Down the Stretch

Here are some things to watch in the 20+ HBD days left in the Fingers League's 14th regular season.

WILD CARD RACES

Four of the divison leaders have leads of seven games or more. So the Wild Card race will be a dog fight between the left over teams. The NL has three teams within four games of each other fighting for the final spot.

The AL side has four teams in the same situation. And it's very interesting over there. The Charlotte Wyverns are rolling with a rookie owner, the Syracuse Hop Hounds and Dover Dozers have one playoff appearance combined and the Boise Ice Breakers haven't made it since Season 9.

The three NL teams have had their own futilities. The Iowa City Corn Kings have missed the playoffs every season since Season 5. The Colorado Cougars have knocked on the door of the World Series twice in three seasons only to lose in the NLCS each time. And the Pittsburgh PooHoles have made it past the second round once in nine playoff appearances.

Hardball Dynasty's

Pat Rivera

Rivera is currently hitting .379. Two points above the league record. He has 13 games at his heavy hitters home ballpark and four series at ballbarks that are at least slighty hitters. He is also within 25 hits of the league record of 233.

Burlington MAPS (AL) froidl View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The most decorated franchise in Fingers history will hit 110 wins for the 8th straight season. I really have no clue what team could knock them off come playoff time. But I hope to see ex-MAPS and current Santa Cruz Spartans pitchers Tomas Armas and Nick Ransom get their chance at some point.

Speaking of Armas, he and teammate Donatello Davey are tied for most career wins at 218. Armas will without a doubt take hold of this record and not hand it over for quite some time. He should have two more seasons at his current ratings. But when he turns 37 he will start to lose one rating point in major pitching categories per rating cycle. I'm hoping this great pitcher will have enough left in the tank to win 300 games.