Ale League

IPA Division – Edmonton has a 22 game lead, on the strength of a 15 (!!) game winning streak that’s still ongoing (which coincides with the arrival of new ace Madison Bumgarner, who is 4-0 with 4 CG and a 1.22 ERA in 37 IP).

Stout Division – Shiner has a 3 game lead over Fargo, as both teams are hot (8-2 in their last 10 games). It may come down to head to head play to determine the winner, as these two teams play each other 6 more times down the stretch (the season series is tied, 6-6).

Wildcard – Fargo has a commanding lead for the top wildcard slot, leaving the following teams to fight for the 2nd wildcard:

• Payette (– GB)
• Newcastle (1 GB)
• Bridgeport (1.5 GB)
• Allegheny (5 GB)

Looking like a real 3 team race with Allegheny hanging in there on the fringes

If the playoffs started today:

Edmonton (1) vs Payette (4)

Shiner (2) vs Fargo (3)

Lager League

Bock Division – Guadalajara holds a solid 6 game lead over Ottawa, though Ottawa has gained a bit of ground of late as they have won 4 in a row and 7 of their last 10.

Pilsner Division – Woodbury has a 4 game lead over Naptown, with both teams playing well lately.

Wildcard – Unlike the Ale League, the playoff picture appears set in the Lager league, as Naptown (currently in possession of the 2nd wildcard) is 8 games up on the nearest team (Sudbury). Toronto, which made a flurry of deadline deals to improve the team, may have too big of a hole to climb as they need to make up 9.5 games over their final 42 games. Not impossible, but the margin of error is thin.

If the playoffs started today:

Guadalajara (1) vs Naptown (4)

Woodbury (2) vs Ottawa (3)

Notes from the league leaders

In the Ale, Shiner’s Danny Santana is still batting over .400, and along with Justin Morneau Shiner owns the top 2 spots on the batting average leaderboard and the next closest guy (Allegheny’s Pablo Sandoval) isn’t really close.  Fargo’s Edwin Encarnacion currently leads the HR race in the Ale at 37, holding off Steve Pearce (34) and Troy Tulowitzki (33).  Edmonton’s Pujols and Tulo are battling for the RBI crown at 95 and 94 respectively.  On the pitching side, Fargo’s Ken Giles has been (smartly, given the card) worked like a rented mule and thus has enough innings to qualify for (and lead) the ERA race at 2.20.  Alfredo Simon and Carlos Carrasco are both at 19 wins as they race towards 20+.  Edmonton’s Huston Street, despite losing the closer job for a bit earlier in the year (when his ERA was closer to 5.00; it’s now back down to around 3.00), is leading the saves race with 29 (though he’s 2nd in the league with 6 blown saves).

In the Lager, Victor Martinez of Guadalajara leads the league with a .342 average, with Freddie Freeman of Ottawa behind and .328. Martinez is making a triple crown push as he also leads in HR (32; next closes is Justin Upton of Woodbury at 28) and RBI (110; next closest is Jose Bautista of Ottawa at 105).  On the pitching side, Ottawa’s newly acquired Doug Fister leads the league in ERA with 2.12 over Naptown’s Clayton Kershaw, while Guadalajara’s Zack Greinke (how great is that auction pick looking now, given his amazing MLB season?) has become the BLB’s first 20 game winner.  David Robertson leads the league in saves with 34 and it isn’t even close as the next closest guy, Ottawa’s Greg Holland, is 15 saves behind.

Should be a great stretch drive in the BLB as there are a few close division races as well as the Ale wildcard to keep an eye on, and a race for both .400 and a triple crown to watch for as well!