1990 CDBL Mid-Season Review AARON DIVISION: It's a 2 team race for the pennant, with the Arkham Investigators (56-26) holding a 2 game lead over the Montreal Mashers (53-27). Arkham's rebuilding efforts over the past several years have paid off, as they have the best record in the league. 3B Brook Jacoby is hitting .342 with 47 runs scored and 55 RBI, while young phenom Ken Griffey Jr has 12 home runs and 60 RBI. Jose Rijo and Mike Harkey each have 11 wins. For the Mashers, Rickey Henderson is putting in a tremendous season, hitting .327 with 64 runs scored, 52 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. CF Ellis Burks is slugging .521 with 52 runs driven in. SS Alan Trammell is hitting .290 with 50 runs scored. Closer Dennis Eckersley has a 1.7 ERA and 13 saves. Point Lomas (42-30) and Elk Grove (43-34) are well back of the leaders, but they are fighting for the league wildcard, with Point Lomas currently in the driver's seat. 2B Ryne Sandberg has 10 home runs and 50 RBI, while 1B Eddie Murray has a .334 average and 48 runs scored. For Elk Grove, closer Duane Ward has a 1.49 ERA and 14 saves, and starters Dennis Martinez, Eric Hanson and Sid Fernandez all have ERA's between 1.97 and 2.36, with 8-9 wins apiece. The White Rock Mighty Pugs (32-50) had the displeasure of being in a division with some really good teams. With the trades of George Brett and Dave Stewart, they are looking towards next year. With more intra-division play coming, they'll likely see a nice high draft pick next year. 2ND HALF OVERVIEW: It will continue to be an Arkham-Montreal battle until the end. Arkham's bolstered their pitching with the acquisition of Dave Stewart. Montreal may have to make a similar big trade to keep up. Point Lomas could use a closer change (Keith Comstock has 14 saves, but a 5.27 ERA) while Elk Grove needs to fire their hitting coach (they have a .243 team batting average, and normally sweet swinging Will Clark is hitting .235). This is easily the best division in baseball (4 of the 6 best league team ERA's are in this division), so expect 3 teams (division, conference and league wildcard) to see the post-season from this division. PAIGE DIVISION: For most of the season, all of the teams in this division have had trouble maintaining a .500 or better mark. At mid-season, the only team above .500 is the Hurdle Mills Hurdlers (46-38). Lonnie Smith is hitting .328 with 63 runs scored, while C/3B BJ Surhoff is hitting .338 with 47 runs scored and 45 RBI. Starter Greg Hibbard is 8-4 with a 3.08 ERA. Dewey Beach is 2nd in the division, with a 38-39 record, 4 1/2 games back. Their pitching is bad (4.46 ERA is 3rd worst in league), but their 5 runs per game is tied for 5th best in the league. Candy Maldonado is slugging .532 with 48 RBI's, while 3B Gary Sheffield has a .309 average and 49 RBI's. OF Larry Walker has 15 home runs. Despite the stellar play of Barry Bonds (.401 on base average, .481 slugging, 56 runs scored, 38 stolen bases), the Springfield Isotopes remain 7 games back. Long Beach, DC and Fargo round out the division. 2ND HALF OVERVIEW: Barring a few starting pitcher acquisitions by Dewey Beach, at this point it's Hurdle Mills pennant to lose. GEHRIG DIVISION: This has turned into a 2 team battle by the Albuquerque Maul (46-36) and Concord Minutemen (also 46-36). For Albuquerque, shortstop Shawon Dunston has slugged .482 with 14 home runs and 50 runs scored. 2B Jody Reed has a .349 on base average with 45 runs scored, while OF Hubie Brooks has 42 runs driven in. Closer Gregg Olson has a 2.80 ERA with a 5-0 record and 11 saves. Eric King has a 2.43 ERA and 8 wins. The Concord Minutemen have enjoyed the big bat of Jose Canseco (.648 slugging, 31 home runs, 53 runs scored, 78 RBI). Kirby Puckett has 48 runs scored, while Casey Candaele has a .394 on base average and 43 runs scored. Closer Randy Myers has a 1.74 ERA with 16 saves, while starter Jose DeJesus has 9 wins. Jimmy Key and Nolan Ryan have combined for 14 wins. The Stingers (37-42) sit 7 1/2 games back. Cecil Fielder is having a breakout season, with 34 home runs, 68 runs scored and 76 RBI at the break. Ron Gant is slugging .497 with 47 RBI's, while Ruben Sierra, Andy Van Slyke and Wade Boggs have 37 runs scored apiece. Closer Tim Burke is having a fireman of the year caliber season, with a tiny 1.02 ERA (only 4 earned runs) with 22 saves. The Stallions, Trustafarians and Surfers fill out the division. The Surfers (27-55) are well on their way to a #1 overall pick. 2ND HALF OUTLOOK: Albuquerque and Concord continue to duke it out. The Minutemen definitely have the star power, but Albuquerque recently acquired George Brett (.488 slugging, 49 total RBI) to help battle Canseco and company. TIANT DIVISION: Dark Valley (48-23) tore out of the gate and never looked back. Norm Charlton and Doug Drabek have been nearly unbeatable, combining for a sub 2.6 ERA and a 22-6 record. Darryl Strawberry has a .402 on base average, .564 slugging, 17 home runs, 52 runs scored and 45 RBI. SS Howard Johnson has a .568 slugging average with 51 RB's, while 2B Lou Whitaker has 12 home runs, a .522 slugging average and 40 runs scored. Jack Clark may only be hitting .230, but his walk rate puts his on base average at .410, and has 18 home runs and 52 runs scored. The Front Range Riders (44-37), Boston Bulldogs (42-40), Hollywood Stars (40-40) and Orange Whoop (37-40) round out the division. While their pennant hopes are pretty much gone at this point, the conference and league wildcard is still very much up for grabs. The Riders are riding on the arms of Danny Darwin and Roger Clemens (combined sub 2.5 ERA, 22-7 record), while Boston is riding on the bats of Willie McGee (.352 average, 74 runs scored) and Mike Greenwell (.346 average, 69 RBI's). The Stars feature Bobby Bonilla (17 home runs, 59 RBI) and closer Craig Lefferts (1.10 ERA, 12 saves). The Whoop feature sluggers Kelly Gruber (.552 slugging average, 18 home runs, 53 runs and 53 RBI) and Bo "knows" Jackson (15 home runs, 45 runs scored, 43 RBI). 2ND HALF OUTLOOK: It's a lock that Dark Valley has the pennant, but any of the other teams could come in with a conference or league wildcard with a key trade.