Pastime Baseball League
July Review (cont.)
Southern League Report
It's an uphill climb, but the pennant race everyone hoped for last year between the New Orleans Knights and the Memphis Strummers could transpire this year if the Strummers have a surge in them.
Memphis gained four games on New Orleans last month, putting themselves as the only second-place team within 10 games of the leader in the PBL's four divisions. Now nine games out, Memphis sees New Orleans ahead and knows they have plenty of time if they can get their offense clicking.
Of course, that's a big if for a lineup that has been ineffective at the least this year, ranking fifth in the Southern League in runs and next-to-last in slugging. Cap Anson (.291-4-38) has gotten his average up but is not hitting for any power and Ryan Braun (.270-17-72) was disabled during the All-Star break with back spasms, taking a power bat out of the lineup and leaving Oscar Charleston (.403-22-82) with little protection. Charleston's chase for .400 is stirring, but for Memphis, it's the chase for the division that matters. On top of their other struggles, ace Jesse Tannehill (12-4, 4.23) has been disabled since the first week of July with shoulder tendinitis. He's expected to miss another three weeks, by which point Memphis' season will either be very interesting or very much over.
Giving them hope is a New Orleans team that is battered and bruised. 2B Ross Barnes (.289-6-34) dislocated his shoulder on July 5; SP Doc McJames (8-9, 3.93) is out with a bone spur but expected back shortly; 3B/2B Evan Longoria (.262-15-65) has been out three weeks with a fractured rib; and SP Rich Harden (7-3, 4.84) is likely done for the season with a ruptured finger tendon. Rookie first baseman Jack Fournier (.341-6-26) got his most playing time of the year, and hit .364 on the month.
The Knights are going with a four-man rotation at the moment, biding time until McJames returns. Meanwhile, Mark Prior (16-4, 2.49) continues his outstanding season and Dontrelle Willis (13-4, 3.28) has become increasingly consistent.
Meanwhile, San Antonio got bad news as Brandon Webb (8-7, 3.06) went down with a severe ankle sprain some say could end his season. Second baseman Jimmy Williams (.281-14-64) is also sidelined with a shoulder injury, a pair of losses that contributed to San Antonio's first losing month (13-15). Nonetheless, with a 13-game lead, it seems San Antonio should hold on, barring something catastrophic.
AWARDS
Player of the Week
7/5 C Joe Mauer - Alabama Airmen
7/12 2B Jimmy Williams - San Antonio Sheriffs
7/19 1B Fred Tenney - Los Angeles Idols
7/26 1B Lip Pike - Las Vegas Bosses
Batter of the Month
1B Lip Pike - Las Vegas Bosses
Pitcher of the Month
SP Tim Lincecum - Memphis Strummers
Rookie of the Month
1B Jack Fournier - New Orleans Knights