2002 CDBL MID-SEASON PLAYOFF RACE OUTLOOK Aaron Division -------------- 1st Place - Manhatten Beach Mashers (57-28) (Pre-season prediction: 4th) Things are going great for Manhatten Beach, who posted the 2nd best record in the majors at the break. Junior Spivey is hitting .335 with 51 runs scored and 59 RBI, while Edgardo Alfonzo is hitting .330 with 69 runs scored and 47 RBI. Jacque Jones is hitting .333 with 50 runs scored. David Ortiz has 16 home runs and 57 RBI at the break. Odalis Perez is 12-2 with a 3.18 ERA, CC Sabathia has won 11 games and Kenny Rogers has won 9 games. Closer Luis Vizcaino has saved 21 games so far. 2nd Place - California Kamados (51-31, 4.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 1st) On pace to win 101 games, the Kamados are definite title contenders. Derek Jeter is hitting .314 with 57 runs scored, while Scott Rolen has slugged .508 with 46 runs scored and 58 RBI. Mark Bellhorn has hit 17 home runs with 52 runs scored and 53 RBI. They acquired slugger Ryan Klesko over the break, who hit .309 with 14 home runs, 57 runs scored and 51 RBI with the Friars. Derek Lowe is 10-5 with a 2.42 ERA, Roy Halladay is 13-3 with a 2.71 ERA, and Jon Lieber has won 7 games. Closer Octavio Dotel has saved 19 games with a tiny 0.88 ERA. 3rd Place - Arkham Investigators (46-38, 10.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 5th) A pleasant surprise this year, Arkham is currently tied for the #2 league wildcard. Alfonso Soriano is hitting .318 with 62 runs scored and 63 RBI, while Paul Lo Duca is hitting .303 with 53 runs scored. Derrek Lee has 17 home runs and 59 RBI, while Reggie Sanders has 15 home runs and 57 RBI. Kirk Rueter has won 8 games with a 3.63 ERA, while closer Arthur Rhodes has saved 17 games with a 2.17 ERA. 4th Place - Montreal Voltigeurs (42-45, 16 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 6th) A long shot for the playoffs, but a strong second half could do it. Manny Ramirez has 24 home runs and 56 RBI at the break, and Randy Winn has 17 stolen bases and 65 runs scored. Jason Johnson has won 10 games so far, and Jorge Julio has saved 16 games with a 3.03 ERA. 5th Place - Point Lomas Friars (40-43, 16 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 3rd) With playoff hopes sinking fast, the Friars essentially ended their contention this year with the trade of Ryan Klesko. Jason Giambi has been a bright spot, hitting .307 with 19 home runs, 56 runs scored and 66 RBI, while Luis Gonzalez has driven in 62 runs. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Elk Grove Trout Paige Division -------------- 1st Place - Springfield Isotopes (57-27) (Pre-season prediction: 2nd) The Isotopes have scored their way to the best record in the majors at the break. Miguel Tejada is hitting .342 with 16 home runs, 63 runs scored and 80 RBI, while Barry Bonds is hitting .325 with 20 home runs, 78 runs scored and 56 RBI. Mark Kotsay has scored 62 runs, Gary Sheffield 66 runs, and Robin Ventura has hit 18 home runs with 62 runs scored and 70 RBI. Curt Schilling is 11-3 with a 2.97 ERA, John Burkett is 7-4 with a 3.38 ERA, and Rick Helling has won 8 games. Closer Scott Stewart has saved 11 games, won another 4 and has a 2.98 ERA. 2nd Place - DBL Fishbiscuits (51-34, 6.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 1st) Last year's champs, DBL figures to be in the playoff mix this year to defend their title. Sammy Sosa is hitting .335 with 34 home runs, 72 runs scored and 90 RBI, while Albert Pujols is hitting .332 with 64 runs scored. Larry Walker is hitting .313 with 70 runs scored, and Bernie Williams is hitting .320 with 49 RBI. Bret Boone has 58 RBI with 14 home runs, and Jim Thome has smacked 22 home rusn with 79 runs scored. Tom Glavine is 8-3, and closer Mike Crudale has saved 17 games with a 1.99 ERA. 3rd Place - Chicago Black Sox (44-38, 12 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 5th) The team with the 1st overall pick this year, Chicago is having a winning season and could contend for a wildcard. Vlaidmir Guerrero is hitting .309 with 24 home runs, 22 stolen bases and 73 RBI, while Ray Durham has 22 stolen bases and 67 runs scored. Adrian Beltre has 10 home runs and 51 RBI. #1 pick John Lackey is 9-2 with a 3.69 ERA, and closer Jason Isringhausen has saved 20 games with a 1.55 ERA. 4th Place - Madison Muckrakers (44-41, 13.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 3rd) Also sporting a winning record at the break, the Muckrakers are a win streak away from making the playoffs. Torii Hunter is hitting .309 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, while Cliff Floyd has 19 home runs, 61 runs scored and 57 RBI. Andruw Jones has 20 home runs, 58 runs scored and 56 RBI, while Rafael Palmerio has 24 home runs, 60 runs scored and 59 RBI. Hitting has been great, but the pitching ERA of 4.98 is 5th worst in the league. John Thomson has a 4.04 ERA and a 10-3 record, and Chad Bradford has won 6 games in relief with a 2.82 ERA. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Seattle Decaf, Tualatin Thunder Gehrig Division --------------- 1st Place - Anchorage Gold Diggers (45-37) (Pre-season prediction: 5th) Anchorage has defied expectations to lead the division at the break. Mike Cameron is hitting .276 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI, while Jay Payton has a .384 on base average, .541 slugging average and 43 runs scored. Kenny Lofton has 13 stolen bases and 44 runs scored. Chuck Finley is 9-4 with a 2.84 ERA, and Cliff Politte and Blaine Neal have combined to win 10 games in relief with ERA's udner 1.50. Closer Robb Nen has been phenominal, saving 17 games with a miniscule 1.21 ERA. 2nd Place - Hong Kong Cavaliers (43-39, 2 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 1st) Despite having loads of marquee stars the Cavaliers are a couple games back from the lead and from a playoff spot. Carlos Beltran has 22 stolen bases and 53 runs scored, Pat Burrell has 15 home runs and 56 RBI, while Carlos Delgado has 17 home runs and 51 RBI. Carlos Lee has 17 home runs and 58 RBI. Pedro Martinez is a Cy candidate, going 11-4 with a 1.89 ERA at the break, and Brian Lawrence has won 8 games. Armando Benitez has saved 8 games with a 2.86 ERA, and Ugueth Urbina has saved 8 with a 3.33 ERA. So with so much talent, why aren't they doing better? They are only 6-12 in 1-run games. 3rd Place - Carlsbad Surfers (41-42, 4.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 2nd) Despite having a losing record, the Surfers only need to post a strong 2nd half to contend for the division. Steve Finley has hit 18 home runs with 58 runs scored and 49 RBI, Ellis Burks has hit .294 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI, and Raul Ibanez has 15 home runs with 53 RBI. Steve Trachsel is 6-3 with a 3.22 ERA, and Scott Williamson has saved 15 games with a 3.60 ERA. 4th Place - Topeka Stingers (38-45, 7.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 3rd) On the edge of writing the season off, Topeka needs a strong 2nd half to be considered. Jeff Kent is hitting 318 with 22 home runs and 68 RBI, and Aubrey Huff is hitting .348 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI. Matt Morris is 9-6 with a 2.53 ERA and Billy Koch has 16 saves despite a 4.86 ERA. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Albuquerque Maul, Concord Minutemen Tiant Division -------------- 1st Place - Alphaville Cautions (52-31) (Pre-season prediction: 4th) The Cautions currently have the best record in the conference. Trot Nixon is hitting .315 with 21 home runs, 54 runs scored and 53 RBI, while Mike Sweeney is hitting .320 with 13 home runs, 55 runs scored and 51 RBI. Corey Koskie has scored 57 runs, while Omar Vizquel has stolen 11 bases and scored 49 runs. Joel Pineiro is 8-4 with a 2.78 ERA, Damian Moss is 9-4 with a 2.96 ERA, and closer Mike Koplove has saved 12 games and won another 3 with a 1.29 ERA. Buddy Groom has been an ace setup man, saving 6 games, winning another 5 and posting a 1.14 ERA. 2nd Place - Avila Dragons (48-34, 3.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 3rd) With Coors Field being home turf, the Dragons are scoring runs like crazy as they currently sit on the conference wildcard. Kevin Millar is hitting .379 with 72 runs scored and 74 RBI, Jim Edmonds is hitting .310 with 21 home runs and 70 runs scored, and Alex Rodriguez has 24 home runs and 81 runs scored. Johnny Damon has 18 stolen bases, 55 runs scored and 58 RBI. Gary Glover is 9-3 as a starter, and closer Keith Foulke has saved 13 games with a 2.25 ERA. 3rd Place - Boston Bulldogs (45-37, 6.5 games back) (Pre-season prediction: 1st) Currently tied for the last league wildcard, the Bulldogs are in the thick of it. Bobby Abreu has 17 stolen bases, a .305 batting average and 53 runs scored. Andy Fox has 24 stolen bases and 37 runs scored. Mark Mulder is 9-5 with a 2.92 ERA, and Randy Johnson is 7-5 with a 3.18 ERA. Tim Wakefield has won 7 games, and closer Jose Jimenez has saved 15 games. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Dedham Destroyers, San Diego Rude Dawgs, Milwaukee Pilots