(Game date: Sep. 8, 2018) — The Boston Brawlers and the Minneapolis Ravens will face off to open the highlight series of the 2018 LL Elimination Round. #1 seeded Ravens
moved into the Lake League for 2018 and ran roughshod over most of the teams, blanking 2017 Lake League champs 8-0, and dismantling West division competitors like Ohio and Louisville with season series wins. Continue reading “2018 Series Preview: Boston Brawlers vs Minneapolis Ravens”
The Minneapolis Ravens third baseman who has been on a hot-hitting streak this year has finally done it. David Baker has set the new Bull League record for hit-streaks, at 32 games – and it’s still going!
The 28-year-old switch-hitter could not help but break out a wide grin when he singled to leadoff the first inning against the Boston Brawlers tonight.
Continue reading “Baker’s Hit Streak Sets Record”
At least four teams face the prospect of a luxury tax bill this season after overspending on payroll this year. The top spender, at over $191 million, were the small-market, small-budget Rimouski Fighting Moose, putting them well above the estimated average payroll of $120 milion, on which the soft cap and luxury tax is based. Three other teams overspent and will face similar hardship this October.
Former GM Bob Weinberg went full “drunken sailor” last off-season, adding Dao-zi Ling, William Febres, Kyle Cahill, Celestino Caparica and Lou Bricknell, adding over $65 million to their payroll. The team was already stocked with high-priced contracts for stars like Alan Isimo, Zenjiro Suga and others. Continue reading “End of Year Luxury Tax Bill Looms for Some Teams”
The Lake League’s Toronto Nomads remain hot at the close of the opening month of baseball as they pick up two player of the month awards for May 2018.
Jorge “Chachi” Chavarria was named Lake League Rookie of the Month after the 26-year-old third baseman showed he’s got some skill at the plate, going .323 with a pair of homers and 13 RBIs through the month. Chachi came to the Nomads in a trade with Arizona last season, and was sent to AAA Brampton, where he provided solid numbers on the way to a Longhorns Cow League championship. Continue reading “May Awards Announced; Hot Nomads Pick Up Two”
Boston Brawlers slugger Guido Groeneveld went yard three times today against the Louisville Sluggers, tying a club record for home runs in a regular season game that was last reached in 2008 by outfielder Bill Flores.
The 36-year-old sits at 4th on the all-time career home run leaderboard among catchers in the Bull League with 224 homers, and needs just three more to surpass Eric Tessier, the former Toronto Ducks backstop.
The Sluggers hung on to dominate the game, however, winning 14-7, and taking a series lead of 2-1. The series closer takes place tomorrow in Louisville.
The Toronto Nomads opened 2018 with a surprisingly strong surge, leading the Bull League in wins with 7 after the first eight games of the season.
Division rival Boston remains close behind – just ½ a game away – with a 6-1 record, after their Wednesday night game in Detroit was scratched due to weather. Continue reading “Nomads Surge in First Week’s Power Rankings”
