with their 17th WCS appearance. For the Stade Maples, this was their sixth trip to the WCS. In the Maples previous five WCS appearances, they lost to the Knights four out of five times. Maples' fans hoped 2018 would bring the franchise its second championship.

Both teams featured solid pitching but the Knights offense was a cut above the Maples'. After the first two games, pitching dominated the rest of the series. The final four games were low scoring affairs, including two shutouts. In a year with 119 regular season wins, the Brooklyn Knights showed why they were North American League Baseball's best team. The Knights combination of great hitting, excellent starting pitching, and a tremendous bullpen established them as one of the best teams in league history.

Game 1: Stade 8, Brooklyn 4
Game 2: Brooklyn 10, Stade 3
Game 3: Brooklyn 4, Stade 3
Game 4: Brooklyn 2, Stade 0
Game 5: Stade 2. Brooklyn 0
Game 6: Brooklyn 5, Stade 1

Series MVP: CF Romeo Usquiano (Brooklyn Knights)


Click the image for the NALB 2018 World Championship roster

The Knights returned to Brooklyn for game six of the World Championship Series. The pitching matchup was a rematch of game two, which the Knights won 10-3. Stade's Newton Kittler started against Brooklyn's Marcos Delgadillo. Kittler hoped to improve upon his previous performance where he was pulled in the second inning.

The Maples wasted no time getting down to business. Their first batter of the game, Ken MacEachern, started things off by hitting a home run. A pair of hits by Romeo Usquiano and Alberto Pescador tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Unfortunately, Pescador hurt his knee running out a double and had to leave the game. He was replaced in the lineup by Roberto Hernandez. The Knights had a big fourth inning thanks to a three run homer by Usquiano. Brooklyn added another run in the fifth with some aggressive baserunning by Roberto Hernandez. He raced home and touched the plate just ahead of a terrific throw from MacEachern in center field.

The rest of the way both teams threatened to score but failed to put up any runs. The Maples stranded eight men for the game and the Knights left eleven on base. Pitching prevailed as the Brooklyn Knights held on to defeat the Stade Maples for the 2018 NALB World Championship.

Despite a fine pitching performance by Marcos Delgadillo (6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K), Romeo Usquiano was the player of the game. He was on base five times (three for three hitting plus two walks) and had the biggest hit of the game with a three run homer.

Final score: Brooklyn 5, Stade 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   1  9  2
Brooklyn     1 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 X   5 11  2

W: M. Delgadillo
L: N. Kittler

For the final series game in Stade, game five featured a rematch of pitching aces from game one. Stivers greatly outpitched Tamayo in the opening game and Maples' fans hoped to see a repeat of that decisive win.

Unlike game one, Tony Tamayo looked like himself on the mound. He was throwing heat and limiting Maples' baserunners. Stivers matched his performance, however, and the game was still scoreless going into the seventh inning. Hipolito Nuñez drew a walk to start the bottom of the seventh. Kensaku Shimada followed by blasting a Tamayo fastball over the left field wall. Down 2-0, the Knights tried to come back against Maples' closer Dong-u Sop in the final two innings. With a man on in the ninth, Flavio Marquez hit a deep fly ball to right field. It didn't carry far enough, however, and and Terry Bannatyne caught it for the final out of the game.

The Knights had trouble solving Stivers, who surrendered no earned runs on 4 hits over 7.1 innings. He was the easy choice for player of the game.

Final score: Stade 2, Brooklyn 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  5  1
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 X   2  5  0

W: T. Stivers
L: T. Tamayo
S: D. Sop

Game four was once again in Stade as the Maples faced a 2-1 of the World Championship Series deficit. The pitching matchup was Brooklyn's Darius Luxton (15-4, 4.12 ERA) vs. Stade's David Bracy (18-6, 3.35 ERA).

This was a tightly contested pitching duel. The Knights scored the game's first run in the fourth inning. Third baseman Alberto Pescador tripled and second baseman Flavio Marquez brought him home with a single. There was a stiff 20 mph wind blowing in from center field. That didn't stop Hooks Goetz from blasting a solo home run through the wind in the seventh inning. Up 2-0, the Knights looked to blow the game open in the eighth. They loaded the bases with no outs. However, Maples' reliever Howard Galloway kept the game close by retiring the next three Knights' hitters without allowing a run. The Brooklyn bullpen took care of the rest and sealed the 2-0 shutout win.

The player of the game was Darius Luxton, thanks to his fine performance on the mound. He pitched six shutout innings and only allowed five hits and a walk.

Final score: Brooklyn 2, Stade 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0   2 12  0
Stade        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  8  0

W: D. Luxton
L: D. Bracy
S: S. McGruder

The series moved to Stade tied 1-1. Pressure was on the Maples to win at home behind star pitcher Braulio Crame (17-2, 2.77 ERA). The Knights started a 17 game winner of their own in Aaron Patterson (17-4, 3.68 ERA).

Both starting pitchers showed good stuff from the very beginning. The Maples broke through in the third inning. Right fielder Terry Bannatyne coaxed a leadoff walk and later scored on a sac fly to give his team a 1-0 lead. The Knights finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth thanks to a two run home run by catcher Andrew Strain. A Stade error in the eighth inning helped Brooklyn extend their lead to 3-1. With reliever Stokley McGruder on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, the Maples came to life. Center fielder Ken MacEachern hit a two run homer to tie the game. Closer Ken Hannah entered the game only to give up a single to load the bases with nobody out. He finished the inning by striking out three straight Maples' hitters. The Knights went ahead for good in the ninth when Maurílio Godim scored from second base on a single by Romeo Usquiano. Hannah stayed on to pitch the ninth and secure the 4-3 win.

Aaron Patterson was named player of the game. The right-hander threw 6 innings of 4-hit ball to help Brooklyn take a 2-1 lead in the best of 7 series.

Final score: Brooklyn 4, Stade 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1   4  9  0
Stade        0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0   3  9  1

W: K. Hannah
L: D. Sop

After losing game one of the World Championship Series, the Brooklyn Knights felt good about their chances in game two. Brooklyn's starter was Marcos Delgadillo (22-6, 2.97 ERA), NALB's winningest pitcher this season. Stade chose Newton Kittler (8-7, 4.15 ERA) as their starting pitcher.

Kittler was rocked early and couldn't make it through two innings. He gave up five runs in the second, which was highlighted by a three run homer by Romeo Usquiano. The Knights also got a three run home run from Flavio Marquez in the fifth inning. However, it was Brooklyn first baseman Joe Barnstaple that was named the player of the game. Barnstaple was 2 for 4 with a home run and a double, while scoring 2 times and driving in 2.

Marcos Delgadillo struggled in the fourth inning as he allowed three runs to the Maples. Other than that, he was quite effective pitching 5.1 innings with 0 walks and 9 strikeouts.

Final score: Brooklyn 10, Stade 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0   3  8  2
Brooklyn     0 5 0 0 4 0 1 0 X  10  9  0

W: M. Delgadillo
L: N. Kittler

The Brooklyn Knights (119-43) are playing in the World Championship Series for the fifth straight season. The defending champs hope to add a third consecutive title this year. Standing in the Knights' way is the Stade Maples (96-67). This is the sixth WCS appearance for the Maples and their first since 2011.

Fresh off his MVP performance in the League 2 Series, Pete Porter put on another show. The 35-year-old Stade first baseman blasted Brooklyn Knights' pitching in game 1 of the World Championship Series, taking player of the game honors. Porter was 2-4 with 2 home runs. He drove in 5 runs and scored twice as the Maples took the 8-4 win. With it, Stade holds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.

In the top of the first, Porter pounced on a 0-1 fastball from Tony Tamayo and hit a grand slam home run. It put Stade on top, 4-0. Down 7-1 going into the eighth inning, the Knights staged a modest comeback. Despite scoring three runs late in the game, the deficit was too much to overcome. The Knights were on their heels for most of the game as Maples' ace Tyler Stivers (16-9, 2.44 ERA) befuddled Brooklyn's hitters across seven innings. Tony Tamayo (13-7, 2.99 ERA) was far less effective with six earned runs, three hit batsmen, and a wild pitch.

Final score: Stade 8, Brooklyn 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Stade        4 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1   8 11  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1   4 11  2

W: T. Stivers
L: T. Tamayo

2018 League 2 Series - Phoenix Rattlers (87-76) vs. Stade Maples (96-67)

Game 1: Phoenix 2, Stade 0
Game 2: Stade 6, Phoenix 0
Game 3: Stade 12, Phoenix 7
Game 4: Stade 7, Phoenix 3
Game 5: Phoenix 6, Stade 5
Game 6: Phoenix 5, Stade 2
Game 7: Stade 12, Phoenix 4

After a 75-88 season last year, the Phoenix Rattlers retooled for 2018 with a focus on pitching. They added three new starters to their rotation: Heath MacKissock, Ralph Kerfoot, and Saúl Ramírez. Their efforts paid off as Phoenix had League 2's best pitching staff with a 3.37 ERA. The Stade Maples had a well-balanced team with good hitting and pitching. Stade had its own trio of great starting pitchers: Tyler Stivers, Braulio Crame, and David Bracy.

Game one was a classic pitcher's duel. Tyler Stivers pitched a complete game for the Maples and only surrendered two runs. MacKissock pitched six scoreless innings for the Rattlers. Phoenix struck for two runs in the top of the ninth to get the win.

For the second straight game, there was a shutout. This time it was the Maples prevailing 6-0 behind strong pitching efforts by Braulio Crame and three relievers.

Game three was a slugfest. 28 hits contributed to 19 runs. Leadoff hitter Ken MacEachern had 3 hits and 6 RBI for the Maples as they overwhelmed Rattlers' pitching.

In game four, home runs by 1B Pete Porter, C Kensaku Shimada, and LF Hipolito Núñez powered the Maples to a 7-3 road win in Phoenix.

Down three games to one, Phoenix could not afford another loss. In their final home game of the series, the Rattlers fell behind early. After giving up four runs in the first inning, they managed to tie the game 4-4 in the fourth inning. Down 5-4 late, the Rattlers thrilled the home crowd with a two run rally in the eighth inning.

The series shifted back to Stade for game six. Phoenix was largely ineffective against Braulio Crame until the Rattlers' bats came alive in the seventh inning. Trailing 2-0, the Rattlers scored three runs in the seventh and added two more in the ninth to win 5-2 and force a game seven.

The Rattlers had the momentum going into game seven. However, the Maples used their home field advantage to prevail. Despite falling behind 4-1, they never panicked. From the fifth through eighth innings, Stade was relentless. They scored 11 runs on the way to a convincing 12-4 blowout win.

The Most Valuable Player Award went to Stade first baseman Pete Porter. He batted .440 in the series, collecting 5 RBIs and scoring 6 runs.

Series MVP: 1B Pete Porter (Stade Maples)

2018 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (96-67) vs. Brooklyn Knights (119-43)

Game 1: Brooklyn 6, Luisville 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 5, Luisville 4
Game 3: Brooklyn 3, Luisville 0
Game 4: Brooklyn 6, Luisville 5

The Luisville Beasts and Brooklyn Knights clashed in the postseason for the second straight season. Unlike last year, the Knights had the better 2018 regular season record and secured home field advantage. Brooklyn was the league's top scoring top and had the best pitching staff as well. Luisville was second best in runs scores and runs allowed.

In the opening game, Tony Tamayo (13-7, 2.99 ERA) gave the pitching performance the Knights needed. Tamayo threw a strong seven innings, striking out eleven and only giving up two runs. Goetz and Godim powered Brooklyn's offense with three hits apiece, including a home run by each player.

League 1's two winningest pitchers started game two. Luisville's Charlie Revels (18-9, 3.84 ERA) faced Brooklyn's Marcos Delgadillo (22-6, 2.97 ERA). The starters were pulled after the fifth inning and fourth inning, respectively. The game turned into a battle of the bullpens and went into extra innings. Roberto Hernandez scored the game winning run after hitting a triple in the 12th inning and coming home on a sacrifice fly.

The Knights won game three behind another great pitching performance. This time it was Aaron Patterson (17-4, 3.68 ERA) who delivered the goods. Patterson pitched superbly through seven scoreless innings en route to Brooklyn's 3-0 victory.

Game four was do or die for the Beasts. Their bats were active in front of their home crowd. However, Luisville's 14 hits kept the game close but they fell a run short in their comeback. Hooks Goetz was the player of the game with a walk and two hits, including a three run homer.

The Brooklyn Knights will play for the World Championship against the winner of the League 2 Series featuring the Rattlers and Maples. Godim hit .375 with a .474 on-base percentage. He added 2 home runs, drove in 6 RBI and scored 2 runs to earn series MVP honors.

Series MVP: RF Maurílio Godim (Brooklyn Knights)

September brought few surprises in the standings. Division leaders in June remained on top for the rest of the season. For the fifth straight year, the Brooklyn Knights won a division title. With 119 wins, the outcome was locked in for some time as the Knights clinched back on August 20.

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (96-67) vs. Brooklyn Knights (119-43)
Phoenix Rattlers (87-76) vs. Stade Maples (96-67)

Head to head this season:
The Knights were 16-7 against the Beasts.
The Maples were 11-13 against the Rattlers.

Playoff injury report:
Brooklyn has been playing without John Ruben, Porfírio Portio, and Blas Ramos for a while. José Arisa experienced some back stiffness during his final start that he is still working through. However, he should be ready to pitch when called upon. Luisville had two serious injuries to key players in the spring. RF Manuel Montaya and 3B Pete Chavez need more recovery time and will not be on the playoff roster.

Notable players out for the Stade Maples are P Mario Torralbo, LF Fernando Canales, and LF Carlos Tejera. The Phoenix Rattlers are exceptionally healthy for this time of year. They have no key players out due to injury.

September 2018 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beninger (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Marcos Delgadillo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Javier Cirneros (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Márque Parita (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: David Bracy (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Félix Comadurán (Phoenix Rattlers)

Despite dropping the last three games in August, the Knights went 20-7 for the month. Brooklyn ran away from its competition this season, clinching the division on August 20. By the end of August, the Knights had an astounding 39 game lead over the Grizzlies. On August 15, the Knights announced an extension for right fielder Maurílio Godim. Godim will pocket $38 million over the next five years. He was an important signing for the team, which faced the prospect of losing up to four key players (Conley, Godim, Gómez, and Usquiano) to free agency.

The other three divisions are still up for grabs with leads ranging between four and six games.

August 2018 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Quilvio Martínez (Las Vegas Luck)
Pitcher of the Month: Terrence Steinman (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Dominique Gagnon (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)

The Brooklyn Knights mostly cruised through July, easily maintaining a healthy division lead. Injuries affected the Knights’ middle infielders, however, as Roberto Hernandez and Flavio Marquez both made their way to the Injured List with herniated discs in their backs. The Beasts continue to battle the Firecats and Otters. Behind its formidable pitching, the Otters are now in second place. They may prove to be the Beasts’ largest obstacle in the way of another division title. The Maples and Rattlers are still in first place in their competitive League 2 division races.

Although there was a lot of furious activity before the July 31 trade deadline, no major deals were made.

July 2018 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Luís Vergel (Cornfield Axemen)
Pitcher of the Month: Jesús Alonso (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Jesús Alonso (Dunedin Otters)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Stade Maples)
Pitcher of the Month: Jonathan Farsey (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Rookie of the Month: Arturo Guerrero (Phoenix Rattlers)

The annual NALB all-star game was played on July 10, 2018. The Brooklyn Knights were well-represented on the League 1 All-Stars team. Fans voted nine Knights onto the roster—seven pitchers and two fielders. In addition, Darius Luxton was given the honor of starting the game. He pitched a clean first inning and Brooklyn’s four relievers pitched the final five innings without giving up a run. Unfortunately for League 1, Dayton’s Jade Pradia allowed two runs in the second inning and Cornfield’s Vic Jukes allowed three more in the fourth. Scoring for the League 2 All-Stars came courtesy of a Hsiao-lou Yuan home run in the second and a homer by Dorian Chivers in the fourth.

Brooklyn catcher Dan Conley hit a solo homer, a bit surprising as he only had hit one all season. League 1 added three more runs but the comeback fell short. League 2 prevailed by a score of 5-4.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 2 All-Stars   0 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0   5  9  0
League 1 All-Stars   0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0   4  8  0

W: J. Kamoga
L: J. Pradia
S: M. Genge

The Knights were almost unstoppable in June. Brooklyn started the month with a 16 game winning streak. After claiming victory in 19 out of 20 games, the team slowed a bit. Overall, the Knights ended with a 23-5 record for the month, which put them 23 games ahead of the Mudcats. All was not good news for Brooklyn, however. On June 29, staff ace Porfírio Portio left the game after pitching to one batter. The next day, his injury was diagnosed as a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Portio previously tore his UCL two years ago. Since then, he also suffered a partially torn labrum and radial nerve compression. With Portio’s latest injury, it appears the 28 year old phenom’s career is over. Once considered NALB’s most talented pitcher, he will be sorely missed by the Knights.

The Firecats put pressure on the Beasts, climbing to within one game of the Beasts. The Rattlers remained atop their division while the Stade Maples overtook the Key West Corals.

June 2018 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Fernando Villazana (Dunedin Otters)
Rookie of the Month: Javier Cirneros (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Tyler Stivers (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)

After a blistering start in April, the Knights cooled off just a bit in May. Winning 17 out of 27 games for the month solidified Brooklyn’s NALB best record at 37-17. The Knights faced some bad news, however, as 1B/3B John Ruben was lost for the season with a torn PCL. Ruben was hitting a solid .293 and led the team in RBI with 30. His bat and reliable glove will certainly be missed. Last year’s best team in the regular season was the Luisville Beasts. The Beasts won 19 games in May to ascend to first place in their division. The Corals and Rattlers remained atop their respective divisions. Phoenix clearly made some good moves with its pitching staff in the offseason. Heath MacKissock and Saúl Ramírez were both named pitchers of the month to start the season.

May 2018 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Luiís Vergel (Cornfield Axemen)
Pitcher of the Month: Porfiro Quiñones (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Derrek Bankhead (Dunedin Otters)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Ángel Santago (Vancouver Wild)
Pitcher of the Month: Saúl Ramírez (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)

The Brooklyn Knights had a tremendous start to the 2018 season with a 20-7 record. Unfortunately, the Knights ended the month with Romeo Usquiano and Jesús Montufar on the injured list. Both players should return in about four weeks. The Luisville Beasts were once again a dangerous rival, winning three games out of four so far against Brooklyn. The Nashville Firecats got off to a hot start and appear ready to challenge the Beasts for their division. It was the Key West Corals who put up the month’s best record, however, at 20-6. The Phoenix Rattlers spent big money on free agent acquisitions prior to this season. Those moves have started to pay off as Heath MacKissock was named League 2’s Pitcher of the Month. The Rattlers currently lead their division by a mere half game.

April 2018 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Alexis Schmidt (Dayton Grizzlies)
Pitcher of the Month: Ken Hannah (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Darcy Shade (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mac-André Lavoie (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Heath MacKissock (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Elequemedo González (Richmond Slam)

The Brooklyn Knights played fairly well in spring training, posting a 16-14 record. All of the teams in League 1 Division 1 had spring training records of .500 or better. The Dayton Grizzlies went 18-12 and looked particularly good. The powerful Luisville Beasts led League 1 Division 2 with a 16-14 record. After a 102-60 2017 season, the Beasts appeared ready to defend their division title. The Key West Corals also played like division champs in spring training with a 17-13 record. The Phoenix Rattlers staked their claim as perhaps the team most likely of a turnaround season. In 2017, the Rattlers finished a disappointing 3rd place after going 75-88. After signing the top two starting pitchers in free agency, however, Phoenix showed it was serious about competing in 2018. The Rattlers committed over $135 million for the contracts of MacKissock and Kerfoot and will expect big results.

The Knights had two new notable injuries. CF Romeo Usquiano will miss the first 2-3 weeks of the regular season with a high ankle sprain. Minor league RP David Sprinkle suffered the most serious injury. The 24 year old Brooklyn native tore his rotator cuff and will miss the entire season.

Key injuries in spring training:

• Cornfield Axemen: P Elijah Phillips will miss the season with a torn labrum (shoulder).
• Cornfield Axemen: SS Frankie Guijarro broke a bone in his elbow and will be out all season.
• Dunedin Otters: 1B Paul Lyons fractured his hand and is expected to miss 5 weeks.
• Dunedin Otters: A sore shoulder will keep CF Phil Tompkins on the injury list (IL) for 5 weeks.
• Key West Corals: SP Brian Harding tore a triceps muscle on March 20. He is expected to miss 3 months.
• Key West Corals: SP Ronaldo Mijangos is expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a sore elbow.
• Nashville Firecats: RP Bradon Hill tore a flexor tendon in his elbow. He is looking a 11-12 months recovery time after surgery,
• Phoenix Rattlers: RP Isidoro Caspacio has elbow tendinitis and will need 4-5 weeks of recovery time.
• Phoenix Rattlers: A bone spur in his elbow will keep RP Myles Wexler off the field for about 2 weeks.
• Phoenix Rattlers: CF John Buker has a herniated disc in his back. He is expected to miss 4 weeks.
• Quebeck Sky Chiefs: Shoulder tendinitis will most likely keep RP José Sandoval off the roster for 3 weeks,
• Richmond Slam: RF Fernando Chira is out for approximately 5 weeks with a herniated disc.
• Vancouver Wild: SP Nicolas Sanalria needs surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. His estimated recovery time is 4-5 months.
• Vancouver Wild: SP Lynden O’Hagarty has a sore shoulder, which landed him on the IL. He may return in about 6 weeks.

There were some notable NALB roster moves during the offseason and 2018 preseason.

The Brooklyn Knights made several offseason moves:

• The Knights signed SP Tony Tamayo to a 7 year contract extension worth $94.5 million.
• Bruce MacOmish signed a 3 year contract extension for $6.6 million.
• Brooklyn locked in star LF Blas Ramos for another 3 years with a 3 year $15.3 million extension.
• The Knights extended the contracts of 11 players through salary arbitration: Juan Fuentes, Alberto Pescador, Ken Hannah, Lariel Gómez, Cristófor De Jesus, Maurílio Godim, Aaron Patterson, Darius Luxton, Xerxes Scaife, Porfírio Portio, and Romeo Usquiano.
• Arbitration was offered to Hsiao-lou Yeh. He declined and opted to file for free agency.
• Brooklyn traded 31 year old 2B Haden Leventon to the Las Vegas Luck, getting 30 year old SP Marcos Delgadillo, 25 year old 2B Sylvester Helms, and 20 year old minor league SP Octávio Chávez in return. With staff ace Porfírio Portio still recovering from radial decompression surgery on his elbow, Delgadillo was an important addition to the starting pitching staff.
• Signed free agent RP Stokley “Pumpkin” McGruder to a 4 year contract worth $17.8 million.
• Signed free agent RP Jesús “Cookie Monster” Montufar for $1.65 million over 3 years.
• AAA RP Felix Comaduran was lost to the Phoenix Rattlers in the Rule 5 draft. They selected him in the 2nd round with the 20th overall pick.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• After 11 years in Richmond, superstar power-hitting LF Tony Rodarte declared he would enter free agency. It didn’t take long for Rodarte to find a new team. He weighed several offers and decided to join the Nashville Firecats. His new 3 year contract is worth $32.6 million.
• The Dunedin Otters signed RP Benny Alazardo to a 3 year contract worth a total of $12.44 million.
• One of the more interesting signings this offseason was by the Richmond Slam. They agreed to terms with veteran outfielder Elequemedo Gonzalez. “The Mayor,” as Gonzalez is know, is a legend in his native Nicaragua. A 5 year $33.5 million contract lured Gonzalez away from Managua to play in the U.S. for the first time.
• The Luisville Beasts showed they aren’t all about hitting by signing RP Juan Miranda to a 2 year contract worth $9.68 million.
• This year’s top free agent was SP Heath MacKissock. MacKissock was expected to command big money after a lengthy bargaining process. It was surprising when he quickly came to terms with the Rattlers on November 27, 2017. A 7 year mega-deal worth $95.9 million convinced him that Phoenix was the right place for him.
• CF Roy Dabbs signed with the Richmond Slam for $18.24 million over 4 years.
• 43 year old 1B Paul Lyons will take his home run swing to the Dunedin Otters. The ageless wonder signed a $6.2 million 1 year contract.
• Luisville added another powerful bat to its already mighty lineup. Ex-Brooklyn Knight 1B Hsiao-lou Yeh was persuaded to sign with Luisville after they offered him $39.6 million over 6 years.
• The Richmond Slam sign 2B Marc-André Lavoie to a 6 year, $18.36 million deal.
• One of the top free agent starters available was Ralph Kerfoot. He opted to sign with the Phoenix Rattlers. His contract is worth $39.2 million over 4 years.
• Catcher Willie Nolan joins the Richmond Slam for 2018. His new 4 year contract is worth $24.1 million.
• Long time Stade Maple Jordan Blanchard has himself a new home. The right fielder agreed to join the Dayton Grizzlies after they offered him $73.2 million for 7 years.
• Veteran 1B Pete Porter will be joining his sixth team as he is now a member of the Stade Maples. He agreed to a 4 year, $29.2 million deal.

Notable offseason trades:

• The St. James Crusaders traded 31-year-old reliever Paul Thompson to the Luisville Beasts, getting 22-year-old minor league shortstop Ron Younger and 24-year-old catcher Filip Chambless in return.
• The Las Vegas Luck traded 32-year-old catcher Kensaku Shimada and 19-year-old minor league shortstop Vidal González to the Stade Maples, getting 24-year-old catcher Aneury Martínez and 24-year-old minor league shortstop Reiley Haws in return.
• The Key West Corals traded 26-year-old right fielder Alfonso Rocho to the Cornfield Axemen, getting 27-year-old reliever Eugene McHenry and 23-year-old minor league reliever Nathan Bósques in return.

Interest in Perfect Team on Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) 19 has died down quite a bit now that OOTP 20 is out. The marketplace is not nearly as active as it was prior to the release of the latest version. My interest has waned as well, particularly after so many seasons. Therefore, I will give a brief update on the Apalachin Attack through the 20th season of play in the Perfect Team leagues. After a disastrous 2033 season, my team was relegated back to a Diamond Level league. I stopped bothering to keep up with the competition through careful research and targeted player acquisitions in the marketplace. Instead, I began buying player card packs whenever I accumulated enough player points. As is typical with collectible card games, the odds of getting rare cards is not very good. Over the course of these five seasons, I bought 30 packs and only got a few gold cards and one diamond card; I never saw a perfect card. Unfortunately, the diamond card was third baseman Josh Donaldson and I was already strong at 3B with Nolan Arenado.

2034 - 82-80 (.506), 17 GB, 3rd Place. It was good to be back in a Diamond Level league. We were competitive again and turned in a winning record (barely). Other than Giancarlo Stanton, I was pleased with almost everyone in the lineup. Staff ace Randy Johnson pitched well for us: 15-10, 3.43 ERA, 233.1 IP, 72 BB, 244 K.

2035 - 83-79 (.512), 8 GB, 3rd Place. We did even better in 2035 and finished only eight games back in the division. All in all, the team played similarly to the season before. I acquired one new pitcher late in the year to bolster the bullpen. Lefty Felipe Vasquez replaced James Pazos. Vasquez did a very nice job in the ten games he pitched: 1-0, 1.64 ERA, 13 K.

2036 -72-90 (.444), 14 GB, 5th Place. Things fell apart somewhat in 2036. Although our pitching was pretty consistent, the offense was abysmal. We hit .242 as a team and only scored 636 runs compared to .258 and 741 runs scored the previous season.

2037 - 78-84 (.481), 12 GB, 3rd Place. I tweaked our lineups a bit and tried to play the hot bats to make the most out of a roster that hadn’t changed in years. It paid off as our team batting average went up 12 points to .254 and we scored 728 runs, well ahead of last year. Cal Ripken and Kyle Tucker had fine seasons but Carl Furillo was easily the team’s standout hitter. Furillo set a team record for runs batted in and he won Apalachin’s first league batting title. His stat line speaks for itself: .328, 37 2B, 3 3B, 27 HR, 70 R, 110 RBI.

2038 - 74-88 (.457), 10 GB, 4th Place. For some reason, Randy Johnson just couldn’t catch a break in 2038. He had a dismal season with a 6-18 record and 4.90 ERA. Fortunately, Gaylord Perry picked up the slack with an excellent season, going 17-9 with a 3.98 ERA. Carl Furillo didn’t quite match his 2037 numbers but he came pretty close: .311, 52 2B, 0 3B, 18 HR, 80 R, 89 RBI.

It’s been about a month since I posted my last update on the Apalachin Attack baseball team. After winning the Diamond .386 League Championship, Apalachin was promoted to a Perfect Level league, the Perfect .401. Ugh! We only had one diamond player on the team and no “perfect” players at all. With extremely fierce competition, it was going to be a tough year.

2032 - 72-90 (.444), 13 GB, 4th Place. Despite posting the worst record in team history, we at least managed to stay out of last place. Desperate to stay competitive, I took a gamble on a major acquisition by signing Randy Johnson from the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks. The Big Unit made an immediate impact as our staff ace. Even without much run support, he put up solid numbers against Perfect Level opponents with a 13-10 record and a 3.98 ERA. Johnson was our only starter without a losing record. Offensively, Will Clark was one of our few standouts: .272, 36 2B, 2 3B, 24 HR, 74 R, 75 RBI.

2033 - 53-109 (.327), 42 GB, 5th Place. The wheels really came off in 2033 as the Apalachin Attack had a disastrous season. Playing in the Perfect .418 League against teams stacked with hall of fame players, we struggled to win even one-third of our games. We scored the fewest runs in team history (637) and our pitching was pounded as we surrendered the most runs in team history (848).

Playing again in the Diamond .386 League, we made a remarkable turnaround in 2031 going from worst to first. An 84-78 record was enough to lead our division by six games.

In the Division Series, the Apalachin Attack played the Htown .45s. The .45s had won 85 games so the series was expected to be evenly matched. After dropping the first two games in Houston, the Attack were revitalized by their return to Apalachin. Three straight wins gave Apalachin a come from behind series win. Carl Furillo was the series MVP.

• Game 1: Htown 4, Apalachin 3
• Game 2: Htown 7, Apalachin 6
• Game 3: Apalachin 8, Htown 3
• Game 4: Apalachin 2, Htown 2
• Game 5: Apalachin 5, Htown 4

The National Conference Championship featured the Apalachin Attack vs the wild card winner, the Fighting Jon Diesels. After winning the first three games, it appeared that the Attack might sweep the series. The Diesels put up a fight with a couple of wins before falling to defeat in game 6. The series MVP was Attack left fielder Kyle Tucker.

• Game 1: Apalachin 2, Fighting Jon 1
• Game 2: Apalachin 3, Fighting Jon 2
• Game 3: Apalachin 2, Fighting Jon 0
• Game 4: Fighting Jon 8, Apalachin 3
• Game 5: Fighting Jon 2, Apalachin 1
• Game 6: Apalachin 5, Fighting Jon 4

The Diamond .386 League Championship was between the Apalachin Attack and the Sonoma Dragons. The Dragons led the American Conference in home run hitting and had a fine pitching staff as well. Despite falling behind two games to one, the Apalachin Attack showed tremendous resolve. They were Dragon slayers as Apalachin prevailed and won the 2031 league title.

After playing for the Gold .337 League Championship in 2029, the Apalachin Attack were promoted to the Diamond .386 League. I expected the competition was going to be strong in a Diamond Level league and I wasn’t wrong. Early in the season, we played pretty well. At the end of July, our record was a respectable 56-51 and we were in the mix for a wildcard spot. Unfortunately, we faded down the stretch and ended up 77-85, which put us in last place in the National Conference East division. Center Fielder Andrew McCutchen was one of the few bright spots on the 2029 team. He put up solid numbers, including a personal best 22 home runs.

The 2029 season was magical for the Apalachin Attack. Playing in the American Conference Central Division, the Attack started the season well, hit a bit of a rough patch in the middle, and then delivered a scorching finish that was one for the record books. Apalachin and Maine finished the regular season tied at 88-74. The Attack prevailed in a tiebreaker game in Maine to advance to the wild card playoff.

For the wild card game, Apalachin played on the road against Marin City. Larry Dierker prevailed against Carl Hubbell as Apalachin’s power overwhelmed Marin City’s pitchers. The Attack blasted five home runs: two by Carl Furillo, two by Cal Ripken, and one by Javier Baez. The final score was Apalachin 12, Marin City 6.

Advancing to the Division Series, the Apalachin Attack faced the Buffalo Thundering Herd. Buffalo was a solid team, which posted a 94-68 regular season record. Underdog Apalachin prevailed in this best of five series to continue its playoff run. Cal Ripken was named the series MVP.

• Game 1: Apalachin 9, Buffalo 6
• Game 2: Buffalo 8, Apalachin 6
• Game 3: Apalachin 8, Buffalo 0
• Game 4: Apalachin 11, Buffalo 3

The American Conference Championship was a matchup between the Apalachin Attack and the Shreveport-Bossier Captains. The Attack remained red hot and swept the Captains in four straight. Andrew McCutchen was awarded the honor of series MVP.

• Game 1: Apalachin 4, Shreveport-Bossier 3
• Game 2: Apalachin 8, Shreveport-Bossier 6
• Game 3: Apalachin 6 Shreveport-Bossier 3
• Game 4: Apalachin 5, Shreveport-Bossier 3

Apalachin had won 17 of its last 20 games heading into the League Series. Unfortunately, the Attack ran out of magic against the Lakewood Tigers. The Tigers’ Jimmie Foxx was the series MVP.

• Game 1: Lakewood 6, Apalachin 1
• Game 2: Lakewood 9, Apalachin 4
• Game 3: Lakewood 6, Apalachin 1
• Game 4: Lakewood 5, Apalachin 1

With Perfect Team churning through one season per week, there has been a lot of action since my last update. Here is a quick synopsis of the 2024 through 2028 seasons for the Apalachin Attack.

2024 - 76-86 (.469), 18 GB, 5th Place. Gold Level competition was tough, which resulted in a last place finish in the division. We added a new right fielder, Carl Furillo, to replace Nick Markakis. He added some punch to our lineup with his 41 doubles. Our pitching was not good in 2024. I tried to address it with two acquisitions, reliever Will Smith and starter Patrick Corbin. Smith was excellent and definitely improved our bullpen.

2025 - 78-84 (.481), 20 GB, 4th Place. We improved ever so slightly compared to the previous season. Still, we were well out of playoff contention. Our pitching staff was far more productive with a team ERA of 3.86. After giving up 791 runs in 2024, we lowered that to only 683 in 2025. Left Fielder Kyle Tucker was a particular offensive standout. Once again, I added a new relief pitcher to the team. This time, it was Will Harris.

2026 - 80-82 (.494), 27 GB, 4th Place. It was another fourth place finish but our record improved for the second straight season. Our offense finally started to click again. We scored more runs than any other season in team history with the exception of our 2020 championship. Center Fielder Andrew McCutchen was the team’s best player. He hit .315 with 42 doubles and 19 home runs. Designated hitter Hank Greenberg had a breakout year as well. He scored 101 runs and had 101 RBI while leading the league with 38 home runs.

2027 - 87-75 (.537), 6 GB, 2nd Place. The rebuilding effort finally paid off as we managed second place in the division. Cal Ripken had his finest season to date: .303, 41 2B, 2 3B, 19 HR, 76 R, 87 RBI.We made a couple of late season acquisitions to take a run at the playoffs. First, we added Mariano Rivera to further enhance our bullpen. Next we signed Nolan Arenado to replace long time Apalachin favorite Ryan Zimmerman. Unfortunately, we just fell short of qualifying for a wild card spot.

2028 - 86-76 (.531), 5 GB, 4th Place. Our division was very competitive in 2028. Although we finished only five games out of first place, that was only good enough for fourth place. All in all, we played at a level similar to the previous season. We had one big new addition to the team before the season started. Will Clark took over as our first baseman, replacing Anthony Rizzo. I was pleased with Clark’s production: .279, 44 2B, 4 3B, 25 HR, 81 R, 93 RBI.

In 2023, the Apalachin Attack were once again assigned to a Gold Level League. This time it was the American Conference West Division of the Gold .279 League. Our hopes were high when we signed a fine new center fielder in Andrew McCutchen. Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed in the first two months of the season. At the end of May, we were 23-31, which placed us at the bottom of the division. Things turned around a bit after that. At one point in early August, we had clawed back to a game over .500. It was a prolonged slide for the rest of the season, however, as the Attack finished with a 76-86 record.

McCutchen played pretty well in his first season in Apalachin. He hit .264 with a team-leading 44 doubles. He contributed 4 triples, 18 home runs, and 50 walks while scoring 95 runs and batting in 69. Late in the year, we added power hitting catcher Todd Hundley. Hundley struggled in the 15 games he played. He only hit .192 with 2 doubles and 1 home run. Thankfully, his skills behind the plate were excellent.

Active Roster (Initial)
SP Larry Dierker, HOU, 1969
SP Herb Pennock, NYY, 1927
SP Gaylord Perry, CLE, 1972
SP Curt Schilling, BOS, 2004 (3951 PP)
SP Zack Wheeler, NYM, 2018
RP Joe A Berry, PHA, 1944
RP Doug Corbett, MIN, 1980
RP Jeremy Jeffress, MIL, 2018
RP Roberto Osuna, HOU, 2018
RP James Pazos, SEA, 2018
RP Craig Stammen, SD, 2018
CL Sean Doolittle, WAS, 2018
C Jody Davis, CHC, 1984
C Brian Downing, CAL, 1979
1B Hank Greenberg, DET, 1938 (2900 PP)
1B Anthony Rizzo, CHC, 2018
2B Javier Baez, CHC, 2018
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 2009
SS Willy Adames, TB, 2018
SS Cal Ripken Jr, BAL, 1983
LF Giancarlo Stanton, NYY, 2018
LF Kyle Tucker, HOU, 2018
CF Torii Hunter, MIN, 2007
RF Nicholas Castellanos, DET, 2018
RF Paul Waner, PIT, PEAK

Reserve Roster (Initial)
SP Vern Bickford, BSN, 1950
SP Randy Jones, SD, 1975
RP Archie Bradley, ARI, 2018
RP Roenis Elias, SEA, 2018
RP Adam Kolarek, TB, 2018
C Wellington Castillo, CWS, 2018
1B Gil Hodges, BRO, 1950
3B David Freese, STL, 2011
SS Addison Russell, CHI, 2018
LF Eddie Rosario, MIN, 2018
RF Nick Markakis, ATL, 2018

Acquisitions
CF Andrew McCutchen, PIT, 2013
C Todd Hundley, NYM, 1996

After a second place division finish in 2021, the Apalachin Attack were promoted to the Gold .299 League. During the season, we made two acquisitions. We signed pitcher Curt Schilling in July to strengthen our starting staff. He gave us everything we hoped for and more. Schilling quickly established himself as the staff ace. His stat line was impressive enough to have won pitcher of the year if he had pitched the whole season: 11-3, 2.53 ERA, 93 K in 16 games. I wanted to add an impact bat to our lineup to give a boost to our below average offense. Therefore, I signed first baseman Hank Greenberg to be our new designated hitter. He did not make the impact I had hoped for in his 58 games played: .251, 7 2B, 10 HR, 27 R, 23 RBI, 21 BB, 75 SO. Overall, we finished the season 82-80, which was only good enough for a disappointing fourth place finish in the American Conference West Division.

Active Roster (Initial)
SP Larry Dierker, HOU, 1969
SP Randy Jones, SD, 1975
SP Herb Pennock, NYY, 1927
SP Gaylord Perry, CLE, 1972
SP Zack Wheeler, NYM, 2018
RP Joe A Berry, PHA, 1944
RP Doug Corbett, MIN, 1980
RP Jeremy Jeffress, MIL, 2018
RP Roberto Osuna, HOU, 2018
RP James Pazos, SEA, 2018
RP Craig Stammen, SD, 2018
CL Sean Doolittle, WAS, 2018
C Jody Davis, CHC, 1984
C Brian Downing, CAL, 1979
1B Gil Hodges, BRO, 1950
1B Anthony Rizzo, CHC, 2018
2B Javier Baez, CHC, 2018
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 2009
SS Willy Adames, TB, 2018
SS Cal Ripken Jr, BAL, 1983
LF Giancarlo Stanton, NYY, 2018
LF Kyle Tucker, HOU, 2018
CF Torii Hunter, MIN, 2007
RF Nicholas Castellanos, DET, 2018
RF Paul Waner, PIT, PEAK

Reserve Roster (Initial)
SP Vern Bickford, BSN, 1950
RP Archie Bradley, ARI, 2018
RP Roenis Elias, SEA, 2018
RP Adam Kolarek, TB, 2018
C Wellington Castillo, CWS, 2018
3B David Freese, STL, 2011
SS Addison Russell, CHI, 2018
LF Eddie Rosario, MIN, 2018
RF Nick Markakis, ATL, 2018

Acquisitions
SP Curt Schilling, BOS, 2004 (3951 PP)
1B Hank Greenberg, DET, 1938 (2900 PP)

After winning the 2020 Sigma Eta League championship, the Apalachin Attack were promoted to the Silver .309 League. We started slowly in April and bottomed out in May. At one point, we were 14 games under .500. We never had a losing month after that, however. Our fielding was atrocious at first. We committed 13 errors in the first 8 games. After digging ourselves a deep hole, the playoffs were a long shot. The Attack got hot, however, winning the final six games of the season. Our 84-79 record was good enough to qualify for a wild card spot. Unfortunately, we failed to qualify for the playoffs because we tied with the Budget Gangsters, which had a better head to head record against us.

Our offense was somewhat disappointing. Several players failed to match their 2020 seasons. Javier Baez, in particular, could not continue his torrid production from the past two seasons. I signed Cal Ripken as my new shortstop and he added some punch to our lineup down the stretch. I also signed Kyle Tucker, a promising up and comer, late in the season. He struggled mightily at the plate and was ineffective as a leadoff hitter. Once again, Larry Dierker was tremendous as the backbone of our pitching staff. Dierker led the league in wins with a 22-9 record. Roenis Elias never clicked in 2021 so I eventually called Randy Jones back from the reserve roster to replace him. That move worked out great and Jones really helped keep us in playoff contention down the stretch.

Active Roster (Initial)
SP Larry Dierker, HOU, 1969
SP RP Roenis Elias, SEA, 2018
SP Herb Pennock, NYY, 1927
SP Gaylord Perry, CLE, 1972
SP Zack Wheeler, NYM, 2018
RP Joe A Berry, PHA, 1944
RP Archie Bradley, ARI, 2018
RP Doug Corbett, MIN, 1980
RP Jeremy Jeffress, MIL, 2018
RP James Pazos, SEA, 2018
CL Roberto Osuna, HOU, 2018
CL Sean Doolittle, WAS, 2018
C Wellington Castillo, CWS, 2018
C Jody Davis, CHC, 1984
1B Gil Hodges, BRO, 1950
1B Anthony Rizzo, CHC, 2018
2B Javier Baez, CHC, 2018
3B David Freese, STL, 2011
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 2009
SS Willy Adames, TB, 2018
LF Eddie Rosario, MIN, 2018
LF Giancarlo Stanton, NYY, 2018
CF Torii Hunter, MIN, 2007
RF Nicholas Castellanos, DET, 2018
RF Paul Waner, PIT, PEAK

Reserve Roster (Initial)
SP Vern Bickford, BSN, 1950
SP Randy Jones, SD, 1975
RP Adam Kolarek, TB, 2018
RP Brad Wieck, SD, 2018
1B Mark Reynolds, WAS, 2018
SS Addison Russell, CHI, 2018
LF Derek Dietrich, MIA, 2018
RF Nick Markakis, ATL, 2018

Acquisitions
SS Cal Ripken Jr, BAL, 1983
RP Craig Stammen, SD, 2018
LF Kyle Tucker, HOU, 2018

For the 2020 season, the Apalachin Attack was assigned to the National Conference West Division of the Sigma Eta League. As with 2019, Apalachin was going to compete in a Bronze Level league. After last season’s struggles, I knew we needed to address our pitching staff. I signed a new starter, Larry Dierker, at the beginning of the season. He went 15-10 with a 2.98 ERA and 198 strikeouts, which made him one of the best in the league. Late in the season, I added Gaylord Perry to replace Randy Jones in the rotation. Perry’s contribution was certainly an upgrade over Jones: 5-2, 3.84 ERA, 40 K. Our offense continued to deliver the goods as we led the league in scoring. Thanks to our powerful hitting and an improved pitching staff, we easily made the playoffs with a record of 99-63.

In the division series, we defeated the Budget Gangsters three games to one. In the sub-league series, we played the #1 seeded Youngstown Penguins (105-57). We finished that series in five games, defeating the Penguins four games to one. Finally, we played the American Conference champions, the Vancouver Volcanos. We defeated them to win the Sigma Eta League Championship!

Active Roster (Initial)
SP Zack Wheeler, NYM, 2018
SP RP Roenis Elias, SEA, 2018
SP Randy Jones, SD, 1975
SP Herb Pennock, NYY, 1927
SP Vern Bickford, BSN, 1950
RP Joe A Berry, PHA, 1944
RP Archie Bradley, ARI, 2018
RP Doug Corbett, MIN, 1980
RP Jeremy Jeffress, MIL, 2018
RP Adam Kolarek, TB, 2018
CL Roberto Osuna, HOU, 2018
CL Sean Doolittle, WAS, 2018
C Wellington Castillo, CWS, 2018
C Jody Davis, CHC, 1984
1B Gil Hodges, BRO, 1950
1B Anthony Rizzo, CHC, 2018
2B Javier Baez, CHC, 2018
3B David Freese, STL, 2011
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 2009
SS Willy Adames, TB, 2018
LF Eddie Rosario, MIN, 2018
LF Giancarlo Stanton, NYY, 2018
CF Torii Hunter, MIN, 2007
RF Nicholas Castellanos, DET, 2018
RF Paul Waner, PIT, PEAK (1927)

Reserve Roster (Initial)
SP Charlie Robertson, CWS, 1922
RP James Pazos, SEA, 2018
SS Addison Russell, CHI, 2018
RF Nick Markakis, ATL, 2018

Acquisitions
SP Larry Dierker, HOU, 1969
Standard Pack
• RP D.J. Johnson, COL, 2018
• RP Jake Newberry, KC, 2018
• RP Brad Wieck, SD, 2018
• 1B Chris Davis, BAL, 2018
• 1B Mark Reynolds, WAS, 2018
• LF Derek Dietrich, MIA, 2018
SP Gaylord Perry, CLE, 1972

After finishing a season in the Entry Pool, the Apalachin Attack was assigned to the bronze level Iona Zeta League in the American Conference Central Division. For most of the season, we played a little better than we did in the Entry Pool. In July, we peaked at eight games above .500. I thought we had a reasonable shot at a Wild Card spot. Unfortunately, we faded down the stretch and failed to make the playoffs. After losing our final two games, we finished at 81-81.

I made a handful of roster changes throughout the season. There was one acquisition that stood head and shoulders above the rest—Javier Baez. We acquired Baez to play second base and moved Willy Adames from second base to shortstop. I hated to remove SS Addison Russell from the roster because his fielding was so good. However, I decided to trade his glove for Baez’s bat and it paid off big time. In less than half a season, Baez made quite an impact in just 61 games: .344 AVG, 25 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 38 R, and 45 RBI. Our pitching was quite poor and almost always near the bottom of the league. Herb Pennock (15-12, 3.82 ERA) was probably the lone bright spot in the starting rotation.

Active Roster (Initial)
SP Zack Wheeler, NYM, 2018
SP RP Roenis Elias, SEA, 2018
SP Herb Pennock, NYY, 1927
SP Charlie Robertson, CWS, 1922
SP Vern Bickford, BSN, 1950
RP Robert Gsellman, NYM, 2018
RP Joe A Berry, PHA, 1944
RP Archie Bradley, ARI, 2018
RP Doug Corbett, MIN, 1980
RP Adam Kolarek, TB, 2018
RP Dominic Leone, STL, 2018
RP James Pazos, SEA, 2018
CL Roberto Osuna, HOU, 2018
C Wellington Castillo, CWS, 2018
C Jody Davis, CHC, 1984
1B Gil Hodges, BRO, 1950
1B Anthony Rizzo, CHC, 2018
2B Willy Adames, TB, 2018
3B David Freese, STL, 2011
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 2009
SS Addison Russell, CHC, 2018
LF Eddie Rosario, MIN, 2018
LF Giancarlo Stanton, NYY, 2018
CF Torii Hunter, MIN, 2007
RF Nicholas Castellanos, DET, 2018
RF Nick Markakis, ATL, 2018

Reserve Roster (Initial)
SP Jake Arrieta, PHI, 2018
SP Andrew Heaney, LAA, 2018
SP Sal Maglie, NYG, 1954
SP Daniel Mengden, OAK, 2018
SP Trevor Williams, PIT, 2018
RP Dick Hall, BAL, 1964
RP Pat Neshek, PHI, 2018

Acquisitions
CL Sean Doolittle, WAS, 2018
SS Javier Baez, CHC, 2018
SP Randy Jones, SD, 1975
RF Paul Waner, PIT, PEAK (1927)
RP Jeremy Jeffress, MIL, 2018

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2017.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Joe Farrell (St. Rock Mudcats)
Newcomer of the Year: Erasmo Glade (Dayton Grizzlies)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Luís Ellanos (Dayton Grizzlies)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Jason Raynor (Dayton Grizzlies)
Shortstop: Lariel Gómez (Brooklyn Knights)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Oscar Barrientes (St. Rock Mudcats)
Right Fielder: Leonard O’Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Designated Hitter: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Catcher: Luís Ellanos (Cornfield Axemen)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (Dayton Grizzlies)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Morgan Kittle (Cornfield Axemen)
Left Fielder: Miguel Gaytán (St. Rock Mudcats)
Center Fielder: Romeo Usquiano (Brooklyn Knights)
Right Fielder: Juan Torres (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Hsiao-lou Yuan (Vancouver Wild)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Heath MacKissock (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Reliever of the Year Award: Almandeto Trillio (Key West Corals)
Newcomer of the Year: Chi-ju Fong (Key West Corals)
Manager of the Year: Piero Snell (Key West Corals)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Markus Wright (Phoenix Rattlers)
Catcher: Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)
First Baseman: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
Second Baseman: Fortunado Guedaz (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Third Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yuan (Vancouver Wild)
Shortstop: Lou Woodman (Stade Maples)
Left Fielder: Ángel Santago (Vancouver Wild)
Center Fielder: Carlos Tejera (Richmond Slam)
Right Fielder: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Logan MacImmey (St. James Crusaders)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
Second Baseman: Ramiro Socastro (Washington Allies)
Third Baseman: Jesús Pacheco (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Carlos Cardenas (St. James Crusaders)
Left Fielder: Dorian Chivers (Washington Allies)
Center Fielder: Gilberto Malgoso (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Right Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)

The 2017 NALB World Championship Series (WCS) was billed as David vs. Goliath. The Vancouver Wild were familiar with their role as David. The 2008 Vancouver Wild were giant killers when they won a mere 80 games in the regular season yet defeated the Brooklyn Knights to win the title. This season, the Wild were a low scoring team. They relied on winning low scoring games and a reliable closer in Matt Genge. This formula served them well in the League 2 Series. Vancouver won in six games and only allowed 13 runs.

After winning WCS game one by a score of 3-1, the Wild ran out of magic. Despite being competitive in every game except the game four blowout, they fell to the Brooklyn Knights in four straight games. The Knights were just about better in every phase of the game: hitting, fielding, and particularly bullpen pitching. Brooklyn won its 13th championship. This was also the first back-to-back champions since the Knights won consecutive titles 2010 through 2012.

Game 1: Vancouver 3, Brooklyn 1
Game 2: Brooklyn 4, Vancouver 2
Game 3: Brooklyn 7, Vancouver 5
Game 4: Brooklyn 8, Vancouver 0
Game 5: Brooklyn 2, Vancouver 0

Series MVP: 2B Haden Leventon (Brooklyn Knights)


Click the image for the NALB 2017 World Championship roster

After last night’s one-sided 8-0 defeat, the Vancouver Wild had one more game at home to turn things around. Down three games to one, The Wild needed a win to send the World Championship Series back to Brooklyn. They were up against the Knights strikeout king, Tony Tamayo (12-12, 2.94 ERA). Vancouver had their game one starter on the mound,
Ernesto Estero (10-10, 3.19 ERA). The Wild won the opener 3-1 and another pitching duel was expected for game five.

Fans hoping for great pitching were not disappointed. Both starters were outstanding. Estero lasted 6 innings and only gave up a single run. Tamayo was even better. He pitched a 3-hit gem across 8 innings, while striking out 10. A Pescador double in the second inning scored the game’s first run. The Knights added an unearned run off of closer Matt Genge in the ninth inning. That was the third error of the game for the Wild, which matched their hit total. Ken Hannah closed out the ninth to wrap up the World Championship for the Brooklyn Knights.

Final score: Brooklyn 2, Vancouver 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   2  5  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  3  4

W: T. Tamayo
L: E. Estero
S: K. Hannah

The weather in Vancouver was a bit nasty for game 4. The temperature was 52 degrees at the start of the game with winds gusting to 20 mph. It started raining in the fourth inning. By the fifth inning, the rain was heavy enough to warrant a rain delay, which lasted 60 minutes.

The starting pitchers were Brooklyn’s Aaron Patterson (11-6, 3.49 ERA) and Vancouver’s Nicholás Sanalria (2-6, 3.78 ERA). After a scoreless first inning, the rest of the game belonged to the Knights. Brooklyn was aided by an error from Wild first baseman Luís Oliuares, which contributed to four runs in the third inning. After three innings, Brooklyn had a comfortable 5-0 lead. In the seventh inning, the Wild committed another error. This time, it was center fielder Ed Gillum’s miscue that led to another Brooklyn run. The Knights erased any hopes for a Wild comeback in the ninth inning when Maurílio Godim hit a two-run homer.

Final score: Brooklyn 8, Vancouver 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 2   8 12  1
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  5  2

W: A. Patterson
L: N. Sanalria

The World Championship Series moved to Vancouver for game 3. The Knights started 30 year old right-hander José Arisa (9-6, 3.54 ERA) and the Wild started 31 year old veteran George Manzo (10-9, 4.16 ERA). Both of these pitchers feature splitters in their pitching arsenals and get a lot of ground balls.

The Knights put a couple of runs on the board in the second inning thanks to consecutive hits by Pescador, Conley, and Leventon. The Wild were unshaken, however. Showing plenty of confidence in front of a supportive home crowd, they scored three runs in the third. Ed Gillum led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run. Marc Keefe scored when Arisa was called for a balk and Darwin Soto drove in Ángel Santago to give Vancouver a 3-2 lead. There was more excitement in the sixth inning as Brooklyn retook the lead. First, Dan Conley scored on an RBI triple by Leventon. Arisa was pulled for pinch hitter Hooks Goetz, who delivered a sac fly to score the runner from third base. The Knights had regained the lead at 4-3. The lead didn’t last long. With Bernard Gastelu on the mound in the bottom of the sixth, Soto led off with a triple. Hideaki Araki followed with a single to tie the game. A Chris Cluff double and Ed Gillum single added another run to make it 5-4 Vancouver. The Knights tied the game again in the seventh with an RBI double from Lariel Gómez. Romeo Usquiano put the Knights ahead for good in the ninth with a solo homer. Pescador drew a bases loaded walk to give Brooklyn an insurance run. Ken Hannah came on to save the game.

It was the 3-hit performance of shortstop Lariel Gómez that led the way for the Brooklyn Knights. Gómez was 3 for 3 with a double, 2 singles, a walk, and was hit by a pitch for the Knights, who now lead the best-of-7 series, 2 games to 1. There were a couple of injuries in the game. Vancouver’s shortstop, Phil Murray, was injured in a collision at second base. Brooklyn’s reliever Bernard Gastelu strained a hamstring while pitching. Both players will be out for the remainder of the WCS.

Final score: Brooklyn 7, Vancouver 5

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 2   7 11  0
Vancouver    0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0   5 10  0

W: A. Mobley
L: V. West
S: K. Hannah

The game 2 starters were Lewis McGrew (13-10, 3.12 ERA) for the Wild and Darius Luxton (18-10, 3.73 ERA) for the Knights. Luxton had some struggles in the season down the stretch but he led the league in wins for the second season in a row.

Playing in place of an injured Flavio Marquez, Brooklyn’s second baseman Haden Leventon got the Knights on the scoreboard first with an RBI single in the second inning. The Wild quickly tied the game in the top of the third when Phil Murray hit a solo home run. In the top of the fifth, Murray struck again with his second solo homer of the game. Brooklyn’s home crowd erupted when Hooks Goetz tied the game at 2-2 with a homer in the sixth inning. After the sixth inning, both teams turned to their bullpens. On paper, this appeared to be a big advantage for the Knights. However, the Wild once again used their not-so-secret weapon, closer Matt Genge. The overworked reliever was spectacular, pitching scoreless eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh innings. He struck out five while only giving up one hit. The game ended in the twelfth inning when Lariel Gómez hit a walk off two-run home run over the left field wall.

The World Championship Series is now tied at one game apiece.

Final score: Brooklyn 4, Vancouver 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12   R  H  E
Vancouver    0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0  0  0  0   2  5  1
Brooklyn     0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  0  0  2   4 11  1

W: X. Scaife
L: L. Sherston

The defending champion Brooklyn Knights (100-62) are playing in the World Championship Series (WCS) for the fourth straight year. The Vancouver Wild (80-84) are appearing in their second WCS. The first time was 2008 when they emerged as NALB champions by defeating the Brooklyn Knights. With a regular season record of 80-82, the 2008 Wild were quite a surprise. This year’s WCS features another David vs. Goliath matchup.

In game 1, Vancouver started Mexican sinker ball pitcher Ernesto Estero (10-10, 3.19 ERA). Brooklyn started Tony Tamayo (12-12, 2.94 ERA), who led all NALB pitchers with 280 strikeouts. The Wild scored early when right fielder Darwin Soto hit a two run homer in the second inning. Center fielder Ed Gillum added a solo blast in the fifth to give the Wild a 3-0 lead. Vancouver called on closer Matt Genge to deliver a two out save. Genge had seen plenty of action recently by pitching in five of the six League 2 Series games. The Knights scored a run off of the tired reliever in the eighth inning and Genge was lifted in the ninth. Lou Sherston came in to finish the game. Brooklyn loaded the bases but was unable to score another run.

Final score: Vancouver 3, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   3 10  1
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   1 10  1

W: E. Estero
L: T. Tamayo
S: L. Sherston

2017 League 2 Series - Vancouver Wild (80-84) vs. Key West Corals (95-68)

Game 1: Vancouver 3, Key West 0
Game 2: Key West 3, Vancouver 2
Game 3: Vancouver 4, Key West 0
Game 4: Vancouver 3, Key West 2
Game 5: Key West 5, Vancouver 3
Game 6: Vancouver 4, Key West 3

This is a rematch of last season’s League 2 Series. Unlike 2016, however, the Key West Corals had home field advantage to go along with its superior record. The Vancouver Wild were clear underdogs as they conquered a weak division with a sub-.500 record.

Game 1 was all about Vancouver’s starter, Lewis McGrew. He pitched eight scoreless innings as the Wild defeated the Corals 3-0.

In game 2, the home team responded with a thrilling victory to even the series. In the bottom of the ninth with the score tied 2-2, outfielder Tad Burridge came to the plate had crushed the first pitch from Wild closer Matt Genge. It was a walk off home run to left. The League 2 Series was tied at one game apiece.

The Wild notched their second win of the series in game 3, again by shutout. This time, it was starter Nicolás Sanalria who did most of the work by pitching seven strong innings. Matt Genge redeemed himself after last game’s blown save. His two innings of relief work sealed Vancouver’s 4-0 win.

Lewis McGrew was back on the mound again for the Wild in game 4. He pitched Vancouver to a 3-0 lead after five innings. Key West made things interesting in the sixth inning. The Corals’ Raúl Mendoza drew a walk with the bases loaded. Later, a sac fly scored another Corals run and the score was 3-2. Once again, Matt Genge came on to pitch the eighth and ninth innings for the Wild. He completed his third save of the playoffs by securing the 3-2 victory.

Down three games to one, the Corals needed a win in Vancouver to survive game 5 and send the series back to Key West. They got just that. With star veteran Ronaldo Mijangos on the mound, the Corals felt confident. Mijangos gave up three runs in six innings. The top of the Corals lineup was productive, however, and delivered five runs of their own. Catcher Matthew Loy led the attack with a single and two home runs.

The teams returned to Key West for game 6. The starters were Nicolás Sanalria for the Wild and Jesús Martinez for the Corals. Key West got on the board first, quickly scoring a run in the first inning. Second baseman Marc Keefe put the Wild ahead in the fourth inning with a 2-run home run. Left fielder Hyung-jin Kim tied the game with a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning. In the top of the sixth, pinch hitter Chris Cluff hit a 2 RBI single to give Vancouver a 4-2 lead. The Corals responded again with a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning. This time, it was first baseman Raúl Mendoza hitting the long ball. Genge delivered another two out save for the Wild, his fourth of the series. The 4-3 victory won the series for the Vancouver Wild. They will face the Brooklyn Knights for the World Championship.

For a team that lost more games than it won in the regular season, the Vancouver Wild played very good baseball in the League 2 Series. In a series dominated by pitching, the Wild scored just enough runs to get the necessary wins. Despite blowing a save in game 2, Vancouver’s closer Matt Genge was extremely effective. He had four saves and only gave up a single run in eight innings.

Series MVP: 2B Marc Keefe (Vancouver Wild)

2017 League 1 Series - Brooklyn Knights (100-62) vs. Luisville Beasts (102-60)

Game 1: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 11, Luisville 3
Game 3: Brooklyn 10, Luisville 1
Game 4: Luisville 6, Brooklyn 4
Game 5: Brooklyn 5, Luisville 4

For the first time in NALB history, the Brooklyn Knights opened a playoff series on the road. Luisville earned the right to home field advantage thanks to an NALB best 102 wins. The Beasts were propelled all season by a formidable offense. They were tops in team batting average, home runs, stolen bases, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Paired with a very good pitching staff, Luisville was well positioned for playoff success. Their first hurdle was the defending champion Brooklyn Knights, however. It was an intriguing match up—Luisville’s offense vs. Brooklyn’s pitching, the best in League 1.

The Knights struck early in game one, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. The Beasts quickly came back, tying the score in the bottom of the second. In the eighth inning, Brooklyn went ahead for good courtesy of back to back doubles by Albero Pescador and Haden Levanton. The Beasts held on to win 4-2.

Charlie Revels (18-9, 3.58 ERA), the Beasts’ ace, took the mound for game two. He was battered by Brooklyn hitters for 8 earned runs over 5.2 innings. The Knights were relentless, scoring in five different innings. Shortstop Lariel Gómez broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning with a grand slam. Five more Brooklyn runs followed as the Knights coasted to an 11-3 win,

The series shifted to Brooklyn for game 3 and the Knights’ hitters picked up where they left off in game two. They scored four runs in the first inning, which was punctuated by a 3-run homer by Alberto Pescador. Tony Tamayo pitched a solid six innings for the Knights and young Alex Mobley finished the final three innings. Brooklyn posted another easy win with a 10-1 final score. Leadoff hitter Romeo Usquiano was the player of the game with 3 hits, including a home run.

Down three games to none, game four was desperation time for the Beasts. Luisville opted to start Whitney Sanders on short rest and that decision paid off. He was very effective through five innings, surrendering only one run. Luisville hitters provided ample run support and their lead was 6-2 going into the bottom of the eighth. Despite a comeback by the home team, the Knights fell to the Beasts 6-4.

Game five featured the Knights talented but oft-injured starter José Arisa vs. the Beasts 22 year old rookie Noel Travenot. What Travenot lacked in experience, he made up for in the quality of his pitches. Possessing a blazing 98 mph fastball and a devastating changeup, Luisville’s 2017 playoff future was riding on his powerful right arm. The starters were solid but not spectacular. By the sixth inning, both pitchers had left the game and Luisville led Brooklyn 4-3. Knights’ catcher Dan Conley batted in the game tying run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. Brooklyn’s other catcher, Andrew Strain, had the game winning RBI in bottom of the 11th inning when his sac fly scored Hooks Goetz from 3rd base. The Knights won the game 5-4, much to the delight of a raucous Brooklyn crowd.

The Brooklyn Knights will play for the World Championship against the winner of the Wild/Corals League 2 Series. Among many great performances, Alberto Pescador’s stood out above the rest. His 8 hits, 8 RBI, and 3 HR in five games earned him the Series MVP honor.

Series MVP: 3B Alberto Pescador (Brooklyn Knights)

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)

The Brooklyn Knights had a bit of a rough patch in August, losing 6 out of 7 games over one stretch. They finished the month at 15-12. Brooklyn’s lead over Dayton remains a comfortable 13 games. Likewise, the Luisville Beasts cooled off as well. They played .500 baseball in August with a 14-14 record. The Beasts are still 12.5 games ahead of the Firecats. After setting a blistering pace in June and July with a 37-17 record, the Key West Corals struggled mightily in August. Their 11-16 August record allowed the Maples and Sky Chiefs to stay within 4 and 4.5 games respectively. The League 2 Division 2 crown is very much up for grabs with all teams within 5 games of each other.

August 2017 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Renato Balcazar (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Ángel Padilla (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Carlos Tejera (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Lewis McGrew (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Chi-ju Fong (Key West Corals)

Brooklyn began July by winning four out of its first five games. The Knights faded a bit as they finished the month with a 14-11 record. Their lead over the Grizzlies, however, was still a comfortable 12.5 games. The Luisville Beasts looked almost as formidable as they did in April. They now possess NALB’s best record. The Key West Corals are once again playing like League 2’s defending champion. The Corals easily outpaced the Maples in July and extended a 5.5 game lead over them. League 2 Division 2 remained as volatile and unpredictable as ever. Vancouver has narrow one game lead over the Slam but all four teams are within 4.5 games of each other.

July 2017 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Joe Farrell (St. Rock Mudcats)
Rookie of the Month: Milburn Hutchison (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Stade Maples)
Pitcher of the Month: Edric Jones (Richmond Slam)
Rookie of the Month: Marc Keefe (Vancouver Wild)

Seven Brooklyn Knights were on the roster for the League 1 All-Stars. The Luisville Beasts, however, had an even more impressive ten all-stars on the team. The starting lineup was filled with four Beasts, four Knights, and Mabon Beninger of the Dunedin Otters. Brooklyn’s Tony Tamayo was named the starting pitcher for League 1. The League 2 All-Stars had a bit more balanced representation from various teams. The Maples’ Tyler Stivers was named League 2’s starter.

League 1 got on the scoreboard first by putting up three runs. The inning was keyed by the Knights players as Gómez singled, Conley doubled, and Ramos singled. In the sixth inning, the Slam’s Aramis Jáquez tied the game with a three-run homer. Luisvillle’s Manuel Montaya put League 1 ahead for good in the seventh inning with a solo home run. The Firecats’ Stokley McGruder closed out the game to preserve the 4-3 victory. Despite his team losing the game, League 2’s Jáquez was named the player of the game.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 All-Stars   0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0   4  9  1
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0   3  6  0

W: B. Alazardo
L: T. Sanders
S: S. McGruder

The Brooklyn Knights had a tremendous June, winning 23 out of 28 games. Unfortunately, the Knights suffered a series of injuries over the latter part of the month. Dan Conley went to the DL with an abdominal strain and a sore wrist. Next, ace starter Porfírio Portio was lost for the season; he will require surgery to address radial nerve compression in his elbow. Maurílio Godim strained a hamstring and will miss about 6 weeks. Versatile utility player Roberto Hernández also found himself on the DL due to a herniated disc.

The Beasts cooled off a bit but easily held on to first place over the Firecats. In League 2 Division 1, the Allies lost ground as the Key West Corals roared from last to first to grab a share of the lead with the Stade Maples. Likewise, the Vancouver Wild went from worst to first to edge the Richmond Slam for the League 2 Division 2 lead.

June 2017 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Lariel Goméz (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Aaron Patterson (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Ángel Padilla (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Hsiao-lou Yuan (Vancouver Wild)
Pitcher of the Month: Ernesto Estero (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Marc Keefe (Richmond Slam)

The Grizzlies closed to within a half game of the Knights, thanks in part to a 4-2 record against Brooklyn. Continuing to outpace all other teams, the Luisville Beasts ended May with a 39-14 record and a very comfortable 10.5 game division lead. League 2 has two very tight division races after two months into the season. Several teams have been trading places atop their respective divisions.

May 2017 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Miranda (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Paul Hutchesson (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Heath MacKissock (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Rookie of the Month: Chi-ju Fong (Key West Corals)

The Brooklyn Knights had to put two starting pitchers on the disabled list in April. Staff ace Porfírio Portio suffered a partially torn labrum while José Arisa’s elbow strain landed him on the DL. Even worse, top bullpen lefty Rikiya Kiyomizu tore his elbow’s flexor tendon and will miss the rest of the season. Despite the injuries, the Knights ended April in first place. The team of the month, however, was unquestionably the Luisville Beasts. Possessing a 22-3 record, the Beasts won 18 straight and were close to unstoppable. Luisville’s lineup was truly a murderers’ row. Through 25 games, the Beasts hit 51 home runs and batted an amazing .326. In League 2, the Maples and Allies both got off to strong starts. As they did last season, Washington ended April atop its division. Traditionally the weaker division in League 2, all four Division 2 teams finished April under .500.

April 2017 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Darius Luxton (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Jaime Nieto (Dunedin Otters)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Stade Maples)
Pitcher of the Month: Mike Wolfe (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Marc Keefe (Richmond Slam)

The Brooklyn Knights had a successful spring training with a league best 21-9 record. After a dismal 2016 season, the Cornfield Axemen looked much improved this spring. They were 16-14. Likewise, the Stade Maples are eager to put 2016 behind them after posing an NALB worst record of 64-98. They played much better this spring, posting a 17-13 record. League 2’s best record last season was the Vancouver Wild. They had League 2’s best record this spring as well, 19-11.

The Knights had relatively few injuries. Starter Juan Fuentes has some should inflammation that will prevent him from pitching at least the first week of the regular season. The most serious injury belonged to relief pitcher Matthew Lemay. He has a herniated disc, which will keep him on the DL for about seven weeks.

Key injuries in spring training:

• Dayton Grizzlies: RF Abelardo Daroca’s back spasms will keep him out of action for another 3 weeks.
• Dunedin Otters: SP Gerald Lavin tore a flexor tendon in his elbow and will miss the entire 2017 season.
• Key West Corals: SP Brian Harding strained his should on March 23. He is expected to miss 5 weeks.
• Las Vegas Luck: CL J.C. Somodevilla tore his elbow’s flexor tendon. The prognosis is an 8 month recovery, which will cause him to miss the season.
• Las Vegas Luck: 2B Quilvio Martínez suffered a broken hamate bone in his hand. The injury will sideline him for at least 7 weeks.
• Phoenix Rattlers: RP Fernando Landaes has a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. He is facing a 7 month recovery.
• Quebeck Sky Chiefs: LF Bruno Payton was the unfortunate recipient of a season ending injury, a broken bone in his elbow.
• St. Rock Mudcats: SP Fortunato Cidade fractured his elbow and will be out 4 months.
• St. James Crusaders: C MacMorris Holter was placed on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. He is eligible to return in 10 days.
• Stade Maples: RP Adney Buntain suffered a partially torn labrum on March 4. He will miss the first 3 weeks of the regular season.
• Stade Maples: 2B Smoky Wortman tore a hamstring on February 28. He is expected to return by early June.

There were some notable roster moves before spring training began for the 2017 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights made relatively few offseason moves:

• The Knights traded RP Luís Monjarro to the Luisville Beasts in exchange for C Dan Conley, SP Ramón Madriz, RF Jaime Benabise, LF José Burgoa, and CF Wolfe Lucas. Dan Conley was the key acquisition. He is a fine catcher with a career batting average over .300. With the departure of Alvino Flores, Conley is expected to see extensive playing time behind the plate.
• Brooklyn extended the contracts of ten players through salary arbitration: Juan Fuentes, Romeo Usquiano, Porfírio Portio, Xerxes Scaife, Bruce MacOmish, Blas Ramos, Tony Tamayo, Maurílio Godim, Lariel Gómez, and Alberto Pescador.
• Arbitration was offered to Ángel Santago and Alvino Flores. Both declined and opted to file for free agency.
• Arbitration was not offered to Alexis Schmidt.
• Signed RP Rikira Kiyomizu to a three year extension at $2 million per year.
• Signed RP Bernard Gastelu for another year for $720,000.
• Signed international amateurs SP Santiago Decristino from Panama and CF Namboku Shimohira from Japan to minor league contracts.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

• The Stade Maples acquired the top player on the free agent market when they signed starter Tyler “Grits” Stivers to a $81.4 million, 6 year contract. That is the third largest contract in NALB history.
• Starter Kid Wilson found a new home in Nashville. He agreed to a one year deal with the Firecats worth $5.5 million.
• Gene Noke was the most desired catcher available. The Dunedin Otters scooped him up early. Noke got a 5 year commitment worth $33.5 million.
• Shortstop Larry Arceniaga was one of the most sought after players in this year’s free agent class. He decided to sign with the Nashville Firecats for $46.1 million over 4 years.
• Feliciano Gómez is an athletic player who played several infield positions for the Sky Chiefs over his six year NALB career. The Corals inked a 3 year $15.02 million deal with Gómez to bring him to Key West. What some fans may not be aware of is that Gómez is also an excellent pitcher with a blazing 100 mph fastball. The Corals may put his valuable arm to use in their bullpen.
• The Beasts added a big name to its starting rotation by signing pitcher Whitney Sanders for $48 million. Assuming he plays out his contract, Sanders will spend 5 seasons in Luisville.
• After seven seasons in Phoenix, superstar closer Stokley “Pumpkin” McGruder has found a new home in Nashville. The Firecats showed their commitment to winning by locking McGruder up for 4 seasons with a $21.4 million contract.
• The Richmond Slam will certainly miss their long time second basemen, Edmundo Ovelha. He tested free agency and was rewarded with a 6 year $58.4 million by the St. Rock Mudcats.
• In a surprising move, the Dunedin Otters awarded free agent closer D’Ángel Guzmán with a big pay day. His $28.4 million over 3 years surpassed closer Stokley McGruder’s contract, which was signed just nine days before.
• Goodbye Brooklyn; hello Vancouver! Left fielder Ángel Santago agreed to a 5 year deal with the Wild worth $48.8 million.
• After he was unable to come to terms on an extension with the Brooklyn Knights, catcher Alvino Flores declared free agency. The Phoenix Rattlers eagerly offered him $25.68 million for his services over the next 6 years.
• Starting pitcher George Manzo has the distinction of signing the longest contract out of this year’s free agent crop. He and the Vancouver Wild agreed to a 7 year deal for $55.3 million.

Notable offseason trades:

• The Washington Allies traded 33-year-old first baseman Pete Porter (retaining 20% of his salary) and 18-year-old minor league starting pitcher Ric Lenhart to the Nashville Firecats, getting 26-year-old catcher Doug Daly in return.
• The Las Vegas Luck traded 30-year-old reliever Paul Thompson (retaining 70% of his salary), 21-year-old minor league catcher Heriberto Galarita and $620,000 in cash to the St. James Crusaders, getting 19-year-old minor league starting pitcher Octávio Chávez and 24-year-old minor league shortstop Mark Ferguson in return.
• The St. Rock Mudcats traded 25-year-old shortstop Kazuki Sai to the Nashville Firecats, getting 25-year-old reliever Cordero Decena and 22-year-old minor league catcher Iorweth Crease in return.
• The Quebeck Sky Chiefs traded 28-year-old starting pitcher Dan Eckenrode and 22-year-old minor league starting pitcher Kearney Snipes to the Washington Allies, getting 21-year-old minor league starting pitcher Dave Kirby and 19-year-old minor league third baseman Kane Wyckoff in return.

North American League Baseball has its first member of the Hall of Fame—Dave Hambright!

When you think about some of the greatest names in NALB history, Dave Hambright’s name inevitably comes to mind. The recently retired hurler, who struck out 1665 batters on his way to a 182-77 record, was a dominating figure on the mound, frustrating hitters and opposing fans everywhere. Now, Hambright takes his rightful place among the greats in the North American League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Lifetime, Dave Hambright appeared in 341 games, hurled 2266.2 innings and put up a 3.34 ERA. He retired at the age of 41.



2017 Hall of Fame Voting Results (Top 10):

1. SP Dave Hambright 75.9% (2nd year) Inducted HOF
2. SP George Rodriguez 45.1% (1st year)
3. RP Tony Barber 28.8% (1st year)
4. RP Cal Owchinko 24.4% (1st year)
5. CL Jeff Ramirez 19.8% (1st year)
6. 1B Jeff Castino 17.2% (1st year)
7. SP Lou Leach 17.2% (1st year)
8. RP Spec Poole 15.4% (1st year)
9. SP John Hamilton 15.1% (1st year)
10. SP Gene Battle 14.0% (1st year)

Today is the twelfth anniversary of Game Central. As with every other year, I have added new content to mark the occasion. It is also the 20th anniversary of the last season of the STBL (Southern Tier Baseball League). Therefore, I decided to do a massive STBL stats update. Previously, only 3 out of 17 seasons were represented on the site. I added data for the first 14 seasons and results for all 17 World Series. This was much more difficult than I anticipated. The last six seasons were played in Earl Weaver Baseball II, which had decent reporting capabilities. I was able to export reports to disk. The 1989 Spring season was an outlier, having been played in Earl Weaver Baseball 1.5. That is why that season’s presentation is a bit different. Unfortunately, ten out of the first eleven seasons were played in the original version of Earl Weaver Baseball. It did not support exporting stats to disk. Even using the screen reports didn’t help much. For example, the team batting reports were missing a lot of key stats; they only showed batting averages, home runs, and RBIs. That meant I had to review each season player by player and manually enter the data into my html pages. So much data! Typing in tens of thousands of stats by hand took over a week and was extremely fatiguing. I didn’t bother to make the presentation pretty. The pages look pretty much the way they did back in 1998. At least the league’s history is finally preserved. The most recent seasons, in particular, are well documented. They even contain box scores for the World Series.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2016.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Tyler Stivers (St. Rock Mudcats)
Reliever of the Year Award: Juan Miranda (Dayton Grizzlies)
Newcomer of the Year: Christian McMaurice (Cornfield Axemen)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Dacey Rager (Nashville Firecats)
First Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Brooklyn Knights)
Second Baseman: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Pete Chavez (Luisville Beasts)
Shortstop: Lariel Gómez (Brooklyn Knights)
Left Fielder: Sancho Malclonado (Nashville Firecats)
Center Fielder: Oscar Barrientes (St. Rock Mudcats)
Right Fielder: Maurílio Godim (Brooklyn Knights)
Designated Hitter: Jonathan Grandberry (Cornfield Axemen)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Rey Alvarado (Dayton Grizzlies)
Catcher: Luís Ellanos (Cornfield Axemen)
First Baseman: António Ramos (Luisville Beasts)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (Dayton Grizzlies)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Lonnie Belford (Nashville Firecats)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Romeo Usquiano (Brooklyn Knights)
Right Fielder: Miguel Gaytán (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Lewis Mcgrew (Vancouver Wild)
Reliever of the Year Award: Stokley McGruder (Phoenix Rattlers)
Newcomer of the Year: Luís Oliuares (Vancouver Wild)
Manager of the Year: Piero Snell (Key West Corals)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
First Baseman: Yuan Li (Key West Corals)
Second Baseman: Marc-André Lavoie (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Shortstop: Dave Groot (Key West Corals)
Left Fielder: David Kelley (St. James Crusaders)
Center Fielder: Roy Dabbs (Washington Allies)
Right Fielder: Jordan Blanchard (Stade Maples)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Jesús Martínez (Key West Corals)
Catcher: Shannan Breslin (Stade Maples)
First Baseman: Shipley Hardt (Richmond Slam)
Second Baseman: Zavier Silva (Key West Corals)
Third Baseman: Feliciano Gómez (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Shortstop: Larry Arceniaga (St. James Crusaders)
Left Fielder: José Hernández (Vancouver Wild)
Center Fielder: Roy Dabbs (Washington Allies)
Right Fielder: Jordan Blanchard (Stade Maples)

Neither the Brooklyn Knights nor the Key West Corals won as many regular season games in 2016 as they had the year before. However, both teams made it to the NALB World Championship Series to play each other for the second straight year. With ten previous World Championships, this was familiar territory for the Knights. The Corals were on the verge of building their own dynasty. A victory in the 2016 WCS would give Key West three titles in four years.

This was a back and forth series with each team alternating wins over the first six games. For the fourth straight year, the World Championship was decided by a seventh game. Game 7 will certainly be remembered as one of the all-time great playoff games, a true classic. It was a marathon 17 inning contest that lasted 7 hours and 39 minutes. Thirteen pitchers were called upon. Alberto Pescador finally gave the Brooklyn Knights another title when he ended the game with a walk-off home run.

Game 1: Key West 7, Brooklyn 3
Game 2: Brooklyn 7, Key West 0
Game 3: Key West 2, Brooklyn 1
Game 4: Brooklyn 7, Key West 3
Game 5: Key West 8, Brooklyn 7
Game 6: Brooklyn 3, Key West 1
Game 7: Brooklyn 5, Key West 3

Series MVP: LF Ángel Santago (Brooklyn Knights)

Click the image for the NALB 2016 World Championship roster

In a back and forth World Championship Series, Game 7 was much anticipated by NALB fans. The starters from Game 3, Jesús Martínez (12-8, 3.71 ERA) and Darius Luxton (20-6, 3.31 ERA), were back on the mound for this decisive game. In the previous matchup, Martínez out-dueled Luxton and the Corals prevailed 2-1.

The first runs of the game came in the top of the second. Álex Rodríguez, the hero of Game 5 with his walk off double, was at it again. He drove in two runs to put the Corals out in front. In the fourth inning, Rodríguez came through with another clutch hit for his third RBI of the game. The Knights struck back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring their first run off of a single by Alvino Flores. Brooklyn pulled to within one run when Roberto Hernández delivered an RBI single in the sixth. With a 3-2 lead in the ninth, the Corals looked to Berto Sarzosa to close out the game. With one man out, Lariel Gómez reached base on an error by Corals’ shortstop Senichi Fujimaki. Hsiao-lou Yeh followed with a double to bring Gómez home and tie the game.

Game 7 went into extra innings and both bullpens kept putting up zeros on the scoreboard. Brooklyn’s Ken Hannah was a particular standout. He pitched 3 ⅔ innings without giving up a hit and struck out 8. With the game still tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 17th inning, Syman Lowery led off the inning with a single. Maurílio Godim placed a sacrifice bunt down to move Lowery to second base. Third baseman Alberto Pescador ended the game when he smashed a fastball from Jonathon Everitt over the right field wall. It was a walk off home run and a 5-3 victory for the Brooklyn Knights, the 2016 NALB World Champions!

Final score: Brooklyn 5, Key West 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17   R  H  E
Key West     0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   3 11  1
Brooklyn     0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  2   5 17  1

W: B. Clark
L: J. Everitt

The World Championship Series returned to Brooklyn for Game 6. For the second time in the series, it was a showdown between starters Ronaldo Mijangos (14-5, 3.18 ERA) and Tony Tamayo (17-6, 3.57 ERA). The Brooklyn Knights and the Key West Corals will take the World Championship to a decisive 7th game. In a must-win situation today, the Knights beat the Corals 3-1 to force the series into what will essentially be a one-game playoff.

The game was widely expected to be a pitching duel and the two starters did not disappoint. Tamayo in particular was brilliant. He struck out the first six batters he faced. Through four innings, he had struck out eight. Unfortunately, he left the game in the fifth with an injury that is still awaiting a diagnosis. Brooklyn designated hitter Alexis Schmidt delivered in the bottom of the third inning for Brooklyn. With a runner on 1st in a scoreless game, the designated hitter hit a 2-run home run to left. The only other scoring came in the fifth inning. Álex Rodríguez drove in a run to bring the Corals to within a run of the Knights. In the bottom half of the inning, however, Brooklyn center fielder Romeo Usquiano drilled a line drive homer into the right field stands to give the Knights some breathing room. The Knights’ bullpen took care of the rest, refusing to give up any runs down the stretch.

Alexis Schmidt was named player of the game in the win after he went 1 for 2 with a home run and 2 walks, while adding 2 RBI and scoring once.

Final score: Brooklyn 3, Key West 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   1  5  0
Brooklyn     0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0   3  7  0

W: R. Kiyomizu
L: R. Mijangos
S: J. Guillén

Game 5 is usually pivotal in a 7 game series. Key West’s last home game of the season was a pitching rematch of Game 1—Whitney Sanders (16-10, 3.35 ERA) vs. Aaron Patterson (13-15, 4.41 ERA). The Key West Corals needed some last-minute heroics to do it, but ultimately emerged one game away from another World Championship. The Corals got the 8-7 win against the Brooklyn Knights in a walk-off double by Álex Rodríguez. Key West right fielder Darwin Soto was named player of the game after he was 2 for 3 with 2 singles, a walk, and was hit by a pitch, while scoring 2 runs. The win gives the Corals a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-7 World Championship.

The Corals thrilled the hometown fans by scoring quickly. Matthew Loy got the first of four consecutive singles as the Corals posted a 2-0 lead in the first. Brooklyn catcher Alvino Flores hit a solo home run in the third. Key West added another run in the bottom half of the inning, courtesy of a Darwin Soto RBI single. The Knights appeared to take control of the game by scoring five runs in the fifth, putting them ahead 6-3. Soto and Rodríguez scored in the sixth inning and the Brooklyn lead was down to one run. A pinch hit single from Alexis Schmidt extended the Knights’ lead in the eighth. Closer Ken Hannah entered the game in the ninth with a 7-5 lead to try and secure the win for the Knights. The Corals were down to their last out in the bottom of the ninth when shortstop Álex Rodríguez turned a 3-1 fastball from Ken Hannah into a 2-run double. The walk-off double sent a roar through the crowd and gave Key West a thrilling 8-7 win.

Final score: Key West 8, Brooklyn 7

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 1 0 5 0 0 1 0   7  8  2
Key West     2 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3   8 15  0

W: D. Doble
L: K. Hannah

On the road and down 2-1 in the series, the Brooklyn Knights needed a win. They pinned their hopes on rookie starter Alex Mobley (14-7, 4.97 ERA), a right-hander with a hard cutter in his pitching arsenal. 30 year old Venezuelan Marcos Amaya (8-9, 3.63 ERA) was named the Game 4 starter for Key West. Amaya began the season with the Dayton Grizzlies but was traded to the Corals on July 26 for shortstop Martin Swader.

Brooklyn batters were more aggressive at the plate than they were in Game 3. After Romeo Usquiano led off with a double to start the game, Lariel Gómez hit a home run to put the Knights on top 2-0. In the bottom of the inning, the Corals cut that lead in half when a sacrifice fly from Rene Hounsell scored a run. The key to the game came in the top of the fifth, however. The Knights scored five runs thanks to a walk and four straight hits. The last two hits did the most damage as Ángel Santago hit a three run homer and Hooks Goetz followed with a solo blast to left.

The Brooklyn Knights went on to defeat the Key West Corals, 7-3. Earning player of the game honors was left fielder Ángel Santago, who went 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 singles. He drove in 3 runs and scored once. The win moves Brooklyn into a 2-2 tie with Key West in the series.

Final score: Brooklyn 7, Key West 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     2 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0   7  9  1
Key West     1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0   3  9  0

W: R. Kiyomizu
L: M. Amaya

The Corals looked forward to playing Game 3 in Key West. At home, they had starter Jesús Martínez (12-8, 3.71 ERA) on the mound. The Knights elected to start Darius Luxton (20-6, 3.31 ERA), the league leader in pitching wins. Jesús Martínez pitched a gem to help the Key West Corals escape with a tight 2-1 victory over the Brooklyn Knights in a low-scoring World Championship contest. The right-handed Martínez threw 7 innings of shutout ball in the win, just enough for the Corals on a day when their offense dried up. Key West now leads the best-of-7 series 2-1.

Martínez was in the zone all game. He frustrated Brooklyn hitters while giving the Corals 7 innings of quality work. Martínez threw 106 pitches, allowing 2 hits and getting 5 punchouts.

Final score: Key West 2, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   1  3  0
Key West     0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0   2  5  1

W: J. Martínez
L: D. Luxton
S: J. Everitt

Former Knights pitcher Ronaldo Mijangos (14-5, 3.18 ERA) was on the mound for the Corals. Mijangos had quite a successful streak going, as he hadn’t lost a game since June 21. That streak ended today, however. The Brooklyn Knights knotted up the World Championship Series at home, thanks in large part to starter Tony Tamayo (17-6, 3.57 ERA). Tamayo quieted the Key West Corals, enabling Brooklyn to grab the 7-0 win and move into a 1-1 tie in the best-of-7 series. Tamayo was in the zone all game. He frustrated Key West hitters while giving the Knights 7 innings of quality work. Tamayo threw 97 pitches, allowing 2 hits and getting 9 punchouts.

Four singles gave the Knights an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. In was in the fifth inning, however, when most of the damage was done. A pair of intentional walks were accompanied by doubles from Hsiao-lou Yeh and Ángel Santago. A bases clearing triple followed from Roberto Hernández. Finally, it was Brooklyn third baseman Alberto Pescador delivering an inside the park home run to complete a six-run inning for the Knights.

Almost everything went the Knights’ way in Game 2 with one notable exception. In the bottom of the second, Mijangos hit Brooklyn’s second baseman, Flavio Marquez, with a pitch. Marquez had to leave the game with what was later diagnosed as a fractured foot. He will be unable to play the remainder of the 2016 NALB WCS.

Final score: Brooklyn 7, Key West 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  3  0
Brooklyn     1 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0   7 13  0

W: T. Tamayo
L: R. Mijangos

For the second consecutive year, the Key West Corals (89-73) face the Brooklyn Knights (105-57) in the NALB World Championship Series. In 2015, the Corals defeated the Knights in an exciting hard-fought seven game series. Key West is attempting to win its third NALB championship in four years. Brooklyn hopes to add to its league leading eleven titles.

The Corals’ starter for Game 1 was Whitney Sanders (16-10, 3.35 ERA). The Knights started hard throwing Aaron Patterson (13-15, 4.41 ERA). Key West was not intimated playing the opener in Brooklyn. They won the road by a score of 7-3 to take an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. Corals center fielder Tad Burridge was named player of the game after he went 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, while scoring 3 times and driving in 3.

In the bottom of the eighth, Hsiao-lou Yeh stood in the box, looking for a pitch to hammer. The Knights were trailing 5-2, but had runners on 1st and 2nd. That's when Tim Sanders made a terrific pitch and Yeh struck out. In the ninth inning, the Corals solidified their lead thanks to back to back homers from Adelmo Porcayo and Tad Burridge. Gone was the dream of a Brooklyn comeback. Ángel Santago hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth but that was all the Knights could manage.

Final score: Key West 7, Brooklyn 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     1 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 2   7 13  1
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1   3  5  1

W: W. Sanders
L: A. Patterson
S: T. Sanders

2016 League 2 Series - Key West Corals (89-73) vs. Vancouver Wild (92-70)

Game 1: Key West 6, Vancouver 2
Game 2: Key West 5, Vancouver 4
Game 3: Key West 4, Vancouver 3
Game 4: Key West 4, Vancouver 3

Even with an injury filled season, the defending champion Key West Corals made the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years. Unlike 2015, however, the Corals are the underdogs. The road to a possible 2016 championship will start in Vancouver.

The Key West Corals opened the League Series with a 6-2 road win behind a strong effort by starter Whitney Sanders. Sanders pitched 7 ⅔ innings, allowing only two runs. Cather Matthew Loy led the offensive charge with a single, two home runs, and 6 RBI.

The Corals got another fine pitching performance in Game 2. This time it was starter Ronaldo Mijangos, who only surrendered one unearned run across seven innings. Down 5-0, the Wild staged a furious comeback. Vancouver scored 4 runs in the eighth inning but Key West’s closer, Thornton Peters, secured the 5-4 win in the ninth.

Game 3 once again showed the importance of starting pitching in the playoffs. The Corals’ starter, Jesús Martinez, was just a bit better than the Wild’s Lewis McGrew. Both pitched five innings. McGrew gave up three runs while Martinez gave up only two. Despite outhitting the opposition 11 to 7, Vancouver fell to Key West by the score of 4-3.

The Key West Corals proved to be too much to handle for the Vancouver Wild in the League Series and a sweep was the end result. Key West punched its ticket to the World Championship on the strength of a 4-3 win in the deciding game, which wrapped up the series 4-0. Key West catcher Matthew Loy, named series MVP, was instrumental in the sweep, as he mashed Vancouver pitching to the tune of a .353 average, with a .389 on-base percentage. He had 3 home runs, drove in 7 RBI and scored 4 runs.

Series MVP: C Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)

2016 League 1 Series - Nashville Firecats (88-74) vs. Brooklyn Knights (105-57)

Game 1: Nashville 8, Brooklyn 5
Game 2: Brooklyn 3, Nashville 2
Game 3: Brooklyn 11, Nashville 6
Game 4: Brooklyn 8, Nashville 5
Game 5: Brooklyn 4, Nashville 3

Last year, these same two teams competed for the League 1 title. The Firecats won the first three games but the Knights came roaring back to win four straight games and take the series. This season, the teams were quite evenly matched. Out of 23 regular season match ups, Brooklyn won 12 and Nashville won 11.

The Nashville Firecats started the League Series in style, winning on the road against the Brooklyn Knights by a score of 8-5 to take an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. Firecats right fielder Chris Lee was named player of the game after he went 3-5 with a home run and 2 singles, while adding 6 RBI and scoring once. The Firecats took a 8-5 lead in the top of the eighth inning. Facing Brooklyn hurler Cristófor De Jesús with two outs, Lee hit a 2-run single.

In game two, the Brooklyn Knights topped the Nashville Firecats by the score of 3-2 and moved into a 1-1 tie in the League Series. The largest share of the credit went to player of the game and Brooklyn starter Aaron Patterson, who threw 7 innings of 3-hit ball in the win. Catcher Andrew Strain aided the Brooklyn cause with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth. His pinch hit RBI was the game’s deciding run.

Riding the 3-hit performance of right fielder Maurílio Godim, the Brooklyn Knights got a road win against the Nashville Firecats, 11-6, in Game 3 of the League Series. Godim slugged 2 home runs, while scoring 3 runs and driving in 5 for the Knights, who took a series lead of 2 games to 1. Godim had a big at-bat with runners on 2nd and 3rd in the top of the third inning, when he hit a 3-run home run. Leading 9-2 after five innings, the Knights held off some late scoring by the Firecats to secure the win.

With shortstop Lariel Gómez leading the charge, the Brooklyn Knights got past the Nashville Firecats, 8-5, in extra innings in Game 4 of the League Series today. Gómez went 3 for 6 with 2 home runs, while adding 3 RBI and scoring twice at Neutral Fields as Brooklyn managed to take to a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. The most crucial at-bat for Brooklyn came in the top of the 12th inning. That's when Gómez stroked a 3-1 splitter to left for a 2-run home run, putting Brooklyn up, 4-2.

The Brooklyn Knights have beaten the Nashville Firecats and will advance to the World Championship. Brooklyn won the final game by a 4-3 count to take the series 4-1. The Knights triumph was no doubt in large part because of the performance of shortstop Lariel Gómez, who was named MVP of the series. Gómez hit a solo homer in the first inning. It was his fourth home run in the League 1 Series.

Series MVP: SS Lariel Gómez (Brooklyn Knights)

The Brooklyn Knights easily won their division. The other division races were much more competitive and most went down to the wire. The Firecats held off the Beasts to secure another division crown. The Corals didn’t clinch a division title until the last day of the regular season. After eliminating the Washington Allies, they will face the Vancouver Wild for the League 2 championship.

The League Series match-ups:
Nashville Firecats (88-74) vs. Brooklyn Knights (105-57)
Key West Corals (89-73) vs. Vancouver Wild (92-70)

Head to head:
The Knights were 12-11 against the Firecats this season.
The Corals were 13-10 against the Wild this season.

Playoff injury report:
As happened last year, the Knights enter the playoffs with a starting rotation devastated by injuries. During the season, José Arisa and Porfírio Portio suffered UCL injuries while Juan Fuentes was sent to the disabled list with elbow strain. Outfielder Blas Ramos injured his knee on September 29. It was diagnosed as a torn meniscus, which ended his season. Brooklyn will miss his valuable bat as he hit .315 this year. The Firecats have two big veteran bats on the disabled list—1B Paul Lyons and CF Jim Stoneman. They also have three pitchers on the DL: SP Tremeur Rusch, RP Cordero Decena, and RP Rico Lagumbay. Key West was plagued by injuries this season. Key losses were fielders 1B Yuan Li, LF Alonso Martucci, and LF Cipriano Delgudo. The Corals’ pitching staff was hit equally as hard by losing SP Mario Torralbo, SP Steve Curtis, RP Ray White, and CL Almandeto Trillio. The Vancouver Wild are in somewhat better shape. However, they are without SP Omar Cambra, LF Ángelo Falla, and 2B Fernando Chira. If Vancouver survives the League Championship Series, there is a chance Chira could return for the World Championship Series.

September 2016 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Lariel Gómez (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Darius Luxton (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Jorge Morales (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Chris Bowmer (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Whitney Sanders (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Luís Oliuares (Vancouver Wild)

The Knights appear to be on track for another division title after going 19-10 in August. The Otters lost 13 of their last 16 games and plummeted in the standing. The Firecats went 22-6 in August and soared past the Otters and Beasts into first place. In League 2, the Allies extended their lead over the Corals to 6 games. The Wild got hot over the last month and took over the League 2 Division 2 lead from the Crusaders.

August 2016 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Pete Chavez (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Alex Mobley (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Alex Mobley (Brooklyn Knights)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Lewis Mcgrew (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Sam McGowen (St. James Crusaders)

The Brooklyn Knights caught fire in July, winning 21 out of 25 games. That vaulted the Knights back into first place with a 10 game lead over the Mudcats by the end of the month. The other three divisions are all extremely close. No division leader has more than a 2.5 game lead. One very notable injury occurred in late July. Tyler Stivers, ace starter for the Mudcats, had to call it a season because of shoulder inflammation. He went to the disabled list with a 14-1 record, and a league leading 2.02 ERA and 141 strikeouts. His loss dealt a serious blow to St. Rock’s playoff hopes.

July 2016 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Jonathan Grandberry (Cornfield Axemen)
Pitcher of the Month: Aaron Patterson (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: MacMorris Holter (St. James Crusaders)
Pitcher of the Month: Lowie Zuydam (St. James Crusaders)
Rookie of the Month: Luís Oliuares (Vancouver Wild)

An impressive seven Brooklyn Knights players were named to the League 1 All-Star team. The starting pitcher for League 1 was the Mudcats’ Tyler Stivers. The Maples’ Robert Givens got the start for the League 2 All-Stars. The game was completely dominated by the League 1 All-Stars. Pitching had the edge for most of the game. League 1 put a couple of runs on the scoreboard in the third inning. League 2 tied the game in the fourth thanks to back to back homers from Morris Brown and Adelmo Porcayo. Each team scored another run to force extra innings with a 3-3 tie. League 2 went ahead for good when Roy Dabbs tripled to lead off in the twelfth inning. Pete Porter followed with an RBI single and League 2 went on to win 4-3. The Vancouver Wild’s catcher, Morris ‘Piglet’ Brow, was named the player of the game.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12   R  H  E
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1  0  0  1   4 10  0
League 1 All-Stars   0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0  0  0  0   3  8  2

W: S. McGruder
L: K. Hannah

The Mudcats won two out of three games against the Knights at the end of June to pull ahead of Brooklyn by a game. After losing José Arisa for the season in May, the Knights suffered another major injury in June. Starter Porfírio Portio will miss the rest of the year after partially tearing his ulnar collateral ligament. The Dunedin Otters played well enough to take over the division lead from the Nashville Firecats. In League 2, the Allies and Crusaders maintained their respective division leads.

June 2016 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Lariel Gómez (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Miranda (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Clive Thoma (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Sancho Alguirre (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Nicholás Sanalria (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Chet Swinney (Richmond Slam)

Brooklyn played losing baseball in May, going 14-16 as injuries took their toll. The Knights finished the month in a tie for first place in the division. By far the biggest loss was starter José Arisa, who ruptured his ulnar collateral ligament on May 27. He will require surgery and will miss the rest of the season. Thus far, no team is running away with its division. The largest lead is currently held by the St. James Crusaders, ahead of the Phoenix Rattlers by a mere three games.

May 2016 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Tyler Stivers (St. Rock Mudcats)
Rookie of the Month: Luís Vergel (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yuan Li (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Robert Givens (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Chet Swinney (Richmond Slam)

Despite putting star pitcher Porfírio Portio on the DL, the Brooklyn Knights managed to end April in first place with a narrow one game lead over the Dayton Grizzlies. The biggest story of the season so far, however, has to be the stellar play of the Washington Allies. Washington’s 22-4 start was by far the best in the team’s history. The Allies also swept the individual player of the month awards.

April 2016 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Chun-hua Zhou (Dayton Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Month: Christian McMorris (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Victorio Zavaca (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Kid Wilson (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Zavier Silva (Washington Allies)

The Brooklyn Knights had a fine spring training, posting a record of 21-9. Loaded with freshly signed talent, the Luisville Beasts went 20-10. The Stade Maples and Washington Allies had League 2’s best spring training records at 19-11. In League 2 Division 2, the St. James Crusaders and Phoenix Rattlers finished at 16-14.

The Knights had some minor injuries and one very serious injury. Relief pitcher Isaías Alemán tore his ulnar collateral ligament. He will require surgery and 12 months before he can return.

Key injuries in spring training:
Cornfield Axemen: C Danny Dygert fractured his foot and will miss the first few weeks on the season.
Dayton Grizzlies: P Manuel Sánchez torn a rotator cuff and will be out 12-13 months.
Dunedin Otters: RP Juan Carlos Tejeiro suffered a torn labrum (shoulder). He will miss at least 6 months.
Key West Corals: CF Tad Burridge fractured a finger on March 22. He will need 3 weeks to recover.
Key West Corals: CL Almandeto ‘Skip’ Trillio partially tore his UCL (elbow). He will need at least 7 months of recovery time.
Las Vegas Luck: CL J.C. Somodevilla strained a hamstring on March 11. He is expected to return about 6 weeks into the regular season.
Luisville Beasts: SP Vincent Cadieux is battling shoulder inflammation as well as a strained hamstring. He will most likely be out 2-3 months.
Luisville Beasts: CL Jesús ‘Cookie Monster’ Montufar will be out about 7 weeks with an oblique strain.
Luisville Beasts: CF Ramón Cantú fractured his hand on March 17. The injury will keep him out of action for 7-8 weeks.
Nashville Firecats: CF Jim Stoneman will miss the entire season with a broken bone in his elbow. He needs an estimated 8-9 months to recover.
Quebeck Sky Chiefs: On March 19, CL Roberto Farinas tore the flexor tendon in his elbow. He will be out of baseball for 13 months.
St. Rock Mudcats: SP Fortunato Cidade fractured his elbow and will be out 4 months.
St. Rock Mudcats: On March 19, LF Luís García fractured a finger. He will miss 3-4 weeks.
Vancouver Wild: A torn quadriceps will keep SS Phil Murray out of the lineup for the next 3-4 weeks.

There were some notable roster moves before spring training began for the 2016 NALB season.

The Knights organization made some roster moves but nothing extraordinary:

• Extended the contracts of nine players through salary arbitration: Romeo Usquiano, Porfírio Portio, Bruce MacOmish, Tony Tamayo, Maurilio Godim, Lariel Gómez, Alvino Flores, Ángel Santago, and Rikiya Kiyomizu.
• Offered arbitration to Ralph Kerfoot and Carlos Cardenas. Both declined and filed for free agency.
• Arbitration was not offered to William Garner and Víctor Trujillo.
• Traded 23-year-old minor league catcher Lorenzo Torres to the Dayton Grizzlies, getting 21-year-old minor league starting pitcher Alex Mobley, 20-year-old minor league second baseman Michael Arquellez, 19-year-old minor league center fielder Donovan Buehl, 20-year-old minor league starting pitcher Fernando Aguilar and 19-year-old minor league reliever Pedro Botello in return.
• Traded 23-year-old minor league second baseman Burnell Himes to the Cornfield Axemen, getting 24-year-old minor league second baseman Pedro López, 24-year-old minor league right fielder Rod Steadman and 24-year-old minor league center fielder Michelangelo von Muller in return.
• Traded 26-year-old minor league shortstop Wilson Bullard to the Washington Allies, getting 20-year-old minor league left fielder Matthew Goeble, 26-year-old minor league right fielder Lerrin Arlarcón, 20-year-old minor league second baseman León Delfieno and 20-year-old minor league first baseman Tony Scott in return.
• Lost RP Robinson Texido in the Rule 5 Draft to the Richmond Slam.
• Signed international amateur 3B Nike John out of Mexico to a minor league contract.

Significant offseason signings:

• Dayton Grizzlies: Signed free agent RP Juan Miranda to a 2-year contract worth a total of $11,000,000.
• Las Vegas Luck: Signed free agent 1B J.R. Singleton to a 7-year contract worth a total of $43,520,000.
• Luisville Beasts: Signed free agent LF Yvon Chouinard to a 4-year contract worth a total of $31,200,000.
• Luisville Beasts: Signed free agent RP Sergio Delgado to a 3-year contract worth a total of $2,730,000.
• Luisville Beasts: Signed free agent SP Charles Revels to a 7-year contract worth a total of $67,400,000.
• Luisville Beasts: Signed free agent SP Vincent Cadieux to a 1-year contract worth a total of $650,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent 1B Paul Lyons to a 1-year contract worth a total of $9,500,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent 2B John Edwards to a 6-year contract worth a total of $70,200,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent C Dacey Rager to a 6-year contract worth a total of $42,200,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed free agent SP Ralph Kerfoot to a 2-year contract worth a total of $12,800,000.
• Phoenix Rattlers: Signed free agent SP Wen Xiong to a 4-year contract worth a total of $14,400,000.
• Phoenix Rattlers: Signed free agent SS Charles Difranco to a 5-year contract worth a total of $36,000,000.
• St. James Crusaders: Signed free agent SP Hap Bedford to a 2-year contract worth a total of $15,600,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed free agent 3B Hsiao-lou Yuan to a 4-year contract worth a total of $39,300,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed free agent SP Omar Cambra to a 3-year contract worth a total of $12,480,000.
• Washington Allies: Signed free agent LF Dorian Chivers to a 4-year contract worth a total of $12,240,000.

Major contract extensions:

• Cornfield Axemen: Signed C Luís Ellanos to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $6,000,000.
• Dunedin Otters: Signed SP Sosuke Nakamura to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $7,400,000.
• Key West Corals: Signed 3B Adelmo Porcayo to a 7-year contract extension worth a total of $73,220,000.
• Key West Corals: SP Whitney Sanders received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $6,373,750.
• Las Vegas Luck: Signed C Kensaku Shimada to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $25,960,000.
• Luisville Beasts: RP Jesús Montufar received a 1-year contract through arbitration worth a total of $6,375,000.
• Luisville Beasts: Signed SS Rico Gómez to a 5-year contract extension worth a total of $43,880,000.
• Nashville Firecats: Signed RF Chris Lee to a 6-year contract extension worth a total of $46,900,000.
• Phoenix Rattlers: Signed CL Stokley McGruder to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $7,000,000.
• Richmond Slam: Signed 2B Edmundo Ovelha to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $6,100,000.
• St. James Crusaders: Signed RF Rainer Rojas to a 4-year contract extension worth a total of $10,700,000.
• St. James Crusaders: Signed SP Anastasio Urbáez to a 5-year contract extension worth a total of $19,530,000.
• St. James Crusaders: Signed SP Cory Gregory to a 5-year contract extension worth a total of $56,700,000.
• St. Rock Mudcats: Signed SP Noriaki Momotami to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $6,900,000.
• Stade Maples: Signed RF Jordan Blanchard to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $7,300,000.
• Stade Maples: Signed SP David Bracy to a 4-year contract extension worth a total of $12,740,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed C Morris Brown to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $7,200,000.
• Vancouver Wild: Signed SS Fernando Chira to a 6-year contract extension worth a total of $17,120,000.

Notable trades:

• The Dayton Grizzlies traded 36-year-old starting pitcher Alberto Harrington to the St. James Crusaders, getting 23-year-old starting pitcher Roger Tatum, 24-year-old minor league shortstop Chale Ortega, 24-year-old minor league first baseman Joe Lazenby and 24-year-old minor league catcher Dave Rodríguez in return.
• The Dunedin Otters traded 26-year-old starting pitcher Sosuke Nakamura and $7,000,000 in cash to the Washington Allies, getting 21-year-old reliever Gerald Lavin, 20-year-old minor league third baseman Earl Brendon and 24-year-old minor league second baseman Edgardo Bejarán in return.
• The Cornfield Axemen traded 33-year-old closer Dong-u Sop to the St. James Crusaders, getting 24-year-old minor league center fielder Johnny Keetley in return.
• The Dayton Grizzlies traded 26-year-old second baseman Chris Cluff to the Vancouver Wild, getting 29-year-old left fielder Pedro Hernández in return.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2015.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Dacey Rager (Nashville Firecats)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Marcos Delgadillo (Las Vegas Luck)
Reliever of the Year Award: Benny Alazardo (Luisville Beasts)
Newcomer of the Year: Sancho Malclonado (Nashville Firecats)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Dacey Rager (Nashville Firecats)
First Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Brooklyn Knights)
Second Baseman: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Lariel Gómez (Brooklyn Knights)
Left Fielder: Ángel Santago (Brooklyn Knights)
Center Fielder: Hyung-jin Kim (Dayton Grizzlies)
Right Fielder: Maurílio Godim (Brooklyn Knights)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Te Li (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: Alvino Flores (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Rogélio Cohera (Dunedin Otters)
Second Baseman: Emílio Pérez (Dayton Grizzlies)
Third Baseman: Alfredo Herrán (Nashville Firecats)
Shortstop: Lonnie Belford (Dayton Grizzlies)
Left Fielder: Leonard O’Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Hamilton Look (Nashville Firecats)
Right Fielder: Juan Torres (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Yuan Li (Key West Corals)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Ronaldo Mijangos (Key West Corals)
Reliever of the Year Award: Almandeto Trillio (Key West Corals)
Newcomer of the Year: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)
Manager of the Year: Piero Snell (Key West Corals)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Ronaldo Mijangos (Key West Corals)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
First Baseman: Yuan Li (Key West Corals)
Second Baseman: Brian Bundy (Washington Allies)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Shortstop: Martin Swader (Key West Corals)
Left Fielder: Tony Rodarte (Richmond Slam)
Center Fielder: Ángel Jirnénez (Richmond Slam)
Right Fielder: Carlos Tejera (Richmond Slam)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Heath MacKissock (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Catcher: Shannan Breslin (Stade Maples)
First Baseman: Ming Lam (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (Vancouver Wild)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Shortstop: Ramiro Socastro (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: Dorian Chivers (Washington Allies)
Center Fielder: Roy Dabbs (Washington Allies)
Right Fielder: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)

In sports, it is a treat when the two best teams play for the championship. That certainly was the case in the NALB 2015 World Championship Series. Two terrific teams with over 100 regular season wins played a very entertaining seven game series. Overall, the games were close and pitching dominated. Although the Brooklyn Knights outscored the Key West Corals 25 to 21, the Corals emerged victorious and claimed their second title in three seasons.

Key West’s bullpen had an outstanding reputation and it did not disappoint. Corals relievers pitched a lot of great innings in the series. In addition, the Corals got convincing wins out of starters Ronaldo Mijangos and Whitney Sanders. Finally, the power of the Corals hitters was a major factor in these seven games. The team hit an amazing 247 home runs in the regular season. They hit another ten homers in the World Championship Series.

The Brooklyn Knights had their chances but often failed to capitalize. Up three games to two, the Knights only had to win a single game at home to take the series. They fell a bit short.

Game 1: Key West 4, Brooklyn 1
Game 2: Brooklyn 6, Key West 4
Game 3: Brooklyn 5, Key West 1
Game 4: Key West 2, Brooklyn 1
Game 5: Brooklyn 5, Key West 0
Game 6: Key West 5, Brooklyn 4
Game 7: Key West 5, Brooklyn 3

Series MVP: 3B Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)

Click the image for the NALB 2015 World Championship roster

For the third straight year, the NALB World Championship was decided by a seventh game. In fact, this was the fourth time in the last five years that the World Championship Series went the distance. An enthusiastic packed crowd was on hand in Brooklyn to cheer for starter Pofírio Portio and the Knights. There was a lot of pressure on Corals starter Mario Torralbo, pitching in front of a hostile crowd.

The first inning started disastrously for the Corals. Torralbo retired the first batter and then left the game with an arm injury. Key West’s bullpen is a strength of the team but there were many innings left to pitch. Berto Sarzoza replaced Torralbo and he finished the first three innings. He made a couple of costly mistakes in the second inning when he walked Alexis Schmidt and then gave up a home run to Ángel Santago. The Corals batters helped him out the next inning, however. Cipriano Delgudo led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning, Yuan Li homered to give Key West a 3-2 lead. Miguel Catarino was the next reliever for the Corals. He was superb, just as he was in game six. This time he pitched 3⅔ shutout innings. With the score still 3-2 heading into the eighth, the Knights chances were fading. Brooklyn sent Ken Hannah to the mound to keep it close. Hannah retired the first two batters and then gave up back to back home runs to Adelmo Porcayo and Alonso Martucci. Once again, Almandeto Trillio came in to close out the game for the Corals in the ninth. The Knights needed three runs to tie, which was a very tall order against Trillio. With two outs, Hsiao-lou Yeh hit a solo homer but it was too little, too late. The Key West Corals won the game and the series. They are the NALB 2015 World Champions!

Final score: Key West 5, Brooklyn 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 0   5  8  0
Brooklyn     0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   3  4  0

W: B. Sarzosa
L: P. Portio
S: A. Trillio

The Brooklyn Knights were one win away from another World Championship. Playing at home, they had José Arisa starting against Jesús Martínez. This was the same pitching matchup that was featured in game two, which Brooklyn won 6-4.

A Lariel Goméz triple highlighted the first inning. Goméz scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly by Hsiao-lou Yeh. The Corals quickly tied the game in the second inning. With Adelmo Porcayo on first base, Martin Swader hit a double to even the score. The Corals bats were active again in the third inning. Matthew Loy singled and Yuan Li doubled. The Knights intentionally walked Porcayo to load the bases with one out. Alonso Martucci hit a double over the head of left fielder Ángel Santago to drive in two runs. The Corals took a 3-1 lead. Key West’s lead didn’t last long, however. In the bottom of the third, Yeh hit a two run home run to tie the game 3-3. An RBI single by Romeo Usquiano put the Knights up one in the fourth. Things unraveled for Arisa and the Knights in the fifth, however. Four singles led to two more runs by the Corals. That is where the score would stand, 5-4. The Corals mighty trio of Tim Sanders, Thornton Peters, and Almandeto Trillio pitched scoreless seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, respectively, to close out the win.

Final score: Key West 5, Brooklyn 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     0 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0   5 13  0
Brooklyn     1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0   4  6  1

W: M. Catarino
L: J. Arisa
S: A. Trillio

The 2015 World Championship Series has been quite entertaining. Knotted at two games apiece, it has featured fine pitching with flashes of home run power. Game five is typically a pivotal game in a seven game series. This was a rematch of the two excellent pitchers who started game one, Tony Tamayo and Ronaldo Mijangos.

The game was another low scoring affair. This time, however, Tamayo got the better of Mijangos. Hoping to spark more scoring, the Knights were aggressive running the bases. Unfortunately, Romeo Usquiano attempted three steals and was thrown out in all three attempts. Both starters pitched six innings but Tamayo did not surrender a run. The Knights scored in the second inning when Alberto Pescador tripled to right field. Ángel Santago added another run in the fourth with a solo home run. Alvino Flores scored the Knights third and final run of the game in the fifth off of a sacrifice fly by Lariel Gómez. Brooklyn’s bullpen took care of the last three innings and sealed the 3-0 shutout win. The series moves back to Brooklyn for game six with the Knights one win away from another championship.

Final score: Brooklyn 3, Key West 0

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0   3  6  0
Key West     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0  4  0

W: T. Tamayo
L: R. Mijangos
S: B. Clark

Down two games to one, this was a critical home game for the Key West Corals. The start fell to Whitney Sanders (10-10, 3.92 ERA), who won his last playoff outing for the Corals. The Knights had Aaron Patterson (11-7, 4.26 ERA) on the mound. Patterson saved Brooklyn from elimination in the League 1 Series when he pitched a gem against the Nashville Firecats.

Game four was a classic pitchers’ duel. There were only five hits between both teams. The Corals had but two hits but they were both home runs. Adelmo Porcayo hit the first homer in the second inning and Marvin Hearn added the second one in the fifth inning. Things looked secure for the Corals when superstar closer Almandeto Trillio (5-4, 48 SV, 1.73 ERA) came in to pitch the ninth with a 2-0 lead. The Knights made it interesting, however. After striking out the first two batters, Trillio walked Hsiao-lou Yeh and gave up a single to Ángel Santago. Yeh scored when second baseman Marvin Hearn committed an error, his second of the game. Flavio Marquez drew a walk to load the bases. Brooklyn’s comeback ended when Carlos Cardenas grounded out to the shortstop. The World Championship Series is now tied at two games apiece.

Final score: Key West 2, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   1  3  0
Key West     0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 X   2  2  2

W: W. Sanders
L: A. Patterson
S: A. Trillio

After a travel day, the series moved to Key West for game three. Pitching for the Knights was Porfírio ‘Spooky’ Portio (16-2, 3.62 ERA). For the Corals, the starter was Mario Torralbo (11-6, 3.45 ERA).

Brooklyn’s third baseman, Alberto Pescador got the Knights on the scoreboard first with a two-run home run in the second inning. Portio was pitching a shutout when he left in the third inning with shoulder pain. Darius Luxton, the Knights number five starter in their rotation, came on in relief. Luxton got more help from his offense when Hsiao-lou Yeh hit a two-run homer in the fifth. The Knights scored again in the sixth inning off of an Ángel Santago double. Luxton pitched extremely well and left in the seventh inning with a 5-0 lead. Júlio Guillén relived Luxton and gave up the Corals one and only run, a Marvin Hearn RBI single. The Brooklyn Knights take a 2-1 series lead thanks to solid play from their hitters and pitchers.

Final score: Brooklyn 5, Key West 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 0   5 12  0
Key West     0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0   1  8  0

W: D. Luxton
L: M. Torralbo

The Corals and Knights played the second game of the 2015 World Championship Series in Brooklyn. The Knights looked to Jose Arisa (18-6, 4.13 ERA) to help even the series. The Corals started Jesús Martínez(15-7, 3.46 ERA) and looked forward to the possibility of returning home up two games to none.

For the second straight game, there was scoring in the first inning. This time, however, it was the Brooklyn Knights’ turn. Blas Ramos led off with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch. The Corals’ power was on display again in game two. Right fielder Cipriano Delgudo hit a two run homer in the second to put Key West ahead. Adelmo Porcayo hit another home run in the third and the Corals had a 3-1 lead. Martínez couldn’t find the strike zone in the fourth inning. He gave up three walks, two singles, and hit a batter. It ended up a three run inning as Brooklyn took back its lead. With Miguel Catarino pitching for the Corals in the sixth, the Knights strung together a series of singles to score two more runs. Key West got its third homer of the game in the seventh when Matthew Loy hit an inside the park home run. The Brooklyn bullpen closed out the game with Kiyomizu in the eighth and Clark in the ninth. The only downside for the Knights was an injury to star right fielder Maurílio Godim. He strained an oblique muscle while making an amazing sliding catch. The injury will keep him out for the rest of the series.

Final score: Brooklyn 6, Key West 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0   4 10  1
Brooklyn     1 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 X   6 10  0

W: J. Arisa
L: J. Martínez
S: B. Clark

The NALB 2015 World Championship Series features two powerhouse teams—the Key West Corals (106-56) and the Brooklyn Knights (115-47). The last time two NALB teams with over 100 wins played for the championship was 2009 when the Knights faced the Stade Maples.

Pitching for Key West in the opener was Ronaldo ‘Groove Thing’ Mijangos (21-7, 2.72 ERA). Mijangos started his major league career with the Corals in 2004. After six seasons in Key West, he signed as a free agent with the Knights. His four seasons in Brooklyn produced a 56-30 record. He returned to the Corals in 2015 and delivered another terrific season. The Knights starter in game one was Tony Tamayo (18-7, 3.59 ERA), a 25 year old righty with a 98 mph fastball and a devastating curveball. Tamayo led the NALB in strikeouts this season with 273, a personal best.

Both teams are known for good hitting and power hitting in particular. The Corals put that power to good use in the opener. An infield single by Ricardo Gonzaléz started the game. He scored on a Yuan Li double. Next, third baseman Adelmo Porcayo blasted a shot to left field, which traveled over 470 feet. Key West had a quick 3-0 lead. The Knights scratched out a run in the fifth inning thanks in part to an error by Porcayo. They could manage no more scoring against Corals pitching, however. Catcher Matthew Loy hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth to provide extra insurance for the formidable Corals bullpen. Key West had won the first game on the road. One point of note was Tony Tamayo’s amazing 13 strikeout performance, which set a new NALB playoff record.

Final score: Key West 4, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Key West     3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   4  6  1
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   1  6  0

W: R. Mijangos
L: T. Tamayo
S: A. Trillio

2015 League 2 Series - St. James Crusaders (83-79) vs. Key West Corals (106-56)

Game 1: Key West 12, St. James 4
Game 2: St. James 3, Key West 3
Game 3: Key West 4, St. James 0
Game 4: St. James 7, Key West 1
Game 5: St. James 2, Key West 1
Game 6: Key West 6, St. James 1
Game 7: Key West 6, St. James 5

There was increased fan interest in St. James this season as the Crusaders reached the playoffs for the first time in thirteen seasons. A lot of the credit goes to rookie manager Paddy Willis. If the Crusaders were a bit of a surprise in 2015, no one was surprised with the success of the Key West Corals. Led by legendary manager Piero Snell, the Corals had League 2’s best pitching staff and best offense. They were a powerhouse team, which won 106 games.

The Crusaders Cory Gregory (13-9, 3.66 ERA) got the first postseason start of his career. The Corals felt confident at home with the league’s best pitcher, Ronaldo ‘Groove Thing’ Mijangos (21-7, 2.72 ERA), on the mound. The Corals flexed their muscles with five home runs, including two by third baseman Adelmo Porcayo. Key West looked nearly unstoppable as they cruised to a 12-4 win in game one.

In game two, the Crusaders started Anastasio Urbáez (10-14, 4.29 ERA) against the Corals Whitney Sanders (10-10, 3.92 ERA). The Corals put up two runs in the first inning before the pitchers settled in. The Crusaders tied the game in the eighth. Catcher MacMorris Holter hit a solo home run in the ninth as St. James evened the series with a 3-2 victory.

Crusaders fans looked to give their team a lift as the series shifted to St. James. Key West started the reliable Mario Torralbo (11-6, 3.45 ERA) while St. James started Wen Xiong (16-11, 3.25 ERA). Game three was very well pitched on both sides. Xiong pitched eight innings and gave up two runs. Torralbo was a bit better, however. He lasted seven innings but gave up only two hits and no walks while striking out nine. The Corals prevailed 4-0.

Not wanting to waste opportunities at home, the Crusaders looked to rebound in game four. Jesús Martínez (15-7, 3.46 ERA) was named the starter for the Corals. The Crusaders opted for Cory Gregory to start his second game of the series. Thanks to ten hits and nine walks plus solid pitching, St. James easily cruised to a 7-1 win.

Game five was the last game in St. James and the Crusaders made it count. Mijangos vs. Urbáez was a great pitching duel. Each pitcher surrendered only a single run and the game went into extra innings. In the bottom of the 13th inning, second baseman Brett Scheer singled home the winning run. Crusaders 2, Corals 1.

In Key West, there was a nervous energy in the stadium for game six. The fans knew their beloved Corals were one loss away from ending a magical season that produced 106 regular season wins. Thankfully for them, their team had no such jitters. Whitney Sanders out-pitched Wen Xiong as Key West convincingly defeated St. James 6-1. The Corals had 14 hits and 3 home runs to go along with excellent pitching.

With everything on the line in game seven, the Crusaders started Cory Gregory for the third time. The Corals went with proven veteran Mario Torralbo as their starting pitcher. An error by center fielder José Hernández cost the Crusaders in the first inning. It contributed to a three run inning for the Corals. The Crusaders came back, however, tying the game 4-4 in the top of the sixth. The Corals quickly took the lead back in the bottom half of the sixth. An error by Crusaders shortstop helped the Corals put two more runs on the board. Down 6-4 in the ninth inning, St. James staged a comeback. They pulled within a run and had a baserunner on third with no outs. Key West’s star closer, Almandeto Trillio, struck out three batters in a row to seal the 6-5 win. The Corals won the series, four games to three.

For his fine play, even in a losing effort, St. James third baseman Hsiao-lou Yuan was given the series Most Valuable Player Award. He hit .406, scored 4 runs and batted in 4 to win the honor.

2015 League 1 Series - Nashville Firecats (90-72) vs. Brooklyn Knights (115-47)

Game 1: Nashville 9, Brooklyn 6
Game 2: Nashville 11, Brooklyn 8
Game 3: Nashville 5, Brooklyn 4
Game 4: Brooklyn 9, Nashville 1
Game 5: Brooklyn 5, Nashville 3
Game 6: Brooklyn 9, Nashville 2
Game 7: Brooklyn 5, Nashville 4

After failing to make the playoffs in 2014, the Firecats replaced manager Tom Jennings with Tim Mordaunt. For the last five years, Mordaunt managed the St. James Crusaders. Prior to that, he spent four seasons in Quebeck with the Sky Chiefs. He had never led a team to a division title until this year. The defending World Champion Brooklyn Knights won another division title decisively. After notching 105 wins in 2014, the Knights improved on that with 115 wins this season. This series was a matchup of the top two scoring teams in League 1.

Game one kicked off the series in Brooklyn. The Firecats started Terrence Steinman (12-11, 4.98 ERA) while the Knights had the league’s top strikeout pitcher on the mound, Tony Tamayo (18-7, 3.59 ERA). Hits were plentiful and the game went into extra innings tied at six runs apiece. John Edwards had a game-changing at-bat for Nashville in the 11th inning with two out. Edwards hit a 2-1 fastball from Bris Clark for a go-ahead single. Nashville went on to win 9-6.

The Firecats looked to build a 2-0 series lead behind starter Steve Towell (15-10, 3.77 ERA). The Knights hoped to get their first series win with José Arisa (18-6, 4.13 ERA). It was a hitter’s game early on and both starting pitchers were gone before the fourth inning ended. After three innings, Brooklyn led 8-5. The hometown fans’ hopes were dashed in the seventh inning. Nashville’s batters pounded out hit after hit, which led to six runs. The Firecats prevailed 11-8.

The Knights desperately needed a win in game three. Porfírio Portio (16-2, 3.62 ERA) got the road start while veteran Neil Synder (14-7, 4.06 ERA) had the advantage of pitching at home in Nashville. It was an exciting game. The Firecats tied in 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth. Nashville won the game in the bottom of the 12th inning. With one out and Ken Hannah on the mound for Brooklyn, center fielder José Rubiales hit a dramatic solo home run, bringing Firecats fans to their feet.

Down 3-0 in the series, Brooklyn had to win four in a row to prevail. Young starter Aaron Patterson (11-7, 4.26 ERA) was under a lot of pressure to pitch well. Nashville tried to close out the series with Terrence Steinman getting his second start. The Knights delivered a standout performance. They scored four runs in the first and another four runs in the second. Patterson was terrific. He pitched into the seventh inning and struck out eight batters while allowing only one run. Knights first baseman Hsiao-lou Yeh was named player of the game in the 9-1 win after he was 3-3 with a grand slam, 2 singles, and 2 walks, while scoring 2 times and driving in 4.

Although the Firecats had a 3-1 series lead, they didn’t appear loose. With game five being their last chance to clinch at home, they felt the pressure not to lose and send the series back to Brooklyn. The pitching matchup was Tamayo vs. Towell. The game was tied 1-1 going into the fifth inning. That is when the Knights struck for four runs. Alexis Schmidt aided the Brooklyn cause with a 3-run home run and the Knights finished the inning up 5-1. The Firecats scored a couple of runs in the seventh but ended up falling 5-3.

Game six moved back to Brooklyn with Nashville leading three games to two. Chris Nelson (7-3, 3.77 ERA) got his first start of the series for the Firecats. José Arisa took the mound for the Knights for the second time. The Brooklyn Knights looked like a team that won 115 games in the regular season. Up 4-2, they added five more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Brooklyn designated hitter Alexis Schmidt was named player of the game in the win after he was 3 for 4 with a double and 2 singles. He scored 3 times.

Game seven meant it was winner take all. The starters were the same as in game three—Synder vs. Portio. The Knights came out aggressively to begin the game. They scored three runs in the first inning and added another run in the second. Brooklyn fans may have hoped for a blowout but it was not to be. The Firecats tied the game in the top of the third with four runs of their own. The score was 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth when Knights first baseman Hsiao-lou Yeh led off the inning with a walk off home run to win the game and the series.

The Most Valuable Player Award went to Brooklyn first baseman Hsiao-lou Yeh. He batted .393 in the series, collecting 9 RBIs and scoring 7 runs.

Brooklyn clinched a division title by the end of August. Afterwards, the Knights played some uncharacteristically sloppy baseball. Down the stretch, they posted a mediocre 17-15 record after wrapping up the division. Last season, the Nashville Firecats finished second to the Luisville Beasts. This season, they turned the tables and finished ahead of Luisville in the standings. Manager Piero Snell guided the Key West Corals to another division title and a franchise record 106 wins. The Corals hope to recapture the magic of 2013, their world championship season. In his first season as a big league manager, Paddy Wills led the Crusaders to their first division title since 2002.

The League Series match-ups:
Nashville Firecats (90-72) vs. Brooklyn Knights (115-47)
St. James Crusaders (83-79) vs. Key West Corals (106-56)

Head to head:
The Knights were 16-8 against the Firecats this season.
The Corals were 16-7 against the Crusaders this season.

Playoff injury report:
Devastating injuries plagued the Knights’ pitching staff. Starter Ralph Kerfoot tore his rotator cuff while Juan Fuentes and Bernard Gastelu missed much of the season due to torn UCLs (ulnar collateral ligaments). Brooklyn’s defensive wizard in centerfield, Romeo Usquiano has been on the DL since mid-September with a strained hamstring. The Firecats will be without right fielder Chris Lee, who tore an abdominal muscle late last month. The Corals’ bullpen has been without Juan Miranda since April 18. A torn rotator cuff caused him to miss the rest of the season. The Crusaders are facing the longest list of injuries. St. James has seven players on the disabled list. Most notable are SS Larry Arcienaga, 1B J.R. Singleton, and RF Rainer Rojas.

September 2015 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Hsiao-lou Yeh (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: José Trujilio (Las Vegas Luck)
Rookie of the Month: José Trujilio (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yuan Li (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Francisco Camaño (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: John Buker (Phoenix Rattlers)

All four division leaders heading into August were still in first place at the end of the month. The Brooklyn Knights easily clinched another division title, wrapping it up on August 29. The Key West Corals seem very likely to win another division title. Meanwhile, the Firecats and Crusaders have good battles going with the Beasts and Rattlers, respectively.

August 2015 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Joe Farrell (St. Rock Mudcats)
Rookie of the Month: Michael Scullion (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Hartman Ivers (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Bonifaco Sánchez (Vancouver Wild)

The division leaders have stayed on top for the last few months. The Knights and Corals have things well in hand while the Firecats and Crusaders continue to battle to remain in first place. There were a few trades in the last week of July. However, no major deals were struck before the July 31 trading deadline.

July 2015 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Aaron Patterson (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Sancho Malclonado (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yuan Li (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Markus Wright (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Bergen Watson (Richmond Slam)

Nine Brooklyn Knights players made the League 1 All-Star team. Brooklyn’s ace, Tony Tamayo, was named the starter. For the League 2 All-Stars, the Corals’ Ronaldo Mijangos got the start. The game was completely dominated by the League 1 All-Stars. Its powerful lineup pounded opposing pitchers for 20 hits and 18 runs. Mabon Beninger, the rookie shortstop for the Dunedin Otters was recognized as the player of the game. Beninger went four for four, including a home run, three runs, and two RBI.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 1 All-Stars   4 4 0 2 2 0 2 4 4  18 20  0
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X   0  3  0

W: P. Quinoñes
L: R. Mijangos

After a scorching hot start to the season, the Brooklyn Knights entered June with a 43-8 record. Brooklyn found things a bit tougher in June, going 19-9. Overall, the Knights played well. However, they were swept by the Luck in a three game series in Las Vegas. Later, they dropped all four games in Brooklyn in a series against the Cornfield Axemen. Most concerning of all were the injuries suffered at the end of the month. In the last week of June, closer Bris Clark went to the disabled list with a sore back and is expected to miss three weeks. Worst of all was the loss of star pitcher Ralph Kerfoot. After going 21-5 last year and 11-2 this year, Kerfoot will miss the rest of the 2015 season. His torn rotator cuff will require eight to nine months to heal.

June 2015 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Rob Wintle (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Steve Towell (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Sancho Malclonado (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Alamandeto Trillio (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)

The Brooklyn Knights kept rolling in May, posting a 24-5 record for the month. In Brooklyn, the Knights have been nearly unbeatable with a 24-1 home record for the season. There was a scare on the last day of the month, however. Playing the Cornfield Axemen, staff ace Tony Tamayo left the game with elbow pain after pitching five scoreless innings. The team was greatly relieved by the medical diagnosis. The injury was not serious. His elbow soreness may cause him to miss at most one start.

May 2015 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Dacey Rager (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Sancho Malclonado (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Pete Porter (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Cory Gregory (St. James Crusaders)
Rookie of the Month: Toshiharu Fujii (Phoenix Rattlers)

The 2015 NALB season is currently on a hiatus. OOTP Baseball 17’s latest patch, version 17.10.65, caused some problems. Minor league rosters of a few teams were adversely affected. Unfortunately, my organization was hit by the bug. Inexplicably, several dozen players on my single-A club were released, including some promising prospects. That left the team with only four players, far fewer than required to field a team.

While I wait for a fix to OOTP, I decided to play another classic Apogee game. I recently enjoyed Pharaoh’s Tomb and Arctic Adventure, so I chose a similar puzzle platform game. The game was Monuments of Mars from 1990. It had a similar structure to the previous two Apogee games with four parts of 20 levels each. The setting was futuristic but the game mechanics were familiar—jumping, flipping switches, activating items, and shooting. The CGA graphics, which took some getting used to when first playing Pharaoh’s Tomb, were now familiar and no distraction at all. I ripped through it more quickly than the other games, completing all 80 levels in five hours or so. It was a fun little diversion from my baseball league’s woes. Although very dated by today’s standards you can’t argue with the price (free from 3D Realms).

After a rare injury-free spring training, the Brooklyn Knights played terrific baseball in the opening month of the 2015 NALB season. In early April, Blas Ramos was placed on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis. Later in the month, Porfírio Portio was placed on the 15-day DL with shoulder soreness. Other than those minor injuries, not much went wrong for the Knights. Brooklyn’s 19-3 record was easily the league’s best.

April 2015 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Tony Tamayo (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Sancho Malclonado (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Jordan Blanchard (Stade Maples)
Pitcher of the Month: Mike Wolfe (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: John Patterson (Phoenix Rattlers)

The Brooklyn Knights played well in spring training with an 18-10 record, best in the division. The Luisville Beasts were even better, going 20-8 to top their division. The Key West Corals posted an NALB best spring record of 21-7. In League 2 Division 2, the St. James Crusaders and Vancouver Wild tied for the lead at 16-12.

The Knights emerged from spring training injury free, one of only two teams to do so. Brooklyn’s Lariel Gómez had a hot bat and posted a .375 average. Gómez and Alexis Schmidt tied for the most hits in spring training with 27. Schmidt’s 7 HRs were surpassed only by teammate Hsiao-lou Yeh, who hit a remarkable 9 round trippers.

Key injuries in spring training:
Dunedin Otters: On March 2, SP Sosuke Nakamura was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff. He will miss 5 months.
Dunedin Otters: RF Nub Spade strained his hamstring on March 31. He is expected to miss 4-5 weeks.
Key West Corals: On March 10, CF Ricardo González strained his hamstring. He will be out for 8 weeks.
Nashville Firecats: CL Danilo Fernández suffered a strained oblique on March 7. The injury will keep him out of action 7-8 weeks.
Phoenix Rattlers: RP Kevin Dees tore his triceps muscle on March 24. He will miss 2-3 months.
Phoenix Rattlers: Injured on March 15, an elbow strain will keep RP Antoine Caminos out for 2 months.
Phoenix Rattlers: CL Stokley McGruder was injured on March 27. The diagnosis was a partially torn labrum, which will cause him to miss 6 weeks.
Quebeck Sky Chiefs: On March March 18, RP Cot Morales suffered a partially torn labrum. He is expected to miss 4 months.
Richmond Slam: RP Tim Fisher had been rehabilitating since last July with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. He suffered a setback in his recover and will most likely miss the entire 2015 season.
Richmond Slam: Gutierre Jiménez will need reconstructive surgery to repair a damaged elbow ligament. He will need 12-13 months to recover.
Richmond Slam: An intercostal strain will cause 3B Mike Merriman to miss 5 months.
St. James Crusaders: RP Jerry Rigney ruptured his ulnar collateral ligament last October. He will miss the 2015 season.
St. Rock Mudcats: SP William Constable torn his rotator cuff and will miss 4-5 months.
St. Rock Mudcats: On March 30, SS Charles Difranco fractured his thumb. He will miss 3 weeks.
St. Rock Mudcats: RP Rob Muncy suffered a partially torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) and will require Tommy John surgery. It will take him 9-10 months to recover.
Stade Maples: LF Hisham Makwetu is on the DL because of plantar fasciitis. He is expected to miss 5-6 weeks.
Stade Maples: CF Fernando Canales is still recovering from a torn PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which he injured last July. He still has another 8 weeks before he is expected to play.
Vancouver Wild: CF Troy Howell has an oblique strain that will keep him out of the lineup for the next 3 weeks.

There were some notable roster moves before spring training began for the 2015 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights made relatively few offseason moves:

• The Knights extended the contracts of nine players through salary arbitration: William Garner, Bruce MacOmish, Tony Tamayo, Maurilio Godim, Lariel Gómez, Alvino Flores, Ángel Santago, Rikiya Kiyomizu, and Victor Trujillo.
• Arbitration was offered to Lonnie Bennett and Rigo Hurtado. Both declined and opted to file for free agency.
• Arbitration was not offered to Ronaldo Mijangos.
• Signed Allen Humphries as Assistant General Manager. He will be in charge of minor league transactions in the organization.
• Signed international amateur SP Mannie Román out of Cuba to a minor league contract.
• The Brooklyn Knights lost seven players in the Rule 5 draft: José Trujilio, Pacifico Delrio, Robinson Texido, Lorenzo Torres, Manny Huebe, Pud Osegeda, and Ulucan Gilmore.

Notable offseason signings:

• The Cornfield Axmen landed the top rated free agent on the market. They signed starting pitcher Porfiro Quiñones to a 6 year, $82.3 million deal.
• The Axemen further strengthened their pitching staff by adding Dong-u Sop to its bullpen. Sop will earn $2.73 million this season.
• Star second baseman Norberto Salguero found a new home in Quebeck. He agreed to the Sky Chiefs offer of $43 for 5 years.
• After many seasons with the Richmond Slam, closer Benny Alazardo joined the Luisville Beasts. His new contract is worth $21.8 million over 3 years.
• Starting pitcher Chris Nelson and Nashville inked a $5.1 million a year deal for 3 years.
• Cipriano Delgudo will be roaming the outfield in Key West for the next four seasons as he accepted the Coral $15,960,000 offer.
• Phoenix was pleased that outfielder Carl Gwinn signed on with the Rattlers. The deal is worth $34.7 million over 5 years.
• After spending his entire career in Washington, star third baseman Cristiano Isidra declared free agency and signed with Cornfield. The contract is worth $38.2 million over 6 years.
• The Vancouver Wild signed one of the most coveted starters on the market in Lewis McGrew. It took a hefty 6 year, $66.9 million contract to secure his services.
• After four seasons in Brooklyn, Ronaldo Mijangos is going home to Key West. Mijangos played the first six seasons of his career with the Corals. Mijangos remains one of the highest paid players in the league thanks to a 4 year, $48 million deal.
• The Corals lured first baseman Yuan Li with a generous $44.9 million deal over 4 years.
• Key West added big home run power to its roster by signing shortstop Martin Swader to a 4 year, $46 million contract. Swader has 292 career home runs and has hit at least 40 HRs five out of the last six seasons.

Notable offseason trades:

• The Grizzlies and Crusaders completed a four player trade. St. James received 1B J.R. Singleton and cash from Vancouver for three minor league players.
• Third Baseman Kurt Johnson is a new member of the Stade Maples after he was traded from the Key West Corals in exchange for RHP Brian Harding, minor league C Juan Arrocena, and a 3rd round draft pick.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2014.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Hooks Goetz (Brooklyn Knights)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Ralph Kerfoot (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Ralph Kerfoot (Brooklyn Knights)
Catcher: Aaron O’Boylan (Dunedin Otters)
First Baseman: Rico Gómez (Luisville Beasts)
Second Baseman: Pete Chavez (Luisville Beasts)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Alfredo Herrán (Nashville Firecats)
Left Fielder: Hyung-jin Kim (Dayton Grizzlies)
Center Fielder: Romeo Usquiano (Brooklyn Knights)
Right Fielder: Aleck Stella (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Tony Rodarte (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Porfiro Quiñones (Washington Allies)
Newcomer of the Year: Kurt Johnson (Key West Corals)
Manager of the Year: Cherokee Clark (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Charles Revels (Vancouver Wild)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (Vancouver Wild)
Third Baseman: Hsiao-lou Yuan (St. James Crusaders)
Shortstop: Ramiro Socastro (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: Dorian Chivers (Washington Allies)
Center Fielder: Roy Dabbs (Washington Allies)

Fans got their money’s worth watching the 2014 NALB playoffs. The Brooklyn Knights (105-57) came from behind after losing the first two games to the Luisville Beasts in the League 1 Series. The Richmond Slam (85-77) defeated the Key West Corals in a hard fought seven game League 2 series. It was only fitting that the 2014 World Championship Series between the Knights and the Slam would go seven games as well.

Both teams had potent offenses, leading their respective leagues in runs scored. The two big hitters were surprisingly unproductive in the WCS, however. Hooks Goetz hit .091 (2 for 22) for the Knights. Triple crown winner Tony Rodarte wasn’t much better, hitting .107 (3 for 28) for the Slam.The Series featured less scoring than many expected thanks to some fine pitching efforts. Overall, the Slam’s top three starters pitched an excellent Series. Bedford, Eizan, and Jiménez made things difficult for the Knights’ hitters. Brooklyn’s pitching was outstanding down the Series stretch in games five, six, and seven. The Knights only allowed two runs in the final 28 innings of the WCS.

Richmond won the opener in Brooklyn and then the teams traded wins through game six. Game seven was an epic extra innings battle. The Knights won in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to win 2-1 with a walkoff home run in the fourteenth inning.

Game 1: Richmond 4, Brooklyn 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 8, Richmond 4
Game 3: Richmond 7, Brooklyn 5
Game 4: Brooklyn 5, Richmond 3
Game 5: Richmond 5, Brooklyn 3
Game 6: Brooklyn 2, Richmond 1
Game 7: Brooklyn 2, Richmond 1

Click the image for the NALB 2014 World Championship roster

Game seven. There is nothing quite like it in sports. The NALB 2014 World Championship was on the line in Brooklyn, NY. The pitching matchup featured two hard throwing young stars—Gutierre Jiménez (15-8, 3.13 ERA) vs. Tony Tamayo (16-4, 2.69 ERA). Jiménez and the Slam got the better of Tamayo and the Knights in game three of the WCS, winning 7-5. The Slam hoped Jiménez could duplicate his brilliant performance.

For fans of pitching, this game did not disappoint. Tamayo pitched 5 ⅓ scoreless innings while Jiménez pitched 7 ⅔ scoreless innings. Both teams had scoring opportunities but they were hard to come by. The starters always found a way to work out of trouble. Tied 0-0, the game went into extra innings.

It appeared all but certain the Knights had the game won in the bottom of the eleventh. Alexis Schmidt led off with a double and Hsiao-lou Yeh was intentionally walked. Maurílio Godim was brought in to pinch run for Schmidt. Lariel Gómez put down a successful bunt to advance the runners. Once again, the Slam called for the intentional walk to set up the double play. Angel Santago ended up at first to load the bases with one out. Blas Ramos hit a grounder to the second baseman who threw home to get the second out. The catcher rifled the ball to first to complete the double play.

In the fourteenth inning, the Knights had Bernard Gastelu on the mound. Nub Spade led off the inning with a home run. Although Gastelu finished the inning, the Slam’s 1-0 lead appeared to be enough to secure its first title. In the bottom half of the inning with one out, Walt O’connell walked Alvino Flores. Romeo Usquiano came to the plate to face an obviously tired O’Connell. In a magnificent eight pitch at bat, Usquiano fouled off four pitches. He turned on a fastball and promptly deposited it into the seats in right field. His two run walk off homer won the game and the World Championship for the Brooklyn Knights. The fans were treated to perhaps the greatest WCS game in NALB history!

Final score: Brooklyn 2, Richmond 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14   R  H  E
Richmond     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0  0  0  0  1   1 10  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0  0  0  0  2   2  9  0

W: B. Gastelu
L: W. O’connell

Game six was a potential clincher for the Richmond Slam. Up three games to two, a win would give the Slam their first World Championship. Richmond hoped for a better start out of Katamor Eizan (13-8, 3.78 ERA) than he delivered in game two of the WCS. The Knights liked their chances to even the Series with Ralph Kerfoot (21-5, 2.57 ERA) on the mound.

After easily retiring the first two batters, Kerfoot called to the Brooklyn dugout. Clearly in pain, he was taken out of the game. The post-game medical diagnosis revealed bone chips in his right elbow, which will require surgery to remove. The Knights had to rely on their bullpen with over eight innings to play. In the top of the second with Rigo Hurtado pitching, Carlos Tejera scored when DH Nub Spade singled. Heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Slam were still up 1-0 with Eizan clearly in command. With one out, the Knights struggling leadoff hitter, Romeo Usquiano, singled to right. Blas Ramos followed with a triple to the right field corner to tie the game. Hooks Goetz hit a deep sacrifice fly to put the Knights ahead 2-1. Eizan delivered a fine outing of 6 ⅔ innings. It was the Brooklyn bullpen that was the collective star of the game, however. The Knights used six relievers to finish the game—Rigo Hurtado, Bruce MacOmish, Lonnie Bennett, Bernard Gastelu, Rikiya Kiyomizu, and Bris Clark. Clark struck out two Slam batters in the ninth to seal the win and force a game seven.

Final score: Brooklyn 2, Richmond 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Richmond     0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   1  6  1
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 X   2  9  0

W: L. Bennett
L: K. Eizan
S: B. Clark

With the World Championship Series tied 2-2, game five was pivotal. As the last game in Richmond, the Slam desperately wanted the win before traveling to Brooklyn. They felt confident with Hap Bedford (12-10, 3.49 ERA) getting the start again against Porfírio Portio (8-6, 4.27 ERA). In game one, the Slam rode Bedford for seven innings on way to a 4-2 win.

The action picked up in the second inning. Hsiao-lou Yeh led off with a homer for the Knights. The Knights gave up the lead in the bottom half of the inning with poor defense. An error by Blas Ramos in left and a throwing error by shortstop Lariel Gómez help set up three runs by the Slam. With four hits in the third, the Slam added two more runs. Portio was pulled for a pinch hitter in the fifth but Bedford continued to cruise. Bedford left after six innings with the 5-1 lead intact. Richmond reliever Luís Baboun kicked off the eighth inning with an error and the Knights began a rally. A double by Ramos and a single by Yeh drove in two runs and narrowed the score to 5-3. With closer Benny Alazardo pitching in the ninth, the Knights made one final attempt to draw even. After Alvino Flores doubled, the tying run came to the plate. Alexis Schmidt and Alberto Pescador were both retired on infield ground balls. The Slam are now one game away from the championship. They take a 3-2 Series lead back to Brooklyn.

Final score: Richmond 5, Brooklyn 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0   3  7  2
Richmond     0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0   5 11  1

W: H. Bedford
L: P. Portio
S: B. Alazardo

Richmond led the Series 2-1 going into game four. Because of the injury to starter Ronaldo Mijangos in the League 1 Series, the Knights turned to Juan Fuentes (4-3, 3.84 ERA). The 25 year old with the blazing 100+ mph fastball was under a lot of pressure pitching on the road in his first playoff game. The Slam hoped to get a solid performance out of Taiwanese starter Chun-Hua Zhou (12-9, 4.45 ERA).

Both pitchers looked good early on. However, the Knights broke out against Zhou in the third with two runs. They followed up with three runs in the fourth. Blas Ramos surprised everyone when he took Zhou deep for a two run homer. Ramos had only hit four home runs all season. The Slam finally managed to score of off Fuentes in the fifth inning. They trailed 5-1 but were happy to see Fuentes taken out in the sixth inning. The Slam challenged the Knights relievers and they started to find some success at the plate. Runs in the seventh and eighth innings trimmed the lead to 5-3. After Pyeong-kyu Pae doubled in the ninth, the Slam brought the tying run to the plate against Knights closer Bris Clark. Pae was stranded on second as the Knights held on to tie the Series.

Final score: Brooklyn 5, Richmond 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 0   5  5  1
Richmond     0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0   3 11  1

W: J. Fuentes
L: C. Zhou
S: B. Clark

The World Championship Series moved to Richmond for game three. That meant League 2 rules—pitchers were in the lineup and no designated hitters. Tony Tamayo (16-4, 2.69 ERA) got the start for the Knights while Gutierre Jiménez (15-8, 3.13 ERA) started for the Slam.

Chick Veras doubled in the bottom of the first to get things started for the Slam. He later scored on a Carlos Tejera single. The home crowd had much to cheer about as the Slam’s offense was clicking and Jiménez was looked very sharp on the mound. The Slam scored a run in the fourth. They added another in the fifth off of a Shimon Rhodes solo home run. Down 3-0, Tamayo was pulled in the top of the sixth for a pinch hitter. The Knights could get nothing going again Jiménez. With Xerxes Scaife on in relief for Tamayo, the Slam struck for two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Brooklyn’s relievers could do little to slow down Richmond’s attack. In the eighth inning, Isaías Aleman and Bernard Gastelu couldn’t find the strike zone. They walked five Slam batters and gave up another two runs. Walter Sheehan came on in the ninth to finish the game with a comfortable 7-0 lead. That’s when the Knights finally made their move. Brooklyn’s bats came alive and the inning was highlighted by catcher Alvino Flores’ three run homer. However, it was too little, too late. With a Knights baserunner on second, Slam closer Benny Alazardo came on to save the win.

Final score: Richmond 7, Brooklyn 5

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5   5  8  0
Richmond     1 0 0 1 1 2 0 2 X   7  7  1

W: G. Jiménez
L: T. Tamayo
S: B. Alazardo

Game two of the 2014 World Championship Series featured two very successful starting pitchers. For the Slam, it was Katamor Eizan (13-8, 3.78 ERA). For the Knights, it was this season’s winningest pitcher, Ralph Kerfoot (21-5, 2.57 ERA).

Hooks Goetz singled in the first inning. He then scored all the way from first base when Alexis Schmidt hit a line drive double down the third base line. The Knights lead was short lived, however. The Slam took a 2-1 lead the next inning when catcher Steve Sheppard hit a 404 foot long ball. The Knights responded in the bottom half of the inning. A base on balls to Maurílio Godim got things started. Hits by Flavio Marquez and Alvino Flores scored a run. After another base on balls by Romeo Usquiano, a Blas Ramos single scored another run. Hooks Goetz batted in the third run of the inning on a sac fly to make it 4-2 Brooklyn. The Knights did more damage in the fifth. Schmidt led off the inning with a home run. Next, Yeh walked. Consecutive doubles by Godim, Marquez, and Florez added a pair of runs. Brooklyn’s lead was 7-2. Godim continued his fine game with a solo homer in the seventh. The Slam are a team that never quits, however. In the ninth, Kerfoot left after retiring a batter and giving up a hit. Richmond began a rally when Pyeong-kyu Pae went deep to left with a man on. Reliever Bruce MacOmish was replaced with Isaîas Alemán, who struck out one batter but walked two. Rigo Hurtado came on with two on and two out to halt the Slam’s comeback. Shimon Rhodes ripped a ball into the gap in right-center. It took a diving catch by Godim to end the game. After committing two errors in game one, the Knights looked excellent defensively. In addition to Godim’s great catch, Lariel Gómez made three amazing catches at shortstop. Brooklyn also turned two double plays.

Final score: Brooklyn 8, Richmond 4

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Richmond     0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2   4  8  0
Brooklyn     1 3 0 0 3 0 1 0 X   8 12  0

W: R. Kerfoot
L: K. Eizan
S: R. Hurtado

The NALB 2014 World Championship Series is a showdown between the Richmond Slam (85-77) and the Brooklyn Knights (105-57). The Knights are playing for the World Championship for a record thirteenth time. For the Slam, it is their fourth time in the WCS. Their previous three appearances were all losses to the Knights, the last being in 2012. Rurik Bonner has had a distinguished NALB career managing three seasons in Cornfield and now six in Richmond. His teams have made the playoffs seven out of eight years, and they have never finished lower than second place. A World Championship has eluded him, however.

The Slam had NALB legend Hap Bedford (12-10, 3.49 ERA) on the mound for game one. Bedford is a 35 year old right-hander who has been pitching since 2000, the first year of NALB. No pitcher in NALB history has started more games, won more games, or struck out more batters than Hap Bedford. The Knights had a relative youngster on the mound, 24 year old Porfírio Portio (8-6, 4.27 ERA). Portio is known as a hard throwing sinker ball pitcher.

The Knights got on the board in the second inning behind a supportive Brooklyn crowd. Consecutive singles by Hsiao-lou Yeh, Lariel Gómez, and Maurílio Godim led to a run. Another single by Angel Santago loaded the bases with one out. Bedford worked out of the jam, however, and kept the score 1-0. In the top of the third, Shimon Rhodes singled to left field. Chick Veras hit a ground ball back to the pitcher. Portio spun toward second base and tried to get the lead runner. His throw was wild, however, and sailed past the bag. After Edmundo Ovelha singled, the bases were loaded with one out. When Tony Rodarte lined out to the shortstop, it looked like Portio might get out of the inning unscathed despite his error. Carlos Tejera delivered in the clutch, however, with a 2 RBI single. Richmond added another run in the fourth inning on a ground out RBI by Shimon Rhodes, which scored Pyeong-kyu Pae. In the bottom of the fourth, the Knights loaded the bases with one out but came away with nothing yet again. In the seventh inning, Alexis Schmidt gave Brooklyn fans some hope when he hit a solo blast over the fence in right field. The Slam’s Odalis Corrales hit a solo homer of his own in the eighth inning to extend Richmond’s lead to two runs. Benny Alazardo pitched the ninth inning to save the win.

Final score: Richmond 4, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Richmond     0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0   4 11  0
Brooklyn     0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0   2 10  2

W: H. Bedford
L: P. Portio
S: B. Alazardo

2014 League 2 Series - Richmond Slam (85-77) vs. Quebeck Sky Chiefs (90-72)

Game 1: Richmond 7, Quebeck 2
Game 2: Richmond 4, Quebeck 3
Game 3: Quebeck 12, Richmond 7
Game 4: Richmond 2, Quebeck 0
Game 5: Quebeck 5, Richmond 0
Game 6: Quebeck 3, Richmond 1
Game 7: Richmond 4, Quebeck 2

The Richmond Slam have become regulars in the postseason. This marks their fifth straight playoff appearance. On the other hand, the Quebeck Sky Chiefs have been slowly improving under the steady hand of manager Cherokee Clark. In his fifth year with Quebeck, Clark delivered the turnaround story Sky Chiefs fans have been waiting for. After a 70-92 season in 2013, his ball club improved 20 games to go 90-72. Canadian baseball enthusiasts rejoiced as the Sky Chiefs returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Quebeck hosted the opener for game one of the League 2 Series. The Slam named Katamor Eizan (13-8, 3.78 ERA) as their starter while Dan Eckenrode (11-6, 3.29 ERA) pitched the opener for the Sky Chiefs. Richmond’s offense is keyed by right fielder Tony Rodarte, the league’s most dangerous hitter. Rodarte wasted no time by taking Eckenrode deep with a two run blast in the top of the first. First baseman Odalis Corrales contributed a solo homer in the fourth to make it 3-0 Richmond. Quebeck went to their bullpen in the sixth and the Slam took advantage. The hits came easily against relievers Mauro Santana and Boris Crookshanks. The Slam extended their lead to 7-0. The Sky Chiefs scraped out a run in the seventh and another in the ninth. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome a four hit gem by Eizan as he pitched a complete game to give Richmond a 7-2 win.

In game two, the Slam had an inconsistent starter on the mound, Luís Baboun (9-19, 5.20 ERA). The Sky Chiefs were in much surer hands with veteran Paul Pole (12-11, 3.57 ERA). Baboun was up to the challenge, however. Both pitchers gave up three runs in seven innings. Shortstop Chick Veras led off the game with a home run for the Slam. Richmond added a run in the second and Quebeck responded with a run in the fifth. The Slam pulled ahead 3-1 when Tony Rodarte and Carlos Tejera hit back to back doubles in the sixth. Quebeck’s superstar second baseman, Marc-André Lavoie, thrilled the hometown fans with a game tying two run homer in the seventh inning. The game went into extra innings. In the twelfth inning with Ezra Demello pitching, the Slam scored the winning run on an Edmundo Ovelha single. Richmond defeated Quebeck, 4-3.

Game three saw the series move to Richmond. The Sky Chiefs desperately needed a win. They pinned their hopes on left hander Norberto Baleazar (13-11, 3.15 ERA). The Slam like their chances with hard throwing Argentinean lefty Gutierre ‘Bucky’ Jiménez (15-8, 3.13 ERA). It was a hitters game as neither pitcher looked particularly sharp. The Slam had 12 hits while the Sky Chiefs had 13. The Slam had a 7-6 lead heading into the eighth inning. Richmond’s bullpen was ineffective. They surrendered four runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth. The game was a disaster for the Slam as they also committed four errors on way to a 12-7 loss.

The Sky Chiefs had another lefty on the mound for game four. Heath MacKissock (11-11, 4.06 ERA) was paired off against Richmond’s Hap Bedford (12-10, 3.49 ERA), one of the greatest pitchers in NALB history. Bedford lived up to his lofty reputation. He fell one out shy of a complete game shutout. He walked none and struck out nine. MacKissock pitched a solid 6.1 innings and only gave up two runs. The Slam won this pitchers’ duel 2-0.

In game five, Dan Eckenrode (11-6, 3.29 ERA) and Katamor Eizan (13-8, 3.78 ERA) were back for their second starts of the series. In game one, Eizan pitched a complete game to give Richmond the win. This time, it was Eckenrode who came out on top. The Sky Chiefs won behind 5.1 shutout innings from Eckenrode and their bullpen took care of the rest. Quebeck scored a run in the second and fifth innings and put the game away with three runs in the seventh. It was a decisive 5-0 win.

The series shifted to Quebeck for game six, where every game was a must win for the Sky Chiefs. The starters were Luís Baboun (9-19, 5.20 ERA) and Paul Pole (12-11, 3.57 ERA), who each got a no decision in game two. Both pitchers looked very good. Baboun lasted seven innings while Pole went a full eight. Pole helped his own cause in the fifth inning when he batted in the first run of the game with a line drive double. Feliciano Gómez followed with an RBI single and the Sky Chiefs took a 2-0 lead. The Slam managed a run in the sixth inning when Steve Shepphard scored on a wild pitch. Marc-André Lavoie padded Quebeck’s lead with an RBI single in the eighth inning. The Sky Chiefs evened the series at three games each thanks to a 3-1 win.

The atmosphere was electric in Quebeck for game seven. The pressure was on Richmond’s Gutierre Jiménez (15-8, 3.13 ERA) and Quebeck’s Norberto Baleazar (13-11, 3.15 ERA) to deliver quality starts. The Sky Chiefs had home field advantage as well as momentum in the series. The Slam appeared calm and collected, however. In the top of the second inning, the Slam got things started with a pair of walks by Odalis Corrales and Carlos Galicia. Benny Way got a hit to load the bases. Baleazar forced in a run when he gave up a walk to Chick Veras. Edmundo Ovelha and Tony Rodarte had back to back hits and the Slam were quickly out in front 4-0. The score remained until the bottom of the seventh. Javier Mejia and Manuel Arellano got hits and the Sky Chiefs had two men on. They caught a break when Richmond’s Carlos Tejera committed an error in left field. Both runners scored and it was a 4-2 game. Neither team would score again. The Slam won the game and the League 2 Series.

Shortstop Chick Veras was the League 2 Series MVP. The Slam’s leadoff hitter hit .321 (9 for 28) with 3 2B, 1 HR, 5 R, and 5 RBI.

2014 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (84-78) vs. Brooklyn Knights (105-57)

Game 1: Luisville 4, Brooklyn 3
Game 2: Luisville 9, Brooklyn 3
Game 3: Brooklyn 18, Luisville 7
Game 4: Brooklyn 9, Luisville 7
Game 5: Luisville 2, Brooklyn 1
Game 6: Brooklyn 2, Luisville 1
Game 7: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 2

Last season, the Luisville Beasts had a 66-96 record, worst in NALB. After spending two seasons in Las Vegas, former Luisville manager Bob Brunton was brought in to turn things around for the Beasts. Brunton did a marvelous job managing the Beasts from worst to first. The Brooklyn Knights missed the playoffs for the first time last season. This year, the Knights returned to the postseason thanks to a league best 105 wins.

The series opened in Brooklyn with the league’s winningest pitcher, Ralph Kerfoot (21-5, 2.57 ERA), on the mound for the Knights. George Manzo (8-10, 4.28 ERA) took the mound for the Beasts. Three singles in the third inning put Luisville on the board first with two runs. Alexis Schmidt hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to give the Knights their first run. The Beasts and Knights added runs in the fifth and sixth, respectively, to make it a 3-2 game. A 423 foot blast by Alexis Schmidt in the eighth tied the game 3-3. Both bullpens pitched well and the game went into extra innings. Roque Cordero’s RBI double in the 13th inning was the game winner as the Beasts edged the Knights 4-3.

In game two, the Beasts started Te Li (11-11, 4.81 ERA), a 34 year old right hander from Taiwan. The Knights started fireballer Tony Tamayo (16-4, 2.69), who struck out 239 batters in the regular season. The Knights could not have asked for a better start. Romeo Usquiano walked, Blas Ramos singled, and Hook Goetz went deep to give Brooklyn a 3-0 in the first inning. Luisville’s star second baseman, Pete Chavez, hit a homer in the next inning to cut Brooklyn’s lead to 3-1. The Beasts added two more runs in the third, thanks to a Blas Ramos error in left field. The game was tied at three runs each. A pair of runs in the top of the fourth put the Beasts ahead 5-3. Tamayo was pulled in the fifth but things didn’t improve for the Knights. The Beasts extended their lead to 8-3. Leonard O’Marron’s home run in the ninth dispelled any hopes for a Brooklyn comeback. Luisville won easily, 9-3.

The day before the playoffs began, the Knights activated Ronaldo Mijangos (8-8, 4.24 ERA) from the disabled list. Mijangos had been inactive since straining his hamstring on August 4. Brooklyn wasn’t sure what to expect from their former ace. The Beasts hoped to build an insurmountable 3-0 series lead. They felt confident back home in Luisville with Tony Martell (14-10, 4.66 ERA) on the mound. After getting swept at home in the first two games, the Knights needed to turn things around quickly. Brooklyn’s mighty bats had been a bit quiet. Luisville awoke a sleeping giant in game three, however. After a scoreless two innings, the scoring erupted in the third. Without any long ball, the Knights bludgeoned Martell with hit after hit to build a quick 7-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, the Beasts roared back. Manuel Montaya singled in a run and Pete Chavez followed with a two run deep ball make it a 7-3 game. Brooklyn’s bats struck with fury again the next inning. Martell only registered one out before being pulled for Alex Martínez. Another big seven run inning was capped by Romeo Usquiano’s two run homer. With the score 14-3, a stunned Luisville crowd sat in silence. Three runs from the Beasts brought the home crowd back to life in the eighth. The Knights added to their lead in the ninth, however, as they cruised to an 18-7 win.

In game four, the Knights hoped Porfírio Portio (8-6, 4.27 ERA) could pitch them to victory and even the series. Opposing him was lefty Logan MacImmey (8-8, 4.48 ERA). A pair of doubles by Dan Conley and Pete Chavez in the first inning put the Beasts ahead 1-0. There was a nervous energy in the Luisville crowd as the Knights began a hitting assault in the third. Angel Santago led off with a home run. Later, a Flavio Marquez RBI double gave Brooklyn the lead. The hot bat of Alexis Schmidt did the most damage. His fence clearing shot to left field added three runs. The Knights led 5-1. The Beasts came back with a run in the bottom half of the inning with a ground out RBI. In the top of the fourth, Santago deflated the crowd when he went deep for the second time in the game. His two run line drive homer made it 7-2. It seemed all but over after the Knights extended their lead to 8-2 in the seventh. Luisville had plenty of fight left, however. They scored three runs in the eighth. The slugfest continued in the ninth. Schmidt doubled to give Brooklyn its ninth run. Manual Montaya hit a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth but that was all the Beasts could manage. Final score: Knights 9, Beasts 7

With the series tied at two games apiece, the final game in Luisville was pivotal. Game five’s pitching matchup was a rematch of game one. Once again, Ralph Kerfoot (21-5, 2.57 ERA) and George Manzo (8-10, 4.28 ERA) were on the mound. With 41 runs scored in the last two games, fans may have been expecting another slugfest. They didn’t get one. Kerfoot and Manzo were both in command as game five turned into a pitchers’ duel. Connor Duck reached base courtesy of shortstop Lariel Gomez’s error in the third inning. Rico Gómez batted him in to give the Beasts a 1-0 lead. In the fifth, DH Tim Hill took Kerfoot deep to right field. With George Manzo pitching a shutout, two runs felt like a solid lead. However, Hooks Goetz smashed a monster 448 foot home run in the top of the eighth. Closer Jesús Montufar came on in the ninth to save the Beasts win, 2-1.

The series shifted back to Brooklyn for game six with the Knights down three games to two. Te Li (11-11, 4.81 ERA) and Tony Tamayo (16-4, 2.69) each got their second start in the series. Like game five, this was another pitchers’ duel. Te Li didn’t strike out a single batter. He was masterful, however, as he changed speeds and located his pitches extremely well. He gave up only four hits and one run in eight innings. Tamayo was almost as good. He pitched 6.1 innings, struck out five, and allowed but one run. Doubles by Ramos and Schmidt gave Brooklyn a run in the first. Roque Cordero’s solo homer in the second gave Luisville a run. After that, the starters settled in and took over the game. With the score tied 1-1, the Beasts sent their closer Montufar to the mound in the bottom of the ninth. Consecutive singles by Ramos, Goetz and Schmidt ended the game in walkoff fashion. The Knights 2-1 victory forced a game seven.

The series was on the line in a winner take all game seven. Starters Ronaldo Mijangos (8-8, 4.24 ERA) and Tony Martell (14-10, 4.66 ERA) each had the chance to pitch their team to a League 1 Championship. Although Mijangos had been solid in game three, Martell was shelled. He needed to put those memories behind him. The Knights jumped on Martell early with solo homers by Maurílio Godim and Alvino Flores in the second inning. An energetic Brooklyn crowd was hushed when Mijangos was taken out of the game after four innings. He hurt his back and was later diagnosed with a torn back muscle. Despite pitching a one hit shutout, it was now up to the Brooklyn bullpen. Rigo Hurtado was pitching in the top of the sixth when Rico Gómez led off with a home run. The Knights tried to take advantage of situational matchups and brought in Xerxes Scaife and Rikiya Kiyomizu to each face a single batter. Next, Lonnie Bennett was brought in for a right handed reliever. He surrendered a ground out RBI to Leonard O’Marron and the game was tied 2-2. The Knights opened the seventh with a walk by Flavio Marquez. Hsiao-lou Yeh put the Knights ahead with an RBI double. Lariel Gómez and Maurílio Godim each singled, which added another run. Brooklyn was up 4-2. Bernard Gastelu pitched a scoreless eighth and Bris Clark pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the 4-2 win for the Knights.

Alexis Schmidt was the League 1 Series MVP. He hit .500 (15 for 30) with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

The Brooklyn Knights claimed another division title as well as the best record in North American League Baseball. The Luisville Beasts overtook the Nashville Firecats as they delivered an impressive worst to first transformation from last season. The NALB defending champion Key West Corals came up a bit short by losing its division by two games to the Quebeck Sky Chiefs. The Sky Chiefs will make their second playoff appearance in franchise history, the last being in 2002. The Richmond Slam were the only team team to repeat as division champions.

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (84-78) vs. Brooklyn Knights (105-57)
Quebeck Sky Chiefs (90-72) vs. Richmond Slam (85-77)

Head to head:
The Knights were 15-9 against the Beasts this season.
The Sky Chiefs were 14-9 against the Slam this season.

Playoff injury report:
The Knights have been playing without LF Fernando Canales for some time. He tore his PCL in late July. Likewise, star pitcher José Arisa has been on the DL with shoulder inflammation since late July. The Beasts are pretty healthy. However, they will miss the defensive wizardry of SS Joshua Ridings in the League Championship Series. The Sky Chiefs have three players on the disabled list: SP José Sandoval, LF Bruno Payton, and MR Mário Reyes. The Slam also have three players on the DL: CF Aramis Jáquez, MR Carl O’Mullen, and MR Tim Fisher. Jáquez, a young star from Venezuela, is a particularly big loss for Richmond. He ruptured his Achilles tendon back in June.

The Mudcats went on a terrible slide in August. Leading the division by two games at the beginning of the month, St. Rock ended August six and a half games out of first place. Although the Knights played excellent baseball in August, the Mudcats’ 11-18 record was mainly to blame for ceding the division lead. The Luisville Beasts had no problem holding onto first place, extending their lead over the Nashville Firecats to nine games.

The tightest race continues to be in League 2 Division 1. The Corals currently lead but the Sky Chiefs are only two games back while the Allies trail by three and a half games. The Richmond Slam have all but wrapped up a division crown with a thirteen game lead.

August 2014 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Martin Swader (Dunedin Otters)
Pitcher of the Month: Bernard Gastelu (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Connor Duck (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Alonso Martucci (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Porfiro Quiñones (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Fortunado Guedaz (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)

After starting July with a 12-5 record, the Knights finished the month losing five out of its last eight. Brooklyn’s starting pitchers succumbed to injuries. Portio, Tamayo, and Arisa were each sent to the DL. Arisa is out for the season. St. Rock maintained a two game lead over Brooklyn. Injuries have plagued the Firecats all season. In July, Nashville surrendered its lead to Luisville.

The Sky Chiefs and Corals continue to battle. They are tied for the division lead. Richmond has a healthy seven game lead over Phoenix.

July 2014 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Hooks Goetz (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: Terrence Steinman (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Dunedin Otters)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Marcos Amaya (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Jacob Tibbits (Phoenix Rattlers)

Bris Clark started the game for the League 1 All-Stars. Mario Torralbo was named the starter for the League 2 All-Stars. Despite the absence of Travis Araoz and Dacey Rager due to injury, League 1 scored early and often. They tallied seven runs in the first five innings on the way to an easy 7-2 victory. After only hitting two home runs all year, Brooklyn’s Blas Ramos surprisingly hit a solo blast in the fifth inning. It was Nashville’s Paul Lyons, however, who had the biggest hit of the game. His two run homer in the fourth inning helped put the game away and he was named the player of the game.

                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
League 2 All-Stars   0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0   2  6  1
League 1 All-Stars   1 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 X   7 12  0

W: J. Farrell
L: M. Torralbo

The votes are tallied and the players have been chosen for the 2014 NALB All-Star Game. The St. Rock Mudcats and the Brooklyn Knights each contributed eight players to the League 1 roster. The Key West Corals and the Richmond Slam are well-represented on the League 2 roster with six players from each team. The All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

League 1 Pitchers:

SP José Arisa (BRO)
SP Marcos Delgadillo (LV)
SP Noriaki Momotami (SR)
SP Ossie Muñiz (LV)
SP Tyler Stivers (SR)
SP Tony Tamayo (BRO)
MR Joe Farrell (SR)
CL Bris Clark (BRO)
CL Sergio Delgado (SR)
CL Jesús Montufar (LUI)
CL Joe Pendarvis (COR)
CL Paul Thompson (LV)

League 1 Fielders:

C Dacey Rager (NSH)
C Ben Stamp (SR)
1B Travis Araoz (SR)
1B Hsiao-lou Yeh (BRO)
1B J.R. Singleton (DAY)
1B Paul Lyons (NSH)
2B Flavio Marquez (BRO)
3B Hooks Goetz (BRO)
3B Marvin Marini (BRO)
SS Lariel Gómez (BRO)
LF Chris Lee (NSH)
LF Miguel Gaytán (SR)
CF Robert Ostrom (DAY)
RF Dan Kelly(NSH)
RF Manuel Montaya (LUI)
RF Blas Ramos (BRO)

League 2 Pitchers:

SP Dan Eckenrode (QUE)
SP Cory Gregory (SJ)
SP Paul Gutierre Jiménez (RMD)
SP Porfiro Quiñones (WSH)
SP Whitney Sanders (KW)
SP Mario Torralbo (KW)
SP Kid Wilson (WSH)
MR Roberto Farinas (PX)
CL Pat Allen (WSH)
CL Stokley McGruder (PX)
CL Chris Nelson (VAN)
CL Thorton Peters (KW)

League 2 Fielders:

C Ted Pollet (STD)
C Matthew Loy (KW)
1B Gus Manuel (STD)
2B Edmundo Ovelha (RMD)
2B Marc-André Lavoie (QUE)
2B Norberto Salguero (PX)
3B Carlos Galicia (RMD)
3B Kurt Johnson (KW)
SS Hsiao-lou Yuan (SJ)
SS Chick Veras (RMD)
LF Alonso Martucci (KW)
LF Marcel Langlois (VAN)
LF Tony Rodarte (RMD)
CF Jordan Blanchard (STD)
RF Mark Huff (STD)
RF Carlos Tejera (RMD)

Brooklyn rebounded from an awful May going 17-10 in June. St. Rock was even better, however. The Mudcats went 20-7 for the month and took over first place with a two game lead.

Nashville and Richmond remained atop their respective divisions. In League 2 Division 2, Quebeck took the division lead, bumping Key West to second place.

June 2014 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: John Edwards (Nashville Firecats)
Pitcher of the Month: Jose Smith (St. Rock Mudcats)
Rookie of the Month: Connor Duck (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Marc-André Lavoie (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Pat Allen (Washington Allies)
Rookie of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Key West Corals)

The Knights had a rough May. It took two wins to close out the month to bring Brooklyn back to .500 in May with a 14-14 record. Poor play on the road has been Brooklyn’s problem this season, going 12-15 away from home. The Knights have a fragile one game lead over the Mudcats heading into June.

Richmond’s Tony Rodarte had been destroying opposing pitchers all season long until going to the DL on May 13 with a herniated disc in his neck. At first, the Slam stayed hot even without Rodarte in the lineup. His absence in the lineup eventually caught up with the team, however, as Richmond lost eight of its last nine games to finish the month.

May 2014 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Francisco Rodil (Nashville Firecats)
Rookie of the Month: Manuel Montaya (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Ricardo González (Key West Corals)
Pitcher of the Month: Stokley McGruder (Phoenix Rattlers)
Rookie of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Key West Corals)

The Knights sputtered a bit out of the gate, losing four out of their first seven games. Brooklyn was hot for the rest of April, however, and finished on a 13-2 stretch. Injuries added to Brooklyn’s outfield woes. After Godim and Garfield went on the disabled list in spring training, Usquiano and Santago joined them on the DL in April.

One of the big stories of the 2014 season thus far is the outstanding play of Richmond left fielder, Tony Rodarte. Rodarte is putting up legendary numbers with his bat. He batted .539 with 14 HR, 40 RBI and an unbelievable 1.728 OPS. It is extremely unlikely that he can maintain this pace but he’s certainly off to a record setting season. Rodarte is a big reason why the Slam are in first place in their division.

April 2014 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Hooks Goetz (Brooklyn Knights)
Pitcher of the Month: José Arisa (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Ossie Muñíz (Las Vegas Luck)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Tony Rodarte (Richmond Slam)
Pitcher of the Month: Gutierre Jiménez (Richmond Slam)
Rookie of the Month: Kurt Johnson (Key West Corals)

The Brooklyn Knights played well in spring training. Brooklyn’s 16-8 record was the best in League 1 and tied for best overall. As it was last season, the outfield will be a challenge for the Knights. Right fielder Maurílio Godim had a hot bat, hitting .371. Unfortunately, shoulder inflammation will keep him on the disabled list until late June. Backup right-fielder Cleveland Garfield strained a hamstring and is expected to miss seven to eight weeks. The newly re-tooled Luisville Beasts looked good in spring training. They led the division with a 14-10 record

In League 2 Division 1, the Key West Corals certainly looked like the defending World Champions. The Corals went 16-8 and appear ready to defend their title. The Vancouver Wild were a surprising 16-8 to lead League 2 Division 2.

The Brooklyn Knights’ Lariel Gómez was one of the hottest hitters in spring training. He hit .400 with 4 HR, 12 R, and 11 RBI.

Key injuries in spring training:
Brooklyn Knights: On March 21, RF Maurílio Godim was injured while throwing the ball. The Diagnosis: shoulder inflammation. He's expected to miss about 3 months.
Brooklyn Knights: RF Cleveland Garfield strained his hamstring while running the bases on March 24. He's expected to miss about 2 months.
Dayton Grizzlies: On March 9, 2B Lung Quian was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: broken kneecap. He's expected to miss about 6 months.
Dayton Grizzlies: SP Ellis Sherling was injured while pitching on March 27. He will need surgery to remove a bone spur in his elbow. He's expected to miss about 4-5 months.
Dayton Grizzlies: On March 28, 2B Ángel García was injured while throwing the ball. The Diagnosis: strained shoulder. He's expected to miss about 5 weeks.
Dayton Grizzlies: C Urbano Romero was injured while running the bases on March 31. The Diagnosis: torn hamstring. He's expected to miss about 2 months.
Dunedin Otters: CF John Buker fractured his hand making a play in the outfield. He's expected to miss about 4 weeks.
Dunedin Otters: On March 22, MR Ed Boudreau was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: torn rotator cuff. He's expected to miss about 4-5 months.
Key West Corals: On March 17, 1B George Jackson broke his hand on a defensive play. He's expected to miss about 3 months.
Las Vegas Luck: RF Dave Woodall separated his shoulder while making a defensive play. He's expected to miss about 4 weeks.
Las Vegas Luck: On April 1, SS Tino De La Parte was injured in a collision at a base. The Diagnosis: strained hamstring. He's expected to miss about 3 weeks.
Luisville Beasts: RF Shawn Cuyler broke his kneecap on March 11. He's expected to miss about 8 months.
Nashville Firecats: On March 11, SP Steve Towell suffered a torn labrum (Shoulder) while pitching. He's expected to miss about 5-6 months.
Nashville Firecats: C Dacey Rager was injured while running the bases on March 25. The Diagnosis: torn meniscus (knee). He's expected to miss about 6 weeks.
Phoenix Rattlers: SP Tracy Corkhill was injured pitching in a game on March 10. The Diagnosis: torn labrum (Shoulder). He's expected to miss about 6 months.
Phoenix Rattlers: On March 11, MR Francisco Jimenez was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: strained forearm. He's expected to miss about 3 mont
Quebeck Sky Chiefs: On March 27, SP José Sandoval was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: sprained ankle. He's expected to miss about 4 weeks.hs.
Richmond Slam: MR Jeffrey Hallman was diagnosed with shoulder inflammation on March 12. He's expected to miss about 3 months.
Richmond Slam: On March 22, MR Dong-u Sop was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: shoulder inflammation. He's expected to miss about 4-5 months.
St. Rock Mudcats: RF Kyle Tynie was injured diving for a ball on March 18. A sprained thumb will keep him out of the lineup for about 6 weeks.
St. Rock Mudcats: On March 18, Charles Difranco was diagnosed with bone chips in his elbow. He's expected to miss about 5 weeks.
St. Rock Mudcats: On March 25, SS Kazuki Sai was injured in a collision at a base. The Diagnosis: oblique strain. He's expected to miss about 4 weeks.
Stade Maples: On March 12, MR Ray Kernaghan was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: shoulder inflammation. He's expected to miss about 5 months.
Stade Maples: CF Ye-qing Chen was injured while running the bases on March 24. The Diagnosis: strained posterior cruciate ligament. He's expected to miss about 3-4 weeks.
Stade Maples: CF Mark Huff was diagnosed with chronic back soreness in a game on March 26. He's expected to miss about 4 weeks.

There were some notable roster moves before spring training began for the 2014 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights made several offseason moves:

• The Knights extended the contracts of ten players through salary arbitration: Alexis Schmidt, Hsiao-lou Yeh, Bruce MacOmish, Tony Tamayo, Lonnie Bennett, Alvino Flores, Rigo Hurtado, Ángel Santago, Rico Haros, and Rikiya Kiyomizu.
• Arbitration was offered to Bob Wiesner and Craig Bella. Both declined and opted to file for free agency.
• Arbitration was not offered to Carl Gwinn, Ron Deluna, Francisco Jimenez, and Zhu-Ian Xian.
• The Knights traded minor league starting pitcher Ronald Parker and minor league reliever Nub Aranda to the Sky Chiefs for 27 year old center fielder Romeo Usquiano.

Rule 5 Draft:

• The Stade Maples drafted C James Wetzel from the Las Vegas Luck.
• The Cornfield Axemen drafted MR Javier Rodríguez from the Dayton Grizzlies.
• The Stade Maples drafted SP Doug Reynolds from the Luisville Beasts.

Notable offseason signings:

• Richmond kept its closer, Benny Alazardo, with a $4,400,000 one year extension.
• The Crusaders extended starter Cory Gregory’s contract for a year. He will be paid $3.45 million.
• Axmen starting pitcher Hartman Ivers inked a $2,390,000 extension to play in Cornfield for another year.
• Star shortstop Hsiao-lou Yuan agreed to a one year $6.85 million extension with St. James.
• The Beasts and superstar closer Jesús Montufar agreed to a one year extension worth $3,320,000.
• The Rattlers signed 27 year old free agent reliver Francisco Jimenez to a three year $2,790,000 contract.
• Free agent slugger Paul Lyons found a new home. The powerful first baseman will play in Nashville thanks to a two year deal worth $8,620,000.
• Vancouver tapped free agency to land lefty reliever Angel Mandujano. Mandujano will pocket $3,960,000 over three years.
• Jeffrey Hallman agreed to play for the Richmond Slam for another year. He signed a one year extension for $1,240,000.
• The Richmond Slam signed a new shortstop. Former Mudcat Gary Cooper agreed to a three year deal, which will pay him $4,686,666 per year.
• Quebeck signed free agent reliever Carl Hatton to a $4.4 million, two year deal. The Sky Chiefs intend to make Hatton the team’s closer.
• The Beasts aggressively pursued starting pitcher Te Li in free agency. After several seasons in Quebeck, he chose Luisville as his new home. His contract is a four year deal worth $8,370,000.
• Luisville landed another prized free agent when they signed Pete Chavez to a five year, $58.05 million deal. Chavez is expected to play third base for the Beasts.
• The Phoenix Rattlers came to terms with the most coveted pitcher on the free agent market. After posting a 55-21 record over the past three seasons, starter Robert Givens had many teams desiring his services. Thanks to his new contract, Givens will pocket $61.94 million over the next five seasons.
• Richmond has a new third baseman in Carlos Galicia. Galicia was the postseason hero for the World Champion Corals last season. He hit .481 in the playoffs, which raised his stock as he headed into free agency. The Slam may have gotten a steal when Galicia agreed to a two year contract at $2,910,000 a year.
• The Allies improved its starting rotation by signing Kid Wilson. Wilson had spent his entire 13 year career with the St. James Crusaders. A $25.74 million deal over three years persuaded him to move to Washington.
• Nashville added a quality lefty to its bullpen. The Firecats signed former Brooklyn reliever Craig Bella to a $10.1 million two year deal.
• Relief pitcher Ezra Demello agreed to a new contract with the Quebeck Sky Chiefs worth $5,840,000 over two years.
• Dayton will have another proven reliever this season. Hugh Rossiter joined the Grizzlies after agreeing to a $4 million single season contract.
• Another big name starter found a new home. On the first day of spring training, Bob Wiesner became the newest member of the Dunedin Otters. The Otters showed faith in the former two time NALB Outstanding Pitcher by offering him $9,150,000 a year for the next four years.
• Roy “Firecracker” Dabbs was the top outfielder on the market. He had spent his entire seven year NALB career with Key West. Testing free agency paid off well for Dobbs, however. He agreed to a $26.8 million four year contract with the Washington Allies.

Notable offseason trades:

• The Beasts sent 26 year old outfielder Damien O’Halloran and 20 year old minor league shortstop Morgan Kittle to the Axemen in exchange for 26 year old shortstop Rodrigo Gómez.
• Quebeck and Luisville agreed to a swap that sent 27 year old first baseman to the Beasts with 19 year old minor league catcher Nick Koche joining the Sky Chiefs.

• Key West sent 31 year old right fielder Alex Sestiaga to Cornfield. In return, the Corals got 25 year old third baseman Kurt Johnson from the Axemen.
• Vancouver traded 30 year old third baseman Ace Burd to Las Vegas in exchange for 26 year old reliever Johan Gaier. Burd is expected to play shortstop for the Luck.
• Boris Crookshanks found a new home in Quebeck. Las Vegas traded him for a pair of minor leaguers, first baseman Jorge Morales and left fielder Clive Thoma.
• 27 year old catcher Urbano Romero is now with the Dayton Grizzlies. The Grizzlies traded minor league starting pitcher Shane McSweeny and minor league left fielder Ricardo Oliveira to the Sky Chiefs to get him.
• Cornfield sent 25 year old starter Juan Rodríguez to the Luck. The Axemen received 23 year old minor league starter Martin Bayley in return.
• The Luck dealt 29 year old right fielder Alfred Struthers to the Otters for 28 year old minor league reliever Tulio Efores.
• St. James and Key West agreed to a one for one swap. 26 year old center fielder Ricardo Gonazález goes to the Corals while 27 year old reliever Andrew Hulsey goes to the Crusaders.

Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2013.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Travis Araoz (Stade Maples)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Robert Givens (Nashville Firecats)
Newcomer of the Year: Jonathan Grandberry (Cornfield Axemen)
Manager of the Year: Raul Pieh (St. Rock Mudcats)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Ronaldo Mijangos (Brooklyn Knights)
Catcher: Ben Stamp (St. Rock Mudcats)
First Baseman: Jesús Pacheco (Las Vegas Luck)
Second Baseman: Flavio Marquez (Brooklyn Knights)
Third Baseman: Moray Williams (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Martin Swader (Dunedin Otters)
Left Fielder: Cipriano Delgudo (Nashville Firecats)
Center Fielder: Tad Burridge (Cornfield Axemen)
Right Fielder: Aleck Stella (Dayton Grizzlies)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Tony Rodarte (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Cory Gregory (St. James Crusaders)
Newcomer of the Year: Romeo Usquiano (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Manager of the Year: Piero Snell (Key West Corals)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Junji Arakawa (St. James Crusaders)
Catcher: Morris Brown (Vancouver Wild)
Second Baseman: Edmundo Ovelha (Richmond Slam)
Third Baseman: Adelmo Porcayo (Key West Corals)
Shortstop: Larry Arcienaga (St. James Crusaders)
Left Fielder: Victorio Zavaca (Washington Allies)
Center Fielder: Romeo Usquiano (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Right Fielder: Juan Torres (Washington Allies)

North American League Baseball has gotten more competitive in recent years. Although the Brooklyn Knights have won a majority of the titles, other teams have entered into the mix. In 2013, the St. Rock Mudcats were the dominant team but they were conquered by the Nashville Firecats in the League 1 Series in six games. The Key West Corals faced the Richmond Slam in the League 2 Series for the second year in a row. This time, the Corals came out on top.

The 2013 NALB World Championship Series between the Nashville Firecats (90-72) and the Key West Corals (92-70) appeared to be a pretty even matchup on paper. The question was whether or not the Firecats’ superior offense would be enough to overcome the Corals’ superior defense. The Corals were the top team in both pitching and fielding, which presented a formidable challenge. When the Firecats went into Key West and took the first two games, it looked like they were well on their way to a second title. After four games, Nashville held a three to one lead and needed just one more win. The Corals showed amazing resilience, however. They won the final three games and took home the trophy. After playing second fiddle to the Stade Maples for many seasons, the Key West Corals can finally call themselves world champions.

The Corals had many standout players in the series, including pitcher William Constable who won two games and the series clincher. It was second baseman Carlos Galicia, however, who was “Mr. Reliable” in the postseason. After going 12 for 25 with 6 runs in the League 2 Series, Galicia went 14 for 29 and 7 runs in the World Championship Series. He was the MVP.

Game 1: Nashville 7, Key West 6
Game 2: Nashville 4, Key West 3
Game 3: Key West 10, Nashville 5
Game 4: Nashville 6, Key West 3
Game 5: Key West 10, Nashville 6
Game 6: Key West 7, Nashville 6
Game 7: Key West 4, Nashville 2

Click the image for the NALB 2013 World Championship roster

The 2013 NALB World Championship Series had been filled with drama. The Firecats and the Corals split the first six games to force a decisive game seven. The pitching duel was a good one with Nashville’s Fred Millard matched up against Key West’s William Constable.

A team had scored in the first inning of the previous six games. This game was no different. The Firecats jumped on Constable early. Jim Stoneman singled to start the game and then scored on a Dacey Rager double. Veteran lefty Fred Millard failed to hold Nashville’s lead for long. In the bottom of the first, Roy Dabbs and Adelmo Porcayo got on base and left fielder Alonso Martucci came to the plate. Martucci hit a ball to right field which just cleared the fence. The Corals led 3-1. Both starters settled in and pitched scoreless innings through the sixth. With two out In the seventh inning, Roy Dabbs batted in Alex Sestiaga for another Corals run. Millard left the game and turned things over to the Firecats bullpen. The score remained 4-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth. The Corals and their fans could taste the franchise’s first championship. Almendeto Trujillo was called on to close out the game. He gave up a single to Pete Chavez but came back and struck out Sancho Alguirre. Then Raúl Mendoza singled and sent Chavez to third. A ground out by Smoky Wortman scored Pete Chavez. Representing the tying run, Mauro Chávez came to the plate. He went down looking on a 2-2 fastball.

Final score: Key West 4, Nashville 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Nashville    1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   2  7  0
Key West     3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 X   4  7  0

W: W. Constable
L: F. Millard
S: A. Trillio

The Corals were back home in Key West for game six. Down three games to two, they needed to win both remaining games to bring home the trophy. They were facing game three starter Robert Givens, Nashville’s most successful pitcher this season. Mario Torralbo was on the mound for Key West. He last pitched in game two and had a no decision in the Corals extra innings loss.

Looking to win its second championship, the Firecats got started right away. A two run home run by Dan Kelly put Nashville up 2-0 in the first inning. Adelmo Porcayo put the Corals on the board in the third with an RBI double. Givens was rocked in the fourth inning. Four hits led to a run and a 3-1 lead for Key West. Matthew Loy did the most damage, however. He smashed a three run homer to left field and the Corals were up 6-2. Both bullpens held until the seventh inning. The FIrecats showed signs of life with a pair of singles and a pair of doubles. It was a 6-5 game and the momentum had clearly shifted. The Corals responded with a run in the eighth when Dick Andrews took Luis Hesterfer deep to right-center field. Down by two, the Firecats did their best to mount a comeback in the ninth. Facing closer Thornton Peters, Pete Chavez led off with a triple. He scored on a groundout and then Sancho Alguirre singled to put the tying run on first base. Peters fanned the next two batters to seal the win and force a game seven.

Final score: Key West 7, Nashville 6

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Nashville    2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1   6 13  0
Key West     0 0 1 5 0 0 0 1 X   7 13  0

W: M. Torralbo
L: R. Givens
S: T. Peters