2000 CDBL MID-SEASON PLAYOFF RACE REVIEW If the playoffs were held today: Division Leaders: California Kamados (43-43) - Aaron Division Madison Muckrakers (59-29) - Paige Division Encinitas Surfers (60-27) - Gehrig Division Dedham Destroyers (64-22) - Tiant Division Wildcards: Springfield Isotopes (58-29) - AP Conference Wildcard San Diego Rude Dawgs (57-30) - GT Conference Wildcard Avila Dragons (55-31) - League Wildcard #1 Alphaville Cautions (53-34) - League Wildcard #2 Wildcard Race: Seattle Decaf (46-42) - 7 1/2 games behind Chicago Black Sox (44-41) - 8 games behind Boston Bulldogs (44-42) - 8 1/2 games behind Hong Kong Cavaliers (44-42) - 8 1/2 games behind Tualatin Thunder (43-42) - 9 games behind Arkham Investigators (43-44) - 10 games behind Other races: Elk Grove Trout (40-48) - 4 games behind Aaron division leader Point Lomas Friars (39-47) - 4 games behind Aaron division leader Montreal Voltigeurs (37-52) - 7 1/2 games behind Aaron division leader AARON DIVISION - This year the Aaron division has been particularly weak against the other divisions, with only 1 team at .500. 1st Place - California Kamados - 43-43 - The 2-time champion of '98 and '99 is actually in a position to defend their title in what was supposed to be a building year. Derek Jeter is hitting .345 with 13 home runs, 76 runs scored and 55 RBI, while Scott Rolen has 19 home runs and 82 RBI. Woody Williams is 11-3 with a 3.64 ERA, and closer Derek Lowe has 15 saves at the break. 2nd Place - Arkham Investigators - 43-44 (1/2 game behind) - Ken Griffey Jr is trying to carry his team on his back to a pennant, hitting .293 with 32 home runs, 71 runs scored and 81 RBI. Derrek Lee has 21 home runs and 53 RBI, while Jorge Posada is slugging .511 with 54 RBI. Kirk Rueter has won 9 games, and relievers John Franco and Matt Mantei have combined for 15 saves. 3rd Place - Elk Grove Trout - 40-48 (4 games behind) - Well under .500 but not out of range of the pennant. Darren Erstad is hitting .325 with 20 home runs, 62 runs scored and 57 RBI, while Magglio Ordonez is hitting .310 with 23 home runs, 61 runs scored and 69 RBI. Brian Anderson has won 9 games with a 4.05 ERA, and John Rocker has saved 12 games. 4th Place - Point Lomas Friars - 39-47 (4 games behind) - Still in contention in the weak Aaron conference. Jason Giambi is hitting .329 with 25 home runs, 68 runs scored and 68 RBI, while Luis Gonzalez is hitting .291 with 30 doubles and 66 runs scored. Mark Petkovsek is 7-3 with a 2.38 ERA, and closer Dave Veres has 18 saves with a 2.03 ERA. 5th Place - Montreal Voltigeurs - 37-52 (7 1/2 games behind) - On pace to lose 95 games, the Voltigeurs still have a shot at the pennant. Rafael Palmeiro is hitting .307 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, while Jose Vidro is hitting .298 with 16 home runs and 63 runs scored. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Manhatten Beach Mashers ************************************* PAIGE DIVISION - Very competitive this year, with 5 out of 6 games having winning records at the all-star break. 1st Place - Madison Muckakers (59-29) - Manny Ramirez is flirting with .400, hitting .401 with 32 doubles, 31 home runs, 73 runs scored and 93 RBI at the break. Andruw Jones has 16 home runs and 74 runs scored, Mark Grace has a .376 on base average and 68 runs scored, and Jeromy Burnitz has 18 home runs and 49 RBI. Eric Milton is 10-1 with a 3.45 ERA, and Pedro Astacio is 11-2. Todd Jones and Kerry Lightenberg have combined for 25 saves. 2nd Place - Springfield Isotopes - 58-29 (1/2 game behind). Any team with Barry Bonds is going to be good, as the Isotopes have proven over the years. Bonds has a .429 on base average, 28 home runs, 77 runs scored and 54 RBI. Bernie Williams was hitting .298 with 24 home runs and 79 runs scored before being dealt for Gary Sheffield at the break. Mark Kotsay is hitting .351 with 60 runs scored. Curt Schilling and Brian Moehler have each won 9 games, and Steve Karsay has saved 13 games. 3rd Place - Seattle Decaf - 46-42 (13 games behind). While the division pennant is out of reach, Seattle is still in the running for a wildcard spot. Tony Batista has 18 home runs and 54 RBI, while Fernando Vina is hitting .331 with 48 runs scored. Raul Mondesi has 13 stolen bases, 14 home runs, and 52 runs scored. Rick Reed is 10-5 with a 3.97 ERA, and closer Danny Graves has 15 saves. 4th Place - Chicago Black Sox - 44-41 (13 1/2 games behind). Vladimir Guerrero is having a fine year, hitting .356 with 18 home runs, 55 runs scored and 63 RBI. Gabe Kapler has 15 home runs, 63 runs scored and 59 RBI. Cal Eldred is 8-2 with a 3.71 ERA, and Mike Hampton is 7-3 with a 3.32 ERA. 5th Place - Tualatin Thunder - 43-42 (14 1/2 games behind). On offense, sure-fire hall of famers Mike Piazza (.376 BA, 28 home runs, 85 RBI), Barry Larkin (.310 BA, 51 runs scored), and Jeff Bagwell (.309 BA, 18 home runs, 66 runs scored, 68 RBI) are hard to beat. Sean Green has 56 RBI, and Preston Wilson 60. Osvaldo Fernandez put up a 10-1 record with a 2.60 ERA before burning out at the all-star break. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - DBL Fishbiscuits ************************************* GEHRIG DIVISION - Dominated by the Surfers this year. 1st Place - Encinitas Surfers (60-27) - Featuring the top pitching trio of all-time, the Surfers are coasting to the pennant on the performances of Greg Maddux (12-2, 3.53 ERA), Mike Mussina (12-6, 3.30 ERA), and Kevin Brown (13-4, 4.04 ERA). 4th starter Chuck Finley has won 8 games. Closer Armando Benitez has saved 23 games with a 1.98 ERA. Will Clark is hitting .359 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI, while Ellis Burks has 21 home runs, 60 runs scored and 78 RBI. Steve Finley has hit 29 home runs with 72 runs scored and 74 RBI. 2nd Place - Hong Kong Cavaliers - 44-42 (15 1/2 games behind) - The Cavaliers would be hopelessly out of contention if not for the mighty performance of Pedro Martinez, who is 11-3 with a 1.47 ERA. Carlos Deglado is hitting .347 with 23 home runs and 65 RBI. Roberto Alomar has 14 stolen bases and 66 runs scored, and BJ Surhoff and Dante Bichette are both on pace for 100+ RBI season. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Topeka Stingers, Anchorage Gold Diggers, Concord Minutemen, Albuquerque Maul ************************************* TIANT DIVISION - The dominant conference this year, 4 out of 6 teams are presently sitting on playoff spots. 1st Place - Dedham Destroyers (64-22) - The Destroyers posted the league's best record at the break. Geoff Jenkins is hitting .336 with 29 home runs, 83 runs scored and 107 RBI. Todd Helton is hitting .386 with 17 home runs, 95 runs scored and 70 RBI. David Justice has driven in 94 runs, and Brian Giles has scored 91 runs. Troy Glaus has 27 home runs and 74 RBI, while Damian Easley is slugging .524 with 60 runs scored. Armando Reynoso is 11-1 with a 3.05 ERA, Denny Neagle 8-4 with a 3.89 ERA and Jeff Suppan 8-0. Closer Trevor Hoffman has won 8 games and saved another 22 with a 2.54 ERA. 2nd Place - San Diego Rude Dawgs - 57-30 (7 1/2 games back). Nomar Garciaparra is tearing it up, hitting .340 with 20 home runs, 68 runs scored and 63 RBI. Todd Hundley is hitting .344 with 19 home runs and 55 RBI. Carl Everett is has 30 home runs with 74 runs scored, and Frank Thomas has 24 home runs with 67 runs scored and 65 RBI. Jeff D'Amico is 10-3 with a 3.40 ERA, and Tim Hudson is 11-3 with a 3.98 ERA. Closer Gabe White has saved 19 games. 3rd Place - Avila Dragons - 55-31 (9 games back). SS Alex Rodriguez is having an MVP-year, hitting .352 with 43 home runs, 96 runs scored and 98 RBI. Jim Edmonds has smacked 33 home runs with 90 runs scored and 88 RBI, while Johnny Damon has 27 stolen bases and 88 runs scored. Orlando Hernandez has won 10 games for the Dragons, Roger Clemens is 9-4 with a 3.74 ERA, and Aaron Sele is 9-5 with a 4.69 ERA. Closer Keith Foulke has saved 18 games with a 2.41 ERA. 4th Place - Alphaville Cautions - 53-34 (11 1/2 games back). The Cautions may be in 4th place, but they are still on a pace to win 99 games and a playoff spot. Richard Hidalgo is hitting .283 with 31 home runs, 77 runs scored and 79 RBI. Shannon Stewart is hitting .323 with 11 home runs and 75 RBI, and Luis Castillo has 28 stolen bases and 55 runs scored while hitting .346. Robert Person is 10-5 with a 4.03 ERA, and Al Leiter has won 8 games. 5th Place - Boston Bulldogs - 44-42 (20 games back). Edgar Martinez is having another fine year for Boston, hitting .331 with 22 home runs, 62 runs scored and 73 RBI. Edgardo Alfonzo has 61 runs scored, while Bobby Abreu is hitting .304 with 54 runs scored. Randy Johnson is 7-6 with a 2.85 ERA, while Chan Ho Park has won 8 games with a 4.09 ERA. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR - Austin Longhorns