2010 CDBL Playoff Race Mid-Season Review IF THE PLAYOFFS WERE HELD TODAY - Aaron Division - Montreal Voltigeurs (53-31) Paige Division - Brookeville Bandits (54-30) Gehrig Division - Topeka Stingers (52-34) Tiant Division - Boston Bulldogs (58-27) MK Conference Wildcard - Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-34) RY Conference Wildcard - Alphaville Caution (52-33) #1 League Wildcard - Half Moon Bay Dragons (51-33) #2 League Wildcard - White Rock Phantoms/Madison Muckrakers (TIE) (48-37) IN THE WILDCARD PLAYOFF HUNT: Dedham Destroyers (48-38) - 1/2 game behind league WC Carlsbad Surfers (43-40) - 4 games behind league WC DBL Fishbiscuits (44-41) - 4 games behind league WC Point Lomas Friars (42-44) - 6 1/2 games behind league WC ************************************************************************************************************** Aaron Division - 1st - Montreal Voltigeurs (53-31) - Neil Walker is hitting .349 with 56 runs scored, and fellow infielder Mike Aviles currently leads the league in average with .370. Hunter Pence is hitting .302 with 16 home runs, 51 runs scored and 65 RBI. Jason Heyward is hitting .300 with 10 home runs and 63 runs scored, and Ike Davis is hitting .293 with 15 home runs, 61 runs scored and 58 RBI. Randy Wolf is 10-5 with a 3.8 ERA, and Travis Wood is 9-1 with a 2.10 ERA. Closer Brian Fuentes has saved 15 games with a 2.23 ERA. With the team playing as well as they are, expect the Voltigeurs to make the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 years. 2nd - Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-34, 1 1/2 games behind leader) - Veteran slugger Jim Thome just seems to get better with age, hitting .328 with 21 home runs and 51 RBI. Shin-Soo Choo has hit .286 with 16 home runs, 12 stolen bases and 51 runs scored, and Dan Uggla has hit 12 home runs with 51 RBI. Chris Young has stolen 15 bases and scored 48 runs. CC Sabathia has won 10-2 with a 2.17 ERA, and CJ Wilson has won 8 games with a 3.03 ERA. Closer Evan Meek has saved 13 games with a 1.00 ERA. The Mashers are currently sitting on the MK Conference Wildcard, but are well within striking distance of the Aaron Division Title. 3rd - Point Lomas Friars (42-44, 12 games behind leader) - The team has a respectable 3.59 ERA, and closer Andrew Bailey has saved 16 games with a 1.91 ERA, but the Friars are 6 1/2 games out of the playoffs at the moment primarily due to their underperforming offense, hitting just .231/.302/.370. A few acquired bats (or a new hitting coach) is needed for the Friars to have a hope of making the postseason. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Dallas SuperSquad, Arkham Investigators, Elk Grove Trout ************************************************************************************************************** Paige Division - 1st - Brookeville Bandits (54-30) - Easy to conclude that the re-build effort has paid off, as the Bandits are sitting on top of the Paige division. Adrian Beltre is hitting .305 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI, while Stephen Drew is hitting .302 with 9 home runs, 9 stolen bases and 45 RBI. Brett Gardner is hitting .279 with 22 stolen bases and 51 runs scored. The pitching has been really solid, with the team sporting a league best 3.05 ERA. Mat Latos is 8-5 with a 3.56 ERA, and Brandon Morrow is 8-5 with a 3.47 ERA. Jaime Garcia is 7-2 with a 3.43 ERA, and Brian Duensing is 7-1 with a 2.59 ERA. Closer Hong-Chih Kuo has saved a league-leading 18 games with a 2.22 ERA. With a 54-30 record, the Bandits have few deficiencies and will be a formidable opponent in the playoffs. 2nd - White Rock Phantoms (48-37, 6 1/2 games behind leader) - Flirting with the best record in the majors at times, the Phantoms are currently tied for the #2 league wildcard. Coco Crisp is hitting .332 with 13 home runs, 38 runs scored and 28 stolen bases. Jay Bruce is hitting .310 with 20 home runs, 53 runs scored and 53 RBI, while Joe Mauer is hitting .316 with 41 runs scored and 32 RBI. Jhonny Peralta has added 49 RBI from the 3B position. Carlos Zambrano, Rick Porcello and Jon Garland have each won 7 games. Koji Uehara has saved 15 games, but sports a 4.78 ERA. With 3 teams within 1/2 game of 1 playoff spot, the Phantoms need a strong 2nd half to make it into the postseason. 3rd - Madison Muckrakers (48-37, 6 1/2 games behind leader) - Tied with the Phantoms for the #2 league wildcard, the Muckrakers are in the thick of it. Carl Crawford is hitting .299 with 15 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 46 RBI and 61 runs scored. Daric Barton has a .384 on base average and 60 runs scored. Matt Wieters is hitting .295 with 8 home runs and 40 RBI. Felix Hernandez has won 7 games with a 2.85 ERA, and John Danks has won 8 games with a 3.14 ERA. Josh Johnson is 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA. Closer Brian Wilson has saved 16 games, gone 4-0 and has a 1.83 ERA. Being 1 of 3 teams within 1/2 game of the #2 league wildcard, the Muckrakers may need to pull a few trades to secure a playoff spot. 4th - DBL Fishbiscuits (44-41, 10 1/2 games behind leader) - Jose Bautista has been all that and a bag of chips, leading the league in runs scored with 78 and in home runs with 31. His 65 RBI isn't half bad either. Robinson Cano is hitting .299 with 14 home runs and 62 runs scored, and Adam Jones and Albert Pujols each have 49 runs scored. Matt Holliday has 12 home runs, 43 runs scored and 43 RBI. While the hitting has been healthy, the pitching has been a below average 4.39 team ERA. Francisco Liriano has been a bright spot, going 11-3 with a 3.02 ERA. Closer Alexi Ogando has saved 16 games with a 2.97 ERA. Currently 4 games out of the playoffs, the Fishbiscuits might need a pitching infusion to make the postseason. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Springfield Isotopes, Tualatin Thunder ************************************************************************************************************** Gehrig Division - 1st - Topeka Stingers (52-34) - Ryan Howard is having a strong year, hitting .292 with 19 home runs, 52 runs scored and a league leading 80 RBI. Josh Hamilton is hitting .331 with 11 home runs, 56 runs scored and 55 RBI. Scott Podsednikhas scored 49 runs with a .310 average and 25 stolen bases. Clay Buchholz has won 11 games with a 2.45 ERA, and Dallas Braden is 8-1 with a 3.55 ERA. Closer Jose Valverde has saved 13 games with a 2.34 ERA. Adam Wainwright has won 7 games with a 3.03 ERA, and Anibal Sanchez is also a 7 game winner with a 3.06 ERA. Overall the pitching staff has posted a 3.15 ERA at the break, the best in the conference. Leading the division by 7 1/2 games puts the Stingers in a pretty comfortable position to make the playoffs. 2nd - Carlsbad Surfers (43-40, 7 1/2 games behind leader) - Joey Votto has been a force, hitting .307 with 20 home runs, 62 runs scored and 53 RBI. Andrew McCutchen has hit .293 with 51 runs scored, 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Justin Upton is hitting .263 with 47 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Zack Greinke has won 7 games with a 3.27 ERA, and Billy Wagner and Brad Lidge have combined to save 19 games with ERA's under 3. Being 4 games out of a playoff spot, the Surfers may need to make a deal or two to see the postseason. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Concord Minutemen, Anchorage Gold Diggers, Hong Kong Cavaliers, Albuquerque Maul ************************************************************************************************************** Tiant Division - 1st - Boston Bulldogs (58-27) - With the league's best offense, Boston has posted the best record at the all-star break. Aubrey Huff is hitting .321 with 22 home runs, 72 runs scored and 65 RBI, David Ortiz is hitting .309 with 22 home runs, 55 runs scored and 50 RBI, and Kelly Johnson is hitting .305 with 21 home runs, 55 runs scored and 67 RBI. Giancarlo Stanton has smacked 14 home runs with 50 RBI in 207 at bats. Their pitching staff isn't half bad either, sporting a 3.25 team ERA, 3rd best in the league. Brett Cecil is 9-5 with a 3.47 ERA, Brian Matusz is 9-3 with a 3.82 ERA, and Jason Vargas has won 8 games. Closer Carlos Marmol has saved 12 games with a 1.10 ERA, and reliever Burke Badenhop has won 7 games in relief with a 1.21 ERA. Expect the Bulldogs to be a force in the playoffs. 2nd - Alphaville Caution (52-33, 6 games behind leader) - Kevin Youkilis is having a strong season, hitting .312 with 24 home runs, 62 runs scored and 58 RBI. Hanley Ramirez is hitting .293 with 14 home runs, 60 runs scored and 49 RBI. Manny Ramirez is hitting .296 with 44 runs scored. Ubaldo Jimenez has been an ace, going 10-4 with a 2.50 ERA. Jonathan Sanchez has won 7 games with a 4.00 ERA. Closer Matt Guerrier has saved 18 games with a 2.49 ERA. It may be difficult for the Caution to win the Tiant division this year, but their current GT Conference Wildcard spot likely means they get to decide who comes out of the Tiant division in the postseason. 3rd - Half Moon Bay Dragons (51-33, 6 1/2 games behind leader) - Playing at Coors Field has helped make some gaudy batting stats for the Dragons. Nick Swisher is hitting .331 with 21 home runs, 69 runs scored and 77 RBI. Alex Rodriguez is hitting .323 with 20 home runs, 70 runs scored and 68 RBI. Pat Burrell is hitting .283 with 20 home runs, 55 runs scored and 56 RBI. Angel Pagan, Mark Ellis and Mark Teixeira are all on 100 run paces. Pitching has not been half bad, with Ryan Dempster leading the league with a 12-6 record. Jake Westbrook is 10-1 with a 4.28 ERA, and closer Darren O'Day has saved 16 games with a 1.91 ERA. The Dragons are within striking distance of the Caution for the GT Conference Wildcard. 4th - Dedham Destroyers (48-38, 10 1/2 games behind leader) - Torii Hunter has been smacking the ball, hitting .338 with 20 home runs, 66 runs scored and 45 RBI. Rickie Weeks is hitting .312 with 13 home runs and 65 RBI, while Jack Cust is hitting .306 with 16 home runs and 52 runs scored. Prince Fielder is hitting .291 with 18 home runs, 42 runs scored and 45 RBI. Tim Hudson has won 8 games with 4.26 ERA, and Cliff Lee is 7-4 with a 3.87 ERA. Closer Neftali Feliz has saved 13 games with a 1.53 ERA. The Destroyers are just 1/2 game out of the playoffs right now - a trade for a few arms (their team ERA is 4.77) might help them make the postseason. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Georgia Pines, Milwaukee Pilots