Sale's 8-K performance not enough

Chris Sale whiffed 8 batters, but the Gaggle managed to beat the Fighting Irish, 4-3. | Box

Big game for Garciaparra lifts Mutiny to victory

Nomar Garciaparra drove in 4 runs, carrying Lake Michigan to a 9-1 victory over the Offenders. | Box

Williams unloads, Bombers still lose

Ted Williams blasted 2 homers, but it wasn't enough to lift the Bombers over the Banana Slugs. Bellevue won by a score of 6-5. | Box

Koufax whiffs 11 in 8-2 win

Sandy Koufax struckout 11 Leschi batters in a 8-2 win for the Squids. | Box

Wilson delivers in clutch, Hammers win

Hack Wilson drove in 5 runs, carrying Western Springs to a 8-4 victory over the Fighting Cows. | Box

Lead Story - 10/3/2024

Brett's bomb ends back-and-forth World Series

In a series that went back-and-forth for the full seven games, George Brett's three-run homer off Brad Lidge in the 7th inning of Game Seven broke a scoreless tie and handed the Mutiny their sixth SBL championship since their inception in 1998. Christie Mathewson tossed a shutout for Lake Michigan, aided by four ground-ball double-plays in a fitting conclusion to a Mutiny season highlighted by stellar pitching. Mathewson and Pedro Martinez won all four games in the series, holding the Hammers' explosive lineup to five runs in those contests. Great season by all, especially the Mutiny and Hammers. See you all in 2025.

9/8/2024

Playoffs Set

The regular season has come to an exciting close, with division races going down to the wire and MVP-caliber performances leading the charge. Here's how it all played out and what to expect in the playoffs.

East Division Showdown
The East division saw a thrilling battle between the Berkeley Bombers and the Western Springs Hammers. The Bombers clinched the division title by a razor-thin margin, finishing just one game ahead of the Hammers with 70 wins. Berkeley was powered by Ted Williams, whose .306 batting average was second-best in the league, and the dominant arm of Bob Gibson, who racked up 15 wins and is the frontrunner for the Cy Young award.

The Hammers, despite falling short of the division crown, had stellar seasons from Barry Bonds and Hack Wilson. Both sluggers launched 40 home runs, and they finished 1-2 in RBIs with 125 and 122, respectively. Their MVP-level performances make them a dangerous team heading into the postseason.

Central Division
In the Central, the Mutiny edged out the Gaggle to claim the division title with 72 wins, earning a first-round bye in the playoffs. Frank Thomas anchored the offense with 37 home runs, while the pitching staff was led by the legendary Walter Johnson, who also notched 15 wins. Sid Fernandez was a surprise contributor, adding 13 wins to bolster the Mutiny's rotation.

The Gaggle fought hard but came up just short, missing out on the last playoff spot due to a tiebreaker with the Swingers.

Western Dominance
The Banana Slugs dominated the West and secured the overall #1 seed with 75 wins, also earning a first-round bye. Lou Gehrig’s 29 home runs led the charge for a balanced team that finished second in both team hitting and pitching. The Slugs’ combination of strong pitching and an impenetrable bullpen makes them the team to beat in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Ridgebacks put together a fantastic season, finishing with 73 wins and leading the league in hitting. Despite their offensive firepower, led by Mickey Mantle and Larry Walker, they’ll enter the playoffs as the third seed, having lost the division title to the Slugs.

Playoff Matchups Set
The playoff picture is now clear. In the first round, the Western Springs Hammers will travel to face the Ridgebacks, while the Swingers, who clinched the last playoff spot on a tiebreaker, will take on the division-winning Berkeley Bombers.

The Gaggle missed out on the playoffs after losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Swingers. Both teams finished with 66 wins, but the Swingers narrowly won the season series, 5-4.

With so many top performers and tight division races, the Stonebrook Baseball League playoffs promise to be an exciting, unpredictable showdown. Stay tuned!

4/21/2024

Free Agency opens Monday 4/22 at Noon!

Great job with the draft - teams will be allowed to get to 23 players at Noon on Monday when free agency opens. Drops will open once everyone has a chance to get to 23 players. Also, get any manager or stadium or other team details you want to change updated now via your Team Page, and make any season changes to any of your players. (These will lock about 5 game into the season.)

10/8/2023

Cash walks off Swingers as winners

It was a wild SBL season, and it ended with a wild seven-game series that saw the Swingers come back from a 3-1 hole to win Game Seven thanks to two late homeruns. Salvador Perez's bomb in the 8th tied the game, and Norm Cash led off the 10th with a solo shot, sending the Swingers home with their 5th SBL title, passing the Gaggle for the most since 2008.

Congrats to Josh, as well as Ben who's Slugs had another great run and almost took the title. It was a year of much parity, and I look forward to what 2024 will bring!

9/11/2023

A Season of Thrills, Spills, and Unforgettable Moments

2023 Playoff Seeds:
#1 Gaggle (72 wins)
#2 Swingers (70 wins, 9-8 over Slugs)
#3 Hammers (East champs by one game)
#4 Slugs (70 wins)
#5 Mutiny (69 wins)
#6 Irish (68 wins)

First Round
Irish @ Hammers
Mutiny @ Slugs

As the dust settles on the Stonebrook Baseball League's regular season, fans and players alike can look back on a campaign that was nothing short of extraordinary. With all six playoff teams within just four games of each other, the competition was fierce and the drama was high.

The West Division: A Tale of Two Titans
In the West, the Bellevue Banana Slugs and the Las Vegas Swingers finished neck-and-neck, both boasting a 70-60 record. However, the Swingers clinched the division title with a 9-8 record against the Banana Slugs. The Swingers' offense, led by a run differential of +27, was a key factor in their success. Meanwhile, the Banana Slugs were no slouches either, with a +59 run differential, indicating that their pitching and defense were top-notch.

The Central Division: The Glen Gaggle Soars
The Central Division saw The Glen Gaggle finish at the top with a 72-58 record. Their +53 run differential and recent form of 6-4 in the last 10 games show that they are a force to be reckoned with. Lake Michigan Mutiny followed closely, just three games behind, making them a team to watch in the playoffs.

The East Division: Western Springs Hammers Nail It
In the East, the Western Springs Hammers took the division with a 69-61 record. Despite losing two of their last games, they managed to stay ahead of the County Cork Fighting Irish by just one game. The Fighting Irish, however, are on a two-game winning streak and have won 7 of their last 10, making them a dark horse in the upcoming playoffs.

Final Thoughts
As we gear up for the playoffs, one thing is clear: in a league where the competition is this fierce, anything can happen. So grab your popcorn, folks, because the Stonebrook Baseball League playoffs are going to be a rollercoaster ride you won't want to miss!