WHEBO Weekend Warrior

June 24th 2021

Mid Season Review

It's time to sit down with your favorite afternoon drink and soak in all that is WHEBO. It's been a very interesting year so far. Let's take a look at what's taken place in the 2021 campaign up to this point. We will run down each team in descending order based on the latest Power Rankings.

1. Mexico City has surged to the top of the table with a league leading 52 wins. They are the first and only team to eclipse the 50 win mark so far this season. They've done so with great offensive production behind the inferno that is Jose Garza. As a team the Diablos are hitting .310 (2nd SAA) on 877 hits (1st SAA) creating an Association leading 504 runs scored. The Diablos pitching is leading the South in strikeouts with 686. The bullpen has been holding down the tail end of the ballgame with a sparkling team ERA of 3.28 which is good for 2nd in the SAA. Overall Mexico City has been solid all around the field. 

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2. Indianapolis is out to prove that their 2020 Wild Card Series win over powerhouse Salt Lake City was no fluke. So far their effort has proven to be fruitful behind their 49 wins fueled by two star pitchers Edgar Luevano and the reigning North American Pitcher of the Year, Nick Sanchez. Indy starting pitching leads the North with a total ERA of  3.85. The off-season addition of SP Juan Moreno (9-5 W-L, 3.83 ERA) certainly has proven successful so far. Their Bullpen ranks just 7th in the Association but their strong starters make up for the slight drop off once the game reaches the later stages. The Racers lead the North in extra base hits with 287 and rank 2nd in the NAA in team batting average at .283. Look for Indy to be active near the trade deadline in an effort to bolster that bullpen and perhaps add another bat along side blossoming 26 year old LF Leith Shea.

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3. San Juan has been slugging their way to the top and leads the Caribbean Division by 6 games with 49 wins to their credit. Their 146 home-runs leads the Association behind Mickey Kurucz (20) , Ken Manley (22) , and Dimas Cerqueira (25). This team has a patient approach at the plate and has drawn 289 walks which ranks 2nd in the South. The combination of slugging and patience has fans excited about their team. San Juan can pitch, too. This is a team that has remained active on the trade market since it's inception. Jorge Alfaro, their current second best pitcher was acquired from Charlotte last season via trade. He along with team ace Will "Stormy" Gomez have helped maintained a nice 4.07 team ERA (2nd SAA). 

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4. Ottawa is the defending league champion having won the inaugural Americas Cup a season ago. They currently sit in 2nd place with 48 wins looking up to previously mentioned Indianapolis Racers in the Atlantic Division. Despite the teams success, Ottawa has regularly teased the trade market with team icon Byron Bassett. There was discussion about the possibility of erecting a statue outside their stadium in honor of his performance in the 2020 playoffs leading to their Championship victory. They further stirred the pot by including 1B Jason Bertolo and 3B Sergio Marmolejo on the trade block, confusing fans on the direction of the team. All that said, Ottawa sits poised to make a serious run at defending their Cup. The Lynx pitching staff as a whole ranks #1 in team ERA at 3.21. Team ace SP Mike "Waco" Zapata has notched 8 wins over 12 quality starts. The chances of this team making that deep playoff run again hinges on what their GM decides to do around or before the trade deadline. I'm betting they make a big trade offer to bolster their aging pitching staff in an effort to hold their window of opportunity open just a bit longer. 

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5. Salt Lake City is in control of the West Division once again. Last season they ran away with the West Crown without much resistance. In 2020 Salt Lake City earned the #1 seed before being promptly dispatched by the Indianapolis Racers in a heart-breaking 5 game Wild Card series. Indianapolis surprised everyone by punching a playoff ticket before shocking the world. SLC seems convinced that scenario playing out the way it did was either total fluke or a once-in-a-lifetime rare upset. They have essentially run out the same team with hopes of repairing the aura that surrounded the 2020 Knights. Salt Lake City features 3 top tier pitchers in their rotation in Victor Valdez, Chris Bray, and Alexis Olivares. Although aging, they help maintain a 3.68 total team ERA (2nd NAA). They also feature one of the leagues young bright stars in closer Jorge "Hippo" Serna. The young closer has already nailed 19 saves while striking out 61 batters in just 32 innings! SLC is back, but their grip on the division isn't so tight this time around.

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6. Bogota currently sits atop the South Central Division with 46 wins. The Toros already had a 3 game lead on second place Maracaibo Eagles and 10 games over the next closest team. However, after the recent trade Maracaibo announced, it would seem clear that the Eagles are preparing to build for the future, rather than contend for the division now. The Toros lead should grow over the course of the season that remains as a result. Bogota doesn't lead the league in any single category but they do bring an overall consistent approach from near top to bottom. The Toros 117 home-runs are good for 2nd in the SAA and all but one player has contributed to that total. Their pitching won't razzle and dazzle but they also shouldn't disappoint. Their starters are more consistent than their bullpen and perhaps their pen could be an area of focus come trade deadline. I expect this team to be a player in October once again. They're just too good of a whole unit to count them out.

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7. Portland is leading the Pacific Division with 44 wins. The second place team is 6 games back. The Beavers appear to have a solid dam built and might just block any potential comeback from division rival Vancouver. The Cascades seem content on seeing just how many runs they can give up in an effort to have a more football-like score on the board. SP Vincent Ruiz seems to be leading the pitching staff with his 9-2 win/loss record. CL Theo Raymond is a bit long in the tooth but has been solid nonetheless. His 19 saves have helped the team maintain a .700 winning percentage in one run games. The Beavers like to play small ball. They lead the NAA in Batting Average, On-Base Percentage, Hits, and Stolen Bases. Their lone power source comes from 26 year old 1B Richard Smith and his 20 bleacher deposits. The Beavers pitching isn't going to jump out at you but what they do is keep the team in the game while allowing their offense to work their slow magic. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Beavers add another bat with some pop before the trade deadline passes.

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8. Guatemala City has 45 wins but sits 7 games out of the Baja Division lead thanks to the Mexico City Diablos hot hand. Of course, this could all change rather quickly if the recently announced trade involving the acquisition of  2B Hector "Home Plate" Escobedo from the Maracaibo Eagles works out. Escobedo is a career .333 hitter and racked up 10.4 WAR in under 2 full seasons. On top of the plus bat, "Home Plate" brings a stellar defensive presence on the field and will swipe his fair share of bags. Overall this is a great pickup for the Mayans. Albeit, a very costly one. The trade will demand a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick in 2021 along with SP George Wesman. That is a steep price to pay especially when considering that Escobedo is a free agent after this season. Either way it was a very solid addition to an already very good team. Their offense doesn't rank overly well in comparison with league peers and Escobedo should factor into that soon. The Mayans rely on their pitching and rightfully so. They have the league leader in wins (11) and ERA (2.24) with 28 year old SP Justin Green. The Mayans lead the league as a team in every statistical category outside of Bullpen ERA (4th), HR allowed (2nd), Strikeouts (5th). That's 7 of 10 categories where this team is dominating. That's impressive to say the least.

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9. Havana is 6 games back and in second place. The Lions really struggled in May with a sub .500 record for the month. They lost some serious ground and will have some work to do if they are to catch the Caribbean leader, San Juan Senators. Havana is at or around top 5 in most offensive categories but that won't be enough to match their divisional rival. The Lions strength lies with their pitching staff. It may be a bit top heavy but the man at the top is a sure fire #1 on nearly any team in the league. Jesus "Speed Limit" Mejia was the first overall pick in the inaugural draft and some around the league felt that it was a reach taking Mejia over SS Jose Garza. Mejia is certainly making a strong case with his 10-3 record, 2.43 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 120 strikeouts and only 21 free passes issued. Havana boasts the SAA's best bullpen with a sparkling team ERA of 3.08. The Lions will probably need to be active at the trade deadline in order to be competitive with San Juan this season. That division is tough.

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10. Maracaibo was still in the top 10 power rankings prior to their recently announced trade of star Hector "Home Plate" Escobedo. They are also only 3 games behind division leader Bogota. The Eagles were a very competitive team last season and came up just short in the end. This season definitely hasn't been a free ride on the gravy train for the Eagles but also they didn't appear to be in dire shape. In a surprising move, it appears as though they are waiving the flag on the season and cashing in on assets they have to plan for the future. Escobedo seems to be the first piece to fall. They currently lead the SAA in batting average and on-base percentage. The Eagles pitching staff as a whole has struggled to find it's stride with team leader and reigning Pitcher of the Year, Nick Doss not quite at the level he was just a year ago. He was recently rumored to have hit the trade block. It'll be interesting to see if the Eagles do find a suitor and what the price tag may be. They rank outside the top 5 in most pitching categories.

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11. Cienfuegos faded at the end of the previous season after being competitive for most of the inaugural campaign. This year they sit in third place within the very tough Caribbean Division. They have 41 wins on the year but will most likely find themselves fighting not for the division crown, but for that bouquet every bride throws over her head on wedding night. The Elephants ironically enough lead the league in stolen bases with 81 swipes on the year. Their pitching is unremarkable but effective with a team ERA of 4.53. The direction of this team could change drastically over the next few weeks. SP Brad Meagher could be a nice piece of bait for the trade block if the Elephants decide to entertain the seller side of the trade deadline this year.

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12. Tucson... Let's just get right to what everyone is really wondering. How the hell is that 127 million dollar pitcher doing? 5-2 win/loss record, 4.04 ERA, 7.65 K/9, 3.72 BB/9, 31.3% quality start rate. That's a tough sell on a guy with that massive price tag. The Outlaws are in 3rd place and just 6 games back in the West. Tucson ranks #1 in team slugging percentage and runs scored in the NAA. Their offense has entrenched itself in the top 5 across the league boards. There is a lot to like in that lineup with Steve Chesson (.377 AVG, 25 RBI, 3.1 WAR) and Chris Miller (.307 AVG, 14 HR, 54 RBI) leading the way. If their pitching can turn the page, this team might be able to make a late season push. They have tons of budget space available to make a big splash at the trade deadline. 

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13.  Nashville may be the most improved team when all is said and done. The Stars sit in second place in the West Division with 42 wins. They are sandwiched between Tucson and Salt Lake City. This could become the most interesting race depending on how these three teams approach the home stretch. Nashville is lead by their one-two punch of Jose Medina and Jose Caceres. Adan Avalos probably won't ever win any awards but he is a capable hurler atop this rotation. Over 16 games started 62.5% have been quality offerings. The Stars rank around 5th in most offensive and pitching categories and have been very much improved from a season ago. This team has already been surprising and might still have a few bigger tricks in store. Even as such, they are in a tough division seeing that SLC is wearing that crown.

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14. Sacramento has just 34 wins and sitting in third place. Ten games back by the end of June. Not a good spot for home run king Johnny Zapata. Will he find a new team during the deadline madness? This team won 90 games a season ago. What a difference a year can make.

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15. Vancouver finds itself in second place. Not bad for a team that traded away Chris Bray and Angel Munguia last year. While they they might be fun to watch and might even find themselves as a dark horse type pick to win the division, ultimately I believe that they end up right where they are. Runner up isn't bad for this franchise. They should be excited for the future with all the extra draft picks they have been grabbing.

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16. Charlotte has been the king of accumulating draft picks. They blew up their original roster in favor of future spoils. It'll be another few seasons before they're ready for the spotlight. Surprisingly enough, they have 39 wins for the year and are just over .500. 

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17. Managua finished third last year and most likely will finish third again this year. They are in the top ten in most categories but that is just enough to earn a spot in the middle of the pack. With some successful drafting and maybe a slick move at the deadline, this team could be poised to compete in a year or two. Until then, they are going to be right where they are, behind the Bogota Toros. The good news for Quakes fans is that they should now have a solid grip on the number two spot in the South Central Division.

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18. Guadalajara has not seen things go the way ownership would have liked and the recent departure of fan favorite 2B Joe Vennard only solidifies that. The Black Roses have become a holding place for other teams to find players to fill their voids. In the end, if Guadalajara is aiming for the future, they are succeeding in that plan and should be a team to watch for in the future. As far as this season goes, they are in third place with 31 wins and should be fairly safe in not finishing dead last in the Baja this year. More on that later...

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19. Montreal is not a happy place right now in the baseball world. They are holding up the bottom of the Atlantic Division with only 29 wins on the season. That's a big turn around for a team that won 87 games a season ago. The Monarques have 24 year old SP Wes Bathgate (8-4 W-L, 2.90 ERA, 0.98 WHIP), how did things get so bad in Montreal? No matter how the team approaches the deadline, they do have some pieces that may attract buyers, but I think Bathgate will find himself exempt from that exposure. 

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20. San Antonio is, well, they're doing better than the predicted 2 wins. That much is for certain. The Marshals have just 26 wins and are in last place in the West. It'll be a few years before we talk about this team as a competitor. 

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21. Santo Domingo has definitely improved this year in comparison to the previous 33 win campaign. That being said, they still find themselves in last place in the very tough Caribbean Division. They have one of the top pitching prospects in the league in pitcher Alex Jurez. Jurez has already swiftly maneuvered his way up to Double A equivalent (Advanced League) with a fine 1.99 ERA in 4 starts for La Romana. There is a lot to like with this kid. He should help this team become a contender down the road.

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22. Las Vegas is in full rebuild mode. They are stacked with draft picks thanks to the trade that sent super star Jose Garza to Mexico City. This team will be fun to watch with all of those young kids coming up through the farm in the years to come. For now, they have 27 wins are find themselves 17 games out of the division lead. 

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23. Panama City has one of the leagues brightest young stars in minor league pitcher Manny Perez. He was selected number 2 overall in the amateur draft and has Panama City fans chirping! Manny has already made his way to the Advanced Minor league system where he has 5 wins in 7 starts with a 3.28 ERA. The Parrots have only 24 wins on the season but are not in last place.

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24. Monterrey... Wow, what a complete collapse! This team fought to the very end last year and was in first place within the Baja Division for a good chunk of the season. Now, just a season later they find themselves in the exact situation many experts predicted. Most around the league and fans alike feared that with the older age of the Sultans roster, their window would be cut short. But no one thought the window would slam closed like that! This team is in need of a lot of work over the next few years to get back to their short lived glory days.

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Thanks for reading. Let me know if you made it through the entire article and what your favorite part was.