2001 CDBL MID-SEASON PLAYOFF RACE REVIEW If the playoffs were held today: Division Leaders: Arkham Investigators (50-35) - Aaron Division DBL Fishbiscuits (53-33) - Paige Division Topeka Stingers (53-31) - Gehrig Division Alphaville Cautions (56-28) - Tiant Division Wildcards: Avila Dragons (48-35) - GT Conference Wildcard Tualatin Thunder (47-35) - AP Conference Wildcard Hong Kong Cavaliers (47-36) - League Wildcard #1 Springfield Isotopes (48-37) - League Wildcard #2 Wildcard Race: Point Lomas Friars (47-37) - 1/2 game behind California Kamados (42-41) - 5 games behind Concord Minutemen (43-42) - 5 games behind Manhatten Beach Mashers (43-43) - 5 1/2 games behind Albuquerque Maul (42-42) - 5 1/2 games behind Boston Bulldogs (41-42) - 6 games behind AARON DIVISION - 1st Place - Arkham Investigators - 50-35 - So much for season previews! The Investigators are having a fine year at the top of the Aaron division. Aramis Ramirez is hitting .311 with 17 home runs, 40 runs scored and 60 RBI, while Jorge Posada is hitting .300 with 14 home runs, 55 runs scored and 49 RBI. Reggie Sanders has added 19 home runs and 56 RBI. Mark Buehrle is 7-5 with a 2.92 ERA and Bob Wickman has saved 11 games and won another 7 as closer. 2nd Place - Point Lomas Friars - 47-37, 2 1/2 games back - Luis Gonzalez and Jason Giambi are carrying the Friars through the playoff hunt. Gonzalez is hitting .368 with 24 home runs, 70 runs scored and 72 RBI, while Giambi is hitting .366 with 27 home runs, 81 runs scored and 84 RBI. Troy Glaus has 22 home runs, 54 runs scored and 69 RBI, and Matt Lawton has scored 52 runs. Andy Pettitte has won 8 games with a 3.65 ERA while closer David Weathers has saved 18 games with a 2.47 ERA. 3rd Place - California Kamados - 42-41, 7 games back - The Kamados are hovering at .500 while stocking their team up with franchise talent. Derek Jeter has 67 runs scored, and Scott Rolen has smacked 16 home runs with 47 runs scored. Tino Martinez has smacked 16 home runs with 55 runs scored and 49 RBI. Woody Williams has won 11 games and closer Octavio Dotel has saved 15. 4th Place - Manhatten Beach Mashers - 43-43, 7 1/2 games back - A big surprise this year as the Mashers have not taken the league by storm. The hitting has been solid, with Ryan Klesko smacking 21 home runs, scoring 60 runs and driving in 59. Juan Gonzalez has 13 home runs and 46 RBI, while Cliff Floyd is hitting .299 with 16 home runs, 49 runs scored and 49 RBI. A big reason is the pitching, where a 4.66 team ERA is below league average. Closers Troy Percival and Billy Wagner have combined to save 16 games. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Montreal Voltigeurs, Elk Grove Trout PAIGE DIVISION - 1st Place - DBL Fishbiscuits - 53-33 - The team with the league's most expensive core of players is on track to win the Paige Division. Larry Walker is hitting .348 with 24 home runs, 86 runs scored and 73 RBI, while Mark McLemore has a .409 on base average with 67 runs scored. Jim Thome is hitting .339 with 34 home runs, 66 runs scored and 80 RBI, while Sammy Sosa has 31 home runs, 81 runs scored and 102 RBI. #1 pick Albert Pujols is hitting .328 with 22 home runs, 65 runs scored and 65 RBI. Elmer Dessens is 7-2 with a 2.96 ERA, and acquisition John Burkett is a combined 6-3 with a 2.84 ERA. Closer Mike Matthews has saved 8 games with a 2.08 ERA. 2nd Place - Tualatin Thunder - 47-35, 4 games back - The team of Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell are presently sitting on a playoff spot. Piazza is hitting .292 with 21 home runs, 54 runs scored and 57 RBI, while Bagwell has 21 home runs, 68 runs scored and 57 RBI. Shawn Green is having a monster year, smashing 28 home runs with 67 runs scored and 74 RBI, and Eric Chavez has 27 home runs, 59 runs scored and 61 RBI. Bartolo Colon is 7-1 with a 4.35 ERA, and closer Mariano Rivera has saved 14 games with a 2.84 ERA. The hitting is impressive, which it needs to be with a team ERA of 4.91. 3rd Place - Springfield Isotopes - 48-37, 4 1/2 back - Barry Bonds is willing his team to try and grab a playoff spot to defend their 2000 title. Bonds is merely hitting .351 with a .509 on base average, 43 home runs, 98 runs scored and 94 RBI. Rafael Palmeiro has 32 home runs, 64 runs scored and 90 RBI, and Gary Sheffield has 13 home runs, 56 runs scored and 56 RBI. Curt Schilling is 10-5 with a 4.35 ERA and close Steve Karsay has saved 16 games with a 1.87 ERA, but the team ERA overall is a mediocre 4.89. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Madison Muckrakers, Chicago Black Sox, Seattle Decaf GEHRIG DIVISION - 1st Place - Topeka Stingers - 53-31 - The Stingers are on pace to have one of their best seasons ever. Jeff Kent is hitting .333 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI, while Mike Lowell is hitting .351 with 50 runs scored and 52 RBI. Paul Lo Duca is hitting .295 with 11 home runs and 66 runs scored, and Richie Sexson has smacked 25 home runs with 64 runs scored and 60 RBI. Javier Vazquez is 11-3 with a 3.63 ERA, and Russ Ortiz is 10-5 with a 3.79 ERA. Eddie Guardado has saved 15 games while sporting a 2.12 ERA. 2nd Place - Hong Kong Cavaliers - 47-36, 5 1/2 games back - A balanced attack has the Cavaliers in playoff position. Rich Aurilia is hitting .313 with 16 home runs and 55 runs scored, while Carlos Delgado has hit 17 home runs with 53 runs scored and 50 RBI. Roberto Alomar has 53 runs scored and 19 steals, while Carlos Beltran has 49 runs scored, 54 RBI and 21 steals. Pedro Martinez is 10-3 with a 3.04 ERA and Shane Reynolds is 8-4. Closer Tom "Flash" Gordon has saved 16 games with a tiny 2.15 ERA. 3rd Place - Concord Minutemen - 43-42, 10 1/2 games back - On the edge of playoff contention, Concord hopes a strong 2nd half puts them in the playoffs. Lance Berkman is hitting .306 with 15 home runs and 69 runs scored, and Moises Alou is hitting .321 with 54 RBI. Todd Ritchie is 10-7 with a 3.04 ERA and closer Robb Nen has saved 14 games 4th Place - Albuquerque Maul - 42-42, 11 games back - Same outlook as Concord. Juan Pierre is hitting .315 with 23 stolen bases and 64 runs scored, and Ken Griffey Jr has 19 home runs and 50 RBI. Closer Byung-Hyun Kim has saved 10 games with a 2.16 ERA. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Encinitas Surfers, Anchorage Gold Diggers TIANT DIVISION - 1st Place - Alphaville Cautions - 56-28 - Everything is clicking for Alphaville, who have the league's best record at the break. Shannon Stewart is hitting .327 with 13 home runs, 55 runs scored, 64 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Trot Nixon has 22 home runs, 58 runs scored and 60 RBI, while Mike Sweeney is hitting .308 with 24 home runs, 89 runs scored and 60 RBI. Corey Koskie has 14 home runs, 61 runs scored and 25 stolen bases. Kerry Wood is 10-4 with a 3.15 ERA and Terry Adams is 9-6 with a 3.65 ERA. Al Leiter has won 9 games for the squad so far, and closer John Riedling has saved 22 games with a tiny 1.23 ERA. 2nd Place - Avila Dragons - 48-35, 7 1/2 games back - Where there's an ARod, there's a way. Alex Rodriguez has hit 29 home runs with 76 runs scored and 87 RBI. David Segui is hitting .377 with 15 home runs, 69 runs scored and 54 RBI. Jim Edmonds is hitting .322 with 18 home runs, 77 runs scored and 53 RBI. Mike Singleton is hitting .320 with 52 runs scored, Johnny Damon has driven in 54 and Ronnie Belliard has driven in 59 runs. Roger Clemens is 10-3 with a 4.23 ERA, Aaron Sele is 7-5 with a 3.62 ERA and closer Keith Foulke has saved 11 games. 3rd Place - Boston Bulldogs - 41-42, 14 1/2 games back - The window to a playoff spot is rapidly closing for the Bulldogs. Carl Everett is hitting .302 with 50 RBI, Bobby Abreu has a .380 on base average with 52 runs scored, and Edgar Martinez has 14 home runs and 47 runs scored. Randy Johnson is 7-6 with a 3.27 ERA and closer Rich Garces has saved 20 games with a 2.21 ERA. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Dedham Destroyers, Milwaukee Pilots, San Diego Rude Dawgs