Playoff Race Predictions

[Huckleberry]

Monday, July 18, 2112

As we approach the trade deadline and with 90 games in the books, the WBA Times staff has reviewed the current rosters and is releasing their predicted final standings. Please note that these standings may be updated following any late activity before the trading deadline.

Americas Baseball League

NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION

Team W L PCT GB Northwest Emeralds 100 56 0.641 - Los Angeles Stars 95 61 0.609 5 Mexico City Aztecs 72 84 0.462 28 Ottawa Whiskey Jacks 58 98 0.372 42 Carolina Flight 57 99 0.365 43 LATIN AMERICAN DIVISION Team W L PCT GB Buenos Aires Dolphins 94 62 0.603 - Santo Domingo Palmchats 83 73 0.532 11 Puerto Rico Coqui 78 78 0.500 16 Rio de Janeiro Jaguars 75 81 0.481 19 Sao Paulo Toucans 68 88 0.436 26 In the North American Division we look for Steve Tibbs's injury to bring the Stars back down to earth from their early season overachieving as they are currently +6 compared to their Pythagorean expectation and 15-6 in one run games. Nobody on staff here is happy about predicting a 5th straight division title for the Northwest Emeralds but that's just the way we see it. Regardless, the Stars should qualify for the playoffs comfortably even if it's not as division champions. In the Latin American Division the Buenos Aires Dolphins should end up not facing much of a challenge for the division despite only a 3 game lead at this point. The Times staff is selling on the Puerto Rico Coqui hard due to early overachievement and a surprisingly below average offense that is only getting good production from star catcher Juan Baca. The main beneficiary of that prediction would be the Santo Domingo Palmchats, a result which is obviously based on absolutely zero bias or favoritism here at the publication's Santo Domingo headquarters. Intercontinental Baseball League AFRO-EUROPEAN DIVISION Team W L PCT GB Black Forest Foxes 100 56 0.641 - London Monarchs 86 70 0.551 14 Rome Generals 78 78 0.500 22 Barcelona Bulls 77 79 0.494 23 Paris Fleur-de-Lis 43 113 0.276 57 ASIAN DIVISION Team W L PCT GB Mumbai Cobras 90 66 0.577 - Manila Folders 86 70 0.551 4 Karachi Falcons 85 71 0.545 5 Shanghai Sharks 81 75 0.519 9 Melbourne Meteors 54 102 0.346 36 Black Forest looks to be a comfortable favorite in the Afro-European Division while due to injury issues elsewhere in the division London figures to finish in second place and be in the thick of the fierce IBL wild card race. Whether we are slow learners or will prove to be prescient, either way we at the Times still can't quite believe that the Manila Folders are as good as they've played so far this season. Melbourne is the only Asian Division team that shouldn't be involved in the playoff race at all as the other four teams could all end up anywhere from division champions to watching the postseason from home.

[claphamsa]

paris shall make a run!