The 2066 Daily Keg - Week 24
09/20/2066
The Phoenix Roadrunners led the league with an impressive 6-0 record, showcasing both offensive firepower and stellar pitching. Their offense was paced by standout performances from Lucian Goldsmith (.385 average, 7 runs, 10 hits, 2 home runs, 8 RBIs) and the dynamic duo of Blade Richards (.455 average, 2 home runs) and Tristen Severson (.381 average, 2 home runs, 7 RBIs). On the mound, Max Burns delivered a dominant 1-0 performance with a 2.25 ERA and 8 strikeouts over 8 innings. The Hartford Whalers also excelled with a 4-2 record, powered by exceptional individual performances from Kellen Todd, who was nearly unstoppable with a .625 average, 8 runs, 10 hits, and 2 home runs, and Brice Younce, who posted an astronomical .750 average with 2 home runs and a 2.443 OPS. The Whalers' offensive explosion included 47 runs scored across just 6 games, though they were involved in a thrilling 10-inning loss to Wilmington (5-4) that showcased the competitive balance in the league.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Muckdogs endured a disastrous 1-5 week, managing only 18 runs while allowing 41 runs against. Their offensive struggles were evident in their .179 team batting average and league-worst .548 OPS, though they did receive a quality start from Andy Morgan (1-0, 2.25 ERA). The Canadians and Blues each posted matching 1-5 records, with Toronto's pitching staff posting a troubling 6.92 ERA while allowing 40 runs in just 6 games. The Bulls also struggled significantly with a 3-4 record, hampered by offensive futility that saw them hit just .194 as a team with a .646 OPS.
1) California Kodiaks (126.8, +)
2) Wilmington Wildcats (122.5, -)
3) Pittsburgh Millers (118.2, ++)
4) Dallas Drillers (115.8, -)
5) Hartford Whalers (112.4, -)
6) Carolina Tobs (107.5, +)
7) Washington Bats (101.7, +)
8) Seattle Pilots (96.5, +)
9) Windy City Blues (96.5, --)
10) Phoenix Roadrunners (92.1, ++)
11) New Orleans Voodoo (87.8, +)
12) Los Angeles Sharks (87.4, -)
13) Syracuse Snappers (87.4, o)
14) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (87.0, --)
15) Montreal Exports (85.7, o)
16) Indianapolis Clowns (83.7, -)
17) Philadelphia Freedom (82.4, o)
18) New York Cyclones (82.3, -)
19) Pawtucket Patriots (77.5, o)
20) Denver Bulls (71.8, o)
21) Batavia Muckdogs (69.6, --)
22) Baltimore Bulldogs (65.1, o)
23) Maine Guides (54.6, +)
24) Toronto Canadians (51.0, -)
Performance of the Week
LF Brice Younce, HAR - Younce delivered a dominant offensive performance in Hartford's 14-1 demolition of the Clowns on September 14th, going a perfect 5-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs. The 25-year-old left fielder showcased his versatility at the plate, collecting a single in the first inning, launching a solo home run off Saxby Lucas in the third, drawing a walk in the fifth, adding another single in the sixth, driving in a run with an RBI double in the eighth, and capping off his spectacular night with a two-run homer off Gage Clark in the ninth inning. Younce's 12 total bases helped propel Hartford to a commanding victory while improving his season statistics to a .292 average with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs, earning him Player of the Game honors in front of 29,502 fans at The Big Top.
Prospect of the Week
1B Robbie Littrell, PIT - Littrell is emerging as one of the Millers' most promising prospects, showcasing tremendous power potential in his third season with the Delmont Miners. The 19-year-old first baseman has put together an impressive 2066 campaign, slashing .307/.402/.704 with 49 home runs and 95 RBIs across 116 games in the Rookie League, earning a stellar 7.1 WAR and 185 wRC+. Originally drafted in the third round (51st overall) in 2064 out of Carroll High School in Utah, the 6'4", 200-pound right-handed slugger has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive the ball with authority, though his 101 strikeouts highlight an area for improvement as he develops his contact skills. With solid defensive ratings at first base and the ability to play third base, Littrell's combination of power production and positional flexibility makes him an intriguing piece in Pittsburgh's farm system as he continues his ascent through the minor league ranks.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. The BLB playoff picture is rapidly crystallizing with just 10 games remaining, featuring both locked-in division champions and fierce battles for wild card spots. California (102-50) leads the Import League with a commanding 59.9% chance of claiming the #1 overall seed, while their Bock title is already secure. In the Domestic, Wilmington (101-51) holds a 96.3% chance to win the Lager despite Dallas (97-55) trailing by just four games, while the Ale remains white-hot with Pittsburgh (94-58) holding a 66.3% edge over Hartford (93-60) in their 1.5-game separation. Carolina (89-63) has locked up the Stout, leaving the wild card races as the primary drama.
The Import wild card spots appear set with Washington (100% playoff odds), Windy City (100%), and Seattle (99.3%) essentially secured, while the fourth spot sees competition between Philadelphia (37.4% playoff odds), New York (21.0%), Los Angeles (33.9%), and Phoenix (8.4%). Meanwhile, the Domestic wild card battle is even more intense, with Santo Domingo (78.3% playoff odds), Indianapolis (68.6%), Montreal (47.5%), and Syracuse (5.5%) fighting for the final spots behind the two division winners.
2. The September 15th matchup between Syracuse and Pittsburgh took an unexpected turn when two aging veterans let emotions boil over into a bench-clearing fracas. The incident began when 36-year-old Syracuse first baseman Parker Lee was hit by a pitch from 40-year-old Pittsburgh lefty Jessy Dillon in the sixth inning, prompting Lee to charge the mound and igniting a full-scale brawl between the teams. Both players were ejected from the game, with the league subsequently suspending Lee for four games and Dillon for eight games for their roles in the altercation. Lee, who is back in the BLB after spending 51 games in AAA, now has 597 career home runs. He is due to become a free agent after this season and time is running out for him to reach the hallowed 600 home run mark.
3. Drillers closer Dawson "Pop" Hupp has etched his name in BLB history, becoming just the 16th pitcher ever to reach the prestigious 450-save milestone. The 37-year-old left-hander achieved this career-defining moment this past week, adding another chapter to a remarkable journey that has spanned 15 seasons and 816 career appearances. Hupp's path to 450 saves represents one of the most dominant closing careers in modern baseball history.
The significance of Hupp's achievement becomes even more impressive when viewed in historical context, as he joins an exclusive fraternity that includes legendary closers like all-time saves leader Reynaldo Jimenez (762 saves) and A.J. Ingle (677 saves). What makes Hupp's accomplishment particularly noteworthy is his consistency and longevity as his career 2.49 ERA and 1.14 WHIP demonstrate the sustained excellence that defined his prime years. His best seasons included dominant campaigns like 2061 when he won the Last Call Relief Award with a 1.07 ERA and 37 saves, and 2063 when he led the league with 49 saves.
4. The latest OSA Top 20 rankings showcase a fascinating age disparity between elite position players and pitchers, highlighting different career trajectories in modern baseball. The top 20 position players average just 25.6 years old, with the majority in their mid-twenties prime, including standouts like 23-year-old Ray Ayres and several 24-year-olds such as Levi Lane, Jeremy Goodson, and Deontae Dennis. The only veteran outlier is 33-year-old Isaac Pack, whose inclusion demonstrates remarkable longevity in an otherwise youth-dominated list.
In stark contrast, the top 20 pitchers average 29.4 years old—nearly four years older than their hitting counterparts. This age gap reflects the reality that pitchers typically peak later in their careers, with veterans like 34-year-old Eric Hendrix and B.B. Trynkov, 33-year-old Cole Good, and several 30-31 year olds dominating the rankings. The pitching list features only three players under 25—22-year-old Wyatt Laginess, 23-year-old Keegan King, and 24-year-old Max Kidd—suggesting that elite pitching performance requires additional years of development and refinement.
The rankings also reveal strong organizational depth, with California leading the way with five elite players (Brian Van Hook, Rory Elia Jr., Nickolas Keyes, B.B. Trynkov, and Wyatt Laginess), while three organizations tie with four players each: Windy City (Brad Castro, Nigel Torres, Grant Henry, and Mardy Owens), Hartford (Levi Lane, Deontae Dennis, Blake Bateman, and Rich Mount), and Wilmington (David Hankins, Cole Good, Sherwin Kendrick, and Ron Thomas), demonstrating exceptional talent concentration and organizational development across both leagues.
5. What's on tap?
WEEK AHEAD GAME PREVIEWS
Hartford Whalers @ Pittsburgh Millers (Sept. 20-22) The division-leading Millers (5-game win streak) host the second-place Whalers in a pivotal series that could decide the Ale, with Pittsburgh's red-hot Byron Carlton (scored in 9 straight) and cold-hitting Chase Chamberlain (.031 avg) facing Hartford's Kellen Todd (scored in 7 straight, .421 avg recently) and Triple Crown contender Levi Lane (.310, 38 HR, 109 RBI). With Hartford leading the season series 5-4 and Pittsburgh's dominant 51-23 home record, this matchup features elite pitching from Bailey Pilarski (0.00 ERA in last 17 innings) against one of the league's most potent offenses.
Wilmington Wildcats @ Dallas Drillers (Sept. 20-22) The league-best Wildcats visit Dallas in a clash featuring the hottest hitter in baseball, Wilmington's David Hankins (.465 avg, 7 HR in last 13 games), against Dallas's scorching Marquis Alagna (.424 avg, 3 HR recently). Despite Wilmington's superior overall record, Dallas holds a 5-4 season series edge and boasts a home record of 54-24, making this a fascinating test between the top two teams in the Lager.
Phoenix Roadrunners @ California Kodiaks (Sept. 20-22) Phoenix brings their 6-game winning streak and closer Harrison Ford's incredible 27 straight save conversions to face the Bock leaders, though the Roadrunners will need to overcome struggles from Rayshaun Chen (.115 avg recently) and starter Blake Tippett (8-game losing streak). California counters with consistent offensive production from Greg Thomas (.391 avg, 6 HR recently) in what could be a pivotal series for playoff positioning in the competitive Import League.
Toronto Canadians @ Montreal Exports (Sept. 20-22) The struggling Canadians (44-108) visit Montreal in a series where Toronto's futility is exemplified by closer Jayden Lemley's 9-game losing streak and Julius Simpson's frigid .056 average, while Montreal gets strong pitching from Dylan Montgomery (0.93 ERA in last 4 starts). With Montreal dominating the season series 8-1 and holding Triple Crown hopeful Devyn Glover (.315, 36 HR, 96 RBI), this appears to be a mismatch favoring the home team.
Dallas Drillers @ Pittsburgh Millers (Sept. 23-26) After their series with Wilmington, Dallas travels to Pittsburgh for a four-game set that could further shake up playoff seeding, with the Drillers' hot-hitting Alagna facing the Millers' dominant home pitching staff. Pittsburgh seeks to extend their winning ways behind Carlton's offensive surge and Pilarski's shutdown relief work.
Montreal Exports @ Pawtucket Patriots (Sept. 23-26) Montreal's Montgomery and his recent dominance visit struggling Pawtucket, where the Patriots are hampered by LaVar Abrudan's 10-game losing streak and cold-hitting Chase McNeil (.100 avg recently). The Exports hold a 5-2 season series advantage and look to capitalize on Pawtucket's 35-39 home record while potentially positioning Glover for a late-season Triple Crown push.
Stat of the Week
Take a guess and click the link below…
Most Consecutive 20 HR Seasons
Three players are tied at the top, can you guess who?