TWIDCBA: 17 More To Go

Just over 25% through the season, if the trends continue, we'll see 3 new teams in the playoffs, and a first-time champion, with the Naps and Jackanapes both eliminated and perennial contender The Consummate Bastards looking in from the outside as well.

Slipstream Starlings 374.5 @ Naps 321.5
For the second time this young-but-getting-less-younger season, the Starlings knocked out a season-high 15 HR on the week to once again claim a share of first place in the Immovable Objects division with a 4-2 record and the overall point lead through 6 weeks. A projected 9-7 pitching advantage failed to materialize when Beckett krapped out and Bonderman...well, I can say anything I want about Nephew Fester and it won't matter, because he wouldn't be able to read it anyhow, that dyslexic Tigger. Naps' sinister pitching has carried them through the first 6 weeks, with league-leading 3.06 ERA and 1.06 WHIP totals, but on the other hand the quality can only carry them so far, as they also have the fewest games started, second-fewest IP, and are merely middle of the pack in pitching points. This scenario played itself out again vs. the Starlings and the Naps fall back to the pack at 3-3.

All the wrong Cubs 352 @ Savage Sickos 343

With a top 5 scorer at each position from 2-4 and 6-9 (damn you A-Ram), and despite the loss of batting champion and tall guy Joe Mauer, ATWC have jumped out to a .310 AVG/.386 OBP/.519 SLG start, leading the league in each category by a comfortable margin. While those numbers dipped a bit this week, they were nevertheless solid enough to post a 29-point advantage, and their pitchers were able to muster enough mediocrity to hold off the SaSi's to regain a share of first place in the Unstoppable Forces division. If there's one strategical move that I can pass along, it's this: don't chase points. 80% of players have up and down performances from week to week (not verified).

Week 3: SaSi's start Michael Young (7 pts.); Felipe Lopez on bench (25 pts.)

so...

Week 4: Start Lopez (8 pts.) [Nick Swisher: 14 pts.]; Bench Young (24 pts.)

so...

Week 5: SaSi's start Lopez (15 pts.) & Young (28 pts.) [Cuddyer: 3 pts.]; Bench Swisher (24 pts.)

so...

Week 6: Start Swisher & Rowand (33 pts.); Bench Cuddyer & Lopez (43 pts.)

By my rough calculations, if the SaSi's had stayed the course, they'd have at least 1 more win and a few more points - points that due to the extra loss may wind up playing a role in whether they make it in as a wildcard team or not. You don't even want to know what Harry Reid has to say about that.

Not So Fragile Flowers 335.5 @ Festivus Miracles 347

Having waited patiently for the first 5 weeks while he recovered, the FM's heart and soul and all-around playing guy Chone Figgins finally returned to the lineup and paid off immediately, accounting for the margin of victory as the FM surged back to the .500 mark. While they lead the league in 0 offensive categories, the FM have accumulated the most offensive points through the first quarter of the season, the only team above 1200. That they have the 2nd fewest pitching points answers the question as to how they're only 3-3 with such a potent offense. Torn between which 40-year-old pitcher to throw into the lineup, the NSFF went with the loud, empty wagon this week and missed out on a victory. That wagon was painted red, for the record. It wasn't only the pitching on which to pin the blame. Despite having 34 RBI to the FM's 29, the NSFF left 85 runners on base while the FM left only 73. (That margin of defeat, once again: 12 points. (Point of clarification - if NSFF had scored 11.5 more points to tie FM at 347, FM would have won the game on the basis of "home-field advantage," as we are Americans and don't cotton to ties in our sports goddammit.))

Jackanapes 332 @ Da Infidels 232

Unsolicited advice to DI: if you've stuck with these underperforming and migraine-inducing jackasses this long, you might as well hold on and wait for them to come around and pay off; it can't be much worse. That's step 1. Step 2: avoid the record for longest losing streak (8 games - 2004 Smog Alert [aka Naps]). Step 3: avoid the record for fewest wins in a season (5 games - 2005 All The Wrong Cubs). Finally, Step 4: set the record for longest winning streak (9 games - 2004 Immigrants With Ponies [aka Festivus Miracles]). Honestly, even the best of teams will lose 6 games in a season; yours just happened to come at the beginning, and consecutively. The Napes, for their part, despite knocking out a league-leading 3 grandslams this year are trailing the pack by a plenty with a putrid .233 batting average with runners in scoring position, leaving them ranked 9th in the league with 163 RBI. CJo moves to Beantown, takes on The Curse of the Pronk.

The Darned Sox 287.5 @ The Consummate Bastards 256

In the battle of the least-savingest-most-blown-savingest bullpens, TDS emerged as the victor over the CoBas, although the highly-anticipated bullpen battle turned out to be mostly a draw. Pitching versus hitting was the game here, as TDS jumped out with a 91 point advantage with the sticks, while the CoBas countered with a 60 point hurling advantage. If it's too early where you are to do the math, yes, TDS garnered a 31 win. While giving TDS all the credit for getting the W and climbing into a tie for first place in their inaugural campaign, not enough can be said about the CoBa hitting in week 6. Did I say not enough? I meant to say, not too much. And instead of hitting, make that "lack of hitting." .159/.237/.262 for 108 points. 8 of the 9 other teams had a higher batting average than the CoBa's slugging percentage, and they managed a .116 BA with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, TDS' deal with the devil down at the crossroads has been discovered: 6.66 IP/start and a 6.66 k/9 ratio through 6 weeks. Evil Empire indeed.