Lead Story - 12/14/2025

League News

Diamondbacks win the WORLD SERIES; take down #1 seed Twins……Arizona takes home 6th ring; ties league record……..new ownership in Baltimore has big plans, but will they do enough to satisfy an angry fanbase…..LF Blair Warner departs ARI; wants to reunite with the Cincy Reds…..rumblings of new ownership in KC and SFG, but purely rumors at this point…… elite RP Bruce Regal hitting open market at 28 years old as Twins signal they won’t be tagging him…….

12/14/2025

The Arizona Diamondbacks…. Champions Again🏆

In a postseason that won’t soon be forgotten for its reshuffling of GBF history, the Arizona Diamondbacks emerged victorious, capturing their 6th GBF championship and tying the Cleveland Indians for the most titles in league history. The road to glory was tough: Arizona had to endure two Game 7s in three series testing both their resilience and their clutch gene. They toppled the breakout Sonics in a riveting early round match, dethroned the defending champion Astros in an unexpected sweep, and finally overcame the #1-seeded Twins in a tense, pitcher's duel to cap it all.

“I’ve been around this club my whole life,” said Helmet Macklin, Arizona’s manager and franchise icon, who spent 19 seasons with the DBacks before taking the helm. “To see these guys fight through every inning of 7 close games under the brightest lights—it’s everything. This is what Diamondbacks baseball is all about: heart, grit, and pushing to your absolute limits to live up to the name on the front of this jersey. This is as proud as I’ve ever been on a baseball field; these boys deserve this.”

The World Series MVP award went to SP Richard Guasch, a seasoned veteran whose performance proved that experience still carries plenty of weight. Guasch recorded two seven-inning shutouts (Game 3 and the clinching Game 7) allowing just 0.75 WHIP across 14.2 scoreless innings and fanning 9.2 batters per nine. “The offense didn’t always click, but I knew my job was to give us a chance,” Guasch said humbly. “When the season is on the line, you leave everything on that line. No other way to do it. So that’s what we did.” With over 3,000 career innings and nearly 200 wins, Guasch had flirted with CYA contention in the past, but this championship solidified his legacy in the only way that truly matters: a ring.

Meanwhile, CF Yoennis Pack was a consistent spark at the plate, slashing an astonishing .414/.452/.655 (1.107 OPS) and saving a run in the field, though his contributions of only 3 RBI & 4 runs didn’t quite match Guasch’s symbolic dominance. “Yoennis carried us offensively when we needed it, no question,” Macklin said. “Sometimes, one player doesn’t win a series, but he made sure we could get there.”

The Twins, led by manager Samir El-Zarad, a lifelong Twin and former MVP himself, had boasted a rotation headlined by reigning MVP SP Max Russo and Yankee trade acquisition Roman Winnister, along with the formidable offensive trio of Rudy Vaughn, Karl Ulrich, and Skinny Bowen (each of who took home a Silver Slugger). Despite their firepower, they fell just short, settling for their second pennant. “We gave it everything,” El-Zarad reflected with a weariness in his voice. “Max and Roman were dominant all year, Erstad stepped up majorly, and our guys hit the ball—sometimes the breaks just weren’t there. But you don’t just stumble into a league-best record. Props to Arizona this time… but we’ll be back.”

Arizona’s celebration was as much about legacy as it was about triumph. With Bud Flowers returning to the squad in the offseason, the midseason wheel-and-deal that led to adding Dallimore and Taylor Trosky to the lineup, and Macklin’s lighthearted leadership guiding them every step of the way, the Diamondbacks cemented themselves as the gold standard of perseverance and consistency. “This is more than a championship to these guys,” Macklin said. “This is a hunger that’s never satisfied. The guys in this clubhouse, I’m telling you, they’re insatiable. This is a 1st ring for some; for others in there it’s the 4th or 5th. Yet every single one craves more as much as the guy next to him.” Macklin took a serious tone for a moment that cut through the jubilation. “The few who come through here and don’t have that craving, who arent obsessed with another ring; they don’t last long in the desert.” As he finished his statement, he was mobbed by a group of veterans led by impending free agents Spencer Brickhouse and Thomas Otsuka, both longtime teammates of Macklin, and they retreated into the clubhouse with screams of joy and bottles popping for what is known to likely be their last hurrah together.

League Chat Box

12/14/2025

Season 28 Award Winners

Congratulations to the winners and their owners! All awards will be reflected on their player cards in the next day or two. “Big 3” award ballot will be out soon! Who got snubbed? Who are you excited about getting their 1st? Who is padding a future HOF resumé with coveted Silver Sluggers? Drop any thoughts in the chat box. Enjoy!

No-Hitters:
(Career totals in parentheses)

ARI Malcolm Brown -- Perfect Game (3rd)
PIT Vin Wicker -- Perfect Game (2nd)
KC Gil Jarvis -- Perfect Game (1st)
WAS Benito Madden -- Perfect Game (1st)
-ARI Dave Clarkson (2nd)
-LAD Dante Diamond (2nd)
-TB Lukas Young (1st)
-SEA Kumar Rocker (1st)
-CLE George Simpkins (1st)
-TOR Tink Hence (Playoffs) (1st)

Batting Champion:
—HOU 1B Max Jones (.344 BA)

Stolen Base Champion:
—STL CF Oscar Mercado (93 SBs/70%)

Home Run Champion:
—LAD 2B Barack Irving (51 Home Runs)

Strikeout King:
—TOR SP Tink Hence (11.2 K/9–2nd in league; 249 K’s—2nd in league)

Relief Pitcher of the Year:
—LAD RP Brian Porter (9-1, 1.43 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 176.2 IP. Only 2 blown saves in 98 games) Back-to-back RPoY recipient.

**World Series MVP**
—SP Richard Guasch
2-0 record, 14.2 shutout innings, 0.75 WHIP, 9.2 K/9.


SILVER SLUGGERS
*Must have played at least 5 games at a position to qualify.
*All offensive stats are considered including BA, OPS, RBI’s, XBH, steals, etc.

NOTES:
-10 players received their 1st Silver Slugger.
-3 players received their 4th Silver Slugger.
-1 rookie won a Silver Slugger (OSA OF Huber).
-14 different teams had at least one player win.

C:
CHC Chipper Spyte (1st) and TOR Edmund Sanders (1st)

1B:
HOU Max Jones (1st) and LAA Archer Drakos (2nd)

2B:
LAD Barack Irving (4th) and SEA Jason Funk (1st)

3B:
MIN Rudy Vaughn (2nd) and ARI Taylor Trosky (2nd)

SS:
SDP Jamal Meek (1st) and ARI Korky Loaring (2nd)

OF:
MON George Fondy (1st)
MON Jamari Baylor (4th)
COL Ray Okoniewski (1st)
QUE Rhett Wiseman (4th)
MIN Skinny Bowen (2nd)
OSA Aaron Huber (1st)

DH:
SEA Kinley Carpenter (2nd) and MIN Karl Ulrich (3rd)

Flex:
PAP Ryan McMahon (1st) and LON Sonny Pinkerton (1st)


——“Close, but no cigar”——
These guys were heavily considered. Lots of close calls, some lost out by only a hair. But I wanted to at least highlight some really strong seasons that unfortunately just weren’t *quite* enough to make the cut. List of runner-ups and position they were best qualified for:

-CIN Joey Ford (C)
-MON Jake Fishman (3B)
-LAA Chile Thomas (C)
-SEA Tom Gilbert (OF)
-SEA Anthony Flores (SS)
-COL Mike Gesualdo (3B)
-OAK Mel Badenhop (OF/DH)
-ARI Bud Flowers (2B)
-CLE Garrett Hampson (Flex)
-STL Oscar Mercado (OF)
-STL Jayce Coutee (1B/Flex)
-PHI Jayson Gregg (OF)
-SFG Louis Bullinger (DH)
-BOS Corey Vanek (3B)
-ARI Noah Reach (C)

11/15/2025

Season 28 Draft Info/Tags/Cuts/Stadiums

1st Round Picks:
TOR 1st to Buffaloes (LF Milo McCauley deal)
ARI 1st to Buffaloes (LF Taylor Trosky deal)
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1st Round Comp Picks: ($100+)
#1 LAD (RF Tom Gilbert)
#2 CLE (RP Alexis Casto)
#3 SDP (UTL Anthony Flores)
#4 BAL (SP Benito Madden)
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2nd Round Picks:
-MIA 2nd to Diamondbacks (SP Brian Kalahan deal)—back to Marlins (LF Traffley/DH Dallimore deal)
-NYY 2nd to Twins (SP Roman Winnister/INF Monty Moreno deal)
-CLE 2nd to Diamondbacks (Yorbin Cueta deal)—to Buffaloes (LF Taylor Trosky deal)
-OSA 2nd to Diamondbacks (LF Taylor Trosky deal)
-HOU 2nd to Marlins (SP Jude McCleary deal)
-WAS 2nd to Marlins (SP Lenny Stevens deal)
-TEX 2nd to Diamondbacks (LF Kyle Traffley deal)
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2nd Round Comp Picks ($60+)
#1 QUE (RF Franklin Saint)
#2 LAD (SP Barry Yates)
#3 STL (2B Bruno Langwell)—to Marlins (2nd SP Kalahan deal)
#4 TEX (SP Jon Kennedy)
#5 PAP (RP Yan Peralta)
#6 PAP (RF Bill Durbin)
#7 MIN (SP Malcom Brown)—-to NYY (Winnister/Moreno trade)
#8 PHI (RP Jason Marnie)
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COMP PICKS PLACED AT END OF ROUND
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IFA Posting Fees:
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Arbitration Cuts:
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Franchise Tags: (Season 28)
TEX LF Jeremy Stoyanovich (1 year)
TOR CF Buddy Sullivan (1 year)
PHI SP Sora Genji-Kido (2 years)
MIN SS Apollo Armstrong (2 years)
BOS 3B Corey Vanek (2 years)
MON SP Karl Hasney (1 year)
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Position Changes (Season 28)
DET Jay Charleston LF(3B)>>>LF(1B)
DET Aurelio Cepeda 3B(3B)>>> 3B(LF)
DET Greg Wallace 3B(3B)>>>3B(LF)
OAK Keenan Lowry RF(3B)>>>3B(1B)
STL Justin Espinosa 1B(RF)>> RF(1B)*Penalties incurred*
STL Mickey Meyer 2B(3B)>>>2B(SS)
SEA Peter Kavanaugh RF(3B) >>>RF(LF)
SEA Kinley Carpenter 2B(1B)>>> 2B(SS)
SEA Dom Hogan 1B(1B)>>>1B(LF)
SEA Vosco Imani 3B(LF)>>> LF(3B)*Penalties incurred*
PHI Taylor SS(2B) >>> SS(3B)
PHI Cave 2B(2B)>>>2B(RF)
PHI Tolbert 2B(2B)>>>2B(SS)
ARI Michael Andrews 1B(1B)>>>1B(3B)
ARI Yorbin Cueta LF(LF)>>> LF(1B)
ARI Omah Moron SS(SS)>>> SS(LF)

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Stadium Dimension Changes
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New Owner Cut Contracts