St. Louis Finns 108-54 .667 -
Los Angeles Nessmen 107-55 .660 1
Wilmington Quicksteps 98-64 .605 10
Manhattan Meat Possums 83-79 .512 25
Pittsburgh Pythons 82-80 .506 26
Illinois Noise 78-84 .481 30
Toronto Crown Royals 44-118 .272 64

 

Alaska Willows 100-62 .617 -
Arizona Raccoons 95-67 .586 5
Las Vegas Nomads 94-68 .580 6
Boston Dirt Dogs 93-69 .574 7
Fort Worth Pioneers 89-73 .549 11
Colorado Beavers 71-91 .438 29
Piedmont Giants 54-108 .333 46

 

 

 

BE SURE TO CHECK THE NOTES SECTION FOR GAMEPLAY SCHEDULE

 

Finns Stumble, Then Stomp To NL Title

With four games left to play, the St. Louis Finns and Los Angeles Nessmen still found themselves tied for first, thanks to both teams dropping two of the first three games in their respective series. But the Finns edged ahead Thursday night with an 8-1 victory to open their away set against the Toronto Crown Royals, while the Nessmen watched their bullpen collapse yet again in losing their home opener against the Illinois Noise, 8-4, in 10 innings. That was all the Finns needed, as they went on to sweep the depleted Royals in Toronto, including a 36-7 win Friday that set a new ISBL record for runs scored by one team in a single game. Wilson Delgado entered the game as a pinch-hitter and drove in 9 runs. The Nessmen won their remaining games, but the Finns clinched on the season's last day with a 17-2 victory, earning Curt Schilling his 20th win in the proc ... I CAN'T BELIEVE I LOST BY ONE DAMN GAME!!! Oh. Sorry about that. We return you now to the passive writing style ...

Willows Win Federal, But Playoff Spots Go Down To Wire

The Alaska Willows clinched the Federal League title on the road Monday, beating the Raccoon, 3-2, in Arizona. The Raccoons still managed to grab a playoff spot by taking the series, 4 games to 3, to finish in 2nd. That left the battle for 3rd between the Boston Dirt Dogs and Las Vegas Nomads, who entered the final day tied as they battled in Boston. Their final game saw the two teams tied, 4-4, through six innings before the Nomads' Kazou Matsui hit a two-out double in the top 7th off Darren Dreifort to score pitcher Jon Garland (who had reached on a force out) from first. The Dirt Dogs threatened in the bottom 8th, as their first two batters reached base off Brian Shouse, but got no further than second, as the Nomads held on for a 5-4 win and the final playoff spot.

 
The Washington Gridlock finished the year with six losses in a row against the Omaha Orange Crush, yet still managed to grab 4th and Senior security as neither the Albuquerque Sidewinders (swept by the Beltway Bandits) nor Saskatchewan Prairie Fire (1-5 against the Pittsburgh Pythons) could gain ground. The Sidewinders were eliminated Thursday in a 5-2 away defeat, while the Prairie Fire faded out of the picture the next day after a 4-3 loss at Pittsburgh.

 
The Cartersville Cyclones, who famously dropped their final seven games in 2004 to hand the final Union playoff spot to the sweeping Chicago Bulldogs, made no such mistake this time, clinching a playoff spot Wednesday with a 7-5 home win against the Seattle Navigators. The Bulldogs nailed down the other spot the same afternoon with a 10-2 away win against the Louisville Sluggers. Both teams finished with 77-85 records, but Cartersville will have home-field advantage, thanks to a 12-8 season record against the Bulldogs.

League Openings

The Seattle Navigators and New York Underdogs are currently available. We are actively seeking new owners for these teams. If you know someone who might be a good candidate, contact Stats and we'll throw them into the mix for consideration.

THE 2005 ISBL PLAYOFFS

Yeah, these are last year's graphics. Sue me.

    VS  

The two teams split their Week 17 series, 3-3.

   VS  

The Cards went 5-1 in their Week 24 series.

   VS  

The Pythons went 11-9 vs. the Noise this year.

   VS  

The 'Winders went 12-8 vs. the Fire this year.

 

   VS  

The two teams split the season series, 10-10.

 

   VS  

The Cyclones won the season series, 12-8.

 

RULES FOR THE 2005 ISBL PLAYOFFS

  • Rosters are to be set at 25 players, with no substitutions, even in the event of injury.
  • First team to score four victories wins.
  • All series are 2-3-2, with an off day for travel between each home set.
  • The FTF teams have home field advantage (even year) in both the Senior and Junior World Series.
  • Home field advantage went to the team with the best record (or who held the tiebreak, if identical records) in the promotional/relegational series.
  • No ++overused++ or **Junior Draft** players are eligible for use in the playoffs.
  • Non-unlimited batters are limited to 10% of their real-life PAs for the series. Any non-unlimited batter exceeding 10% at the end of a given game should be farmed. The two managers should chart usage for both their own team and their opponent's team and note when such farmings should take place. Any non-unlimited batter exceeding 10% will be ineligible for the 2004 ISBL Diamond Cup.
  • Non-unlimited pitchers are limited to 15% of their real-life BFs for the series. Any non-unlimited pitcher exceeding 15% at the end of a given game should be farmed. Again, the two managers should chart usage for both their own team and their opponent's team and note when such farmings should take place. Any non-unlimited pitcher exceeding 15% will be ineligible for the 2004 ISBL Diamond Cup.
  • Playing these games head-to-head over NetPlay is strongly recommended, in the interest of both fairness and fun, as well as the ability to track said usage. If you have problems getting NetPlay scheduled for your series, let STATS know.

THE 2005 ISBL DIAMOND CUP -- PRELIMINARY ROUND

The random drawing for the preliminary round of the Diamond Cup, featuring the bottom four teams in each Junior Circuit league, was held Wednesday. The first team listed is the home team for Game 1 and (if necessary) Game 3.
  • Beavers vs. Wolverines
  • Giants vs. Underdogs
  • Navigators vs. Sluggers
  • Pioneers vs. Dirt Dogs

The preliminary round losers will receive $300k toward their 2006 coffers. The preliminary round winners will advance to the First Round of the Diamond Cup, which begins Saturday, Oct. 15, joining the remaining Junior Circuit teams and the 5th-thru-7th-place teams from both Senior Circuit leagues. Again, a random drawing of opponents will be held at 10pm EDT on Monday, Oct. 17.

 

RULES FOR THE 2005 ISBL DIAMOND CUP

  • Expanded rosters (up to 40 players).

  • First team to score two victories wins.

  • All series are 1-1-1, with no off days for travel.

  • Pairings and home-field advantage are determined by random lot.

  • ++Overused++ players ARE NOT eligible for the Diamond Cup.

  • **Junior Draft** players ARE eligible for the Diamond Cup.

  • Non-unlimited players are limited to 100% of their real-life PAs/BFs for the duration of the Diamond Cup. After each round, those players who have exceeded 100% will be farmed for the remainder of the Cup.

  • Playing these games head-to-head over NetPlay is strongly recommended, in the interest of both fairness and fun, as well as the money riding on advancing through to the next round. If you have problems getting NetPlay scheduled for your series, let STATS know.
    •

2005 ISBL DIAMOND CUP SCHEDULE

  • Preliminary Round (Oct. 7-9) -- bottom 4 teams from each Junior Circuit league -- losers get $300k, winners advance to First Round.
  • First Round (Oct. 15-17) -- Preliminary Round winners join the rest of the Junior Circuit and the bottom 3 teams from each Senior Circuit league -- losers get $500k, winners advance to Second Round.
  • Second Round (Oct. 18-20) -- First Round winners join the rest of the Senior Circuit -- losers get $700k, winners advance to Quarterfinal Round
  • Quarterfinal Round (Oct. 21-23) -- losers get $1m, winners advance to Semifinal Round
  • Semifinal Round (Oct. 24-26) -- losers get $1.3m, winners advance to Final Round
  • Final Round (Oct. 27-29) -- loser gets $1.6m, winner gets $2m

Players who exceed 110% usage for the year will be posted here. New additions are in bold red. They have been mandatorily farmed for the year, can not be traded, and are ineligible for postseason and cup play. These players are noted in your roster with the coding ++NAME++.

BATTERS

  • Richie Weeks (GIA) -- DNP

  • Jeff Liefer (UND) -- 129%

  • Midre Cummings (FOR) -- 125%

  • Augie Ojeda (UND) -- 124%

  • Colin Porter (UND) -- 120%

  • Russell Branyan (QUI) -- 120%

  • Geronimo Gil (PIO) -- 120%

  • Troy Glaus (MEA) -- 119%

  • Javier Valentin (QUI) -- 118%

  • Alex Sanchez (SLU) -- 116%

  • Craig Monroe (PYT) -- 115%

  • Robby Hammock (MEA) -- 115%

  • Ryan Klesko (MEA) -- 115%

  • Terrence Long (RAC) -- 114%

  • Ramon Hernandez (BUL) -- 114%

  • Brady Clark (MEA) -- 113%

  • Gregg Zaun (MEA) -- 113%

  • Mike Matheny (SID) -- 112%

  • Gerald Williams (MEA) -- 112%

  • Nick Punto (QUI) -- 112%

  • Todd Greene (CRO) -- 111%

  • Wily Mo Pena (UND) -- 111%

  • Eric Valent (UND) -- 111%

  • Jeremy Reed (CRO) -- 111%

 PITCHERS

  • Chad Fox (NOI) -- 171%

  • Randy Flores (SID) -- 154%

  • Matt Guerrier (MEA) -- 146%

  • Brian Sweeney (Released) -- 143%

  • Mike Bacsik (NAV) -- 140%

  • Ryan Glynn (MEA) -- 138%

  • Pedro Liriano (PIO) -- 130%

  • Cha Seung Baek (MEA) -- 129%

  • Grant Balfour (Released) -- 127%

  • Tomo Ohka (BUL) -- 126%

  • Tim Drew (FOR) -- 125%

  • Elizardo Ramirez (MEA) -- 124%

  • Todd Williams (Released) -- 124%

  • Geoff Geary (SID) -- 122%

  • Lenny DiNardo (BEA) -- 122%

  • Steve Kline (MEA) -- 121%

  • Valerio de los Santos (PRA) -- 120%

  • Jung Keun Bong (SLU) -- 120%

  • Mark Corey (MEA) -- 120%

  • Ryan Dempster (SLU) -- 119%

  • Mike Nakamura (Released) -- 119%

  • Chad Durbin (DIR) -- 118%

  • Jon Leicester (FOR) -- 118%

  • Ron Mahay (QUI) -- 116%

  • Horacio Ramirez (BUL) -- 115%

  • Doug Brocail (FOR) -- 115%

  • Travis Harper (MEA) -- 115%

  • Scott Sullivan (CRO) -- 114%

  • Bret Prinz (Released) -- 114%

  • Antonio Osuna (QUI) -- 114%

  • Brian Fuentes (QUI) -- 114%

  • Orber Moreno (Released) -- 113%

  • Jim Mecir (PIO) -- 113%

  • Sean Douglass (MEA) -- 113%

  • Troy Percival (UND) -- 113%

  • Brad Halsey (CRO) -- 113%

  • Byung-Hyun Kim (CRO) -- 112%

  • Ramon Colon (WOL) -- 112%

  • Trevor Hoffman (BUL) -- 112%

  • Cliff Nageotte (CRO) -- 112%

  • D.J. Carrasco (CRO) -- 112%

  • Juan Cruz (MEA) -- 112%

  • Brad Penny (QUI) -- 112%

  • Jaime Cerda (SLU) -- 112%

  • Sean Burnett (NAV) -- 112%

  • Salomon Torres (PIO) -- 111%

  • Julio Mateo (SLU) -- 111%

  • Luke Hudson (PIO) -- 111%

  • Mark Malaska (PIO) -- 111%

 

  • NONE.

ROSTERS ARE NOW EXPANDED. MID-SERIES ROSTER MOVES ARE OK.

BE CAREFUL TO KEEP PLAYERS ON DISABLED LIST FOR MINIMUM 15 DAYS. Check the DL listings below to be sure what date players are eligible to return. PLEASE NOTE: The game program allows players to be brought back before they've served 15 days. ISBL DOES NOT, so please consult the DL listings to ensure that you're bringing players back on the correct date.

STAY ON SCHEDULE!!!

  • Contact your opponent ASAP once the disk pops (earlier, if you so desire, or if you know you're going to have sched probs).

  • If you have contacted your opponent, and have not heard anything by Friday night (or not received an MP from the away team, if playing MP), contact Stats immediately.

  • If you are playing MP, first set should be done no later than Saturday night and sent to BOTH your opponent AND to Stats. If you haven't gotten this back by the time you wake up Sunday morning, contact Stats immediately.

  • By the time you go to bed Monday night, all games should be in. If you have been unable to accomplish this, or see that your opponent (in the instances of MP play) has not gotten them in, you need to contact Stats before you go to bed Monday night and request an extension. Extension must explain (1) reason for delay; and (2) how the games will be resolved within the next 36 hours. If you fail to get in games, or fail to request extension, remaining games will be simmed.

  • If (and ONLY if) extension has been requested, you need to have all games in by 5pm Eastern Wednesday. Anything not in at that point will be simmed.

If you have any additional questions about the play schedule, please direct them to stats@isbl.com.

  • OK, this is odd, but in mid-week, John Franco and Buddy Groom were cut from the Navigators, and Sterling Hitchcock and Jeff D'Amico were signed for $100k each. This move was supposed to take place at beginning of week, but there was an MP mix-up on the admin end of things.

You can track your finances, as well as your payroll ceiling, at the ISBL Finances page (see link above).

Please be sure to check if you have injured players. This lists only players already placed on the DL.

A (CAREFUL!) note denotes a player whose injury expires before his DL time does. Don't bring these players up until the day noted, or the Usage Nazi hammer will come down on your little head.

The following are color-coded for your pleasure. Bold players are new additions.

The day listed is the day they can come back and play.

  • John Patterson (SLU), hurt 8/19 for 26 days, can come off NOW

  • Rick Ankiel (FOR), hurt 8/31 for 4 days, can come off NOW

  • Pat Hentgen (NAV), hurt 9/3 for 19 days, can come off NOW

  • Nomar Garciaparra (QUI), hurt 8/26 for 44 days, can come off 10/9

Yeah, I suck. I'm sorry, Kevin, I just haven't had the time to format those suckers for voting. I'm weighing the option of just dumping it all onto one page and having people who want to vote type out their picks longhand. Yeah, it's that bad on this end. *sigh*

 

 

 

 

Beltway Bandits 116-46 .716 -
Chicago Force 92-70 .568 24
Omaha Orange Crush 79-83 .488 37
Washington Gridlock 67-95 .414 49
Albuquerque Sidewinders 64-98 .395 52
Saskatchewan Prairie Fire 63-99 .389 53
Halifax Explosion 53-109 .327 63

South Carolina Cardinals 113-49 .698 -
Cartersville Cyclones 77-85 .475 36
Chicago Bulldogs 77-85 .475 36
New York Underdogs 70-92 .432 43
Seattle Navigators 69-93 .426 44
Louisville Sluggers 68-94 .420 45
San Mateo Wolverines 64-98 .395 49