One things I find fun about the new schedule is that now, with all the interdivisional games glommed together, you can get a real sense of ebb and flow as far as the power structure goes. For example, let’s cut to the chase. Arguably the best division in baseball by the numbers is the Frontier Division. Or at least they are the most dominant division over their Johnson League Rivals. I say that because the Frontier Division went 273-239 against Atlantic Division rivals, a whopping 34-game variance.
In the Frick, things were essentially even, with the chest-beaters eking out a two-win advantage, finishing 257-255 against their Pacific Division rivals.
The question can be asked, of course, about whether this dominance is more an indicator of the weakness of the Atlantic Division than it is the dominance of the Frontier, I’ll leave that as an exercise for the reader. That said, here are the beak-outs by team:
Vs ATLANTIC | W | L | PCT |
---|---|---|---|
Phoenix Talons | 41 | 23 | .641 |
Calgary Pioneers | 40 | 24 | .625 |
Las Vegas Hustlers | 36 | 28 | .563 |
Rocky Mountain Oysters | 35 | 29 | .547 |
Boise Spuds | 33 | 31 | .516 |
Mexico City Aztecs | 31 | 33 | .484 |
San Antonio Outlaws | 29 | 35 | .453 |
Edmonton Jackrabbits | 28 | 36 | .438 |
Vs FRONTIER | W | L | PCT |
---|---|---|---|
Charm City Jimmies | 41 | 23 | .641 |
Montreal Blazers | 37 | 27 | .578 |
New Orleans Crawdads | 37 | 27 | .578 |
Charlotte Flyers | 33 | 31 | .516 |
Rockville Pikemen | 32 | 32 | .500 |
Jacksonville Hurricanes | 26 | 38 | .406 |
Atlantic City Gamblers | 23 | 41 | .359 |
Brooklyn Robins | 10 | 54 | .156 |
Woah, right? I mean…look at that. Five of the eight Atlantic teams were .500 or better against the Frontier, but that lower portion of the division was horrific, and especially Brooklyn. In fact, take the Robins out, and you’ve got a whole nother ballgame.
Vs PACIFIC | W | L | PCT |
---|---|---|---|
Nashville Bluebirds | 45 | 19 | .703 |
Twin Cities River Monsters | 40 | 24 | .625 |
Omaha Cyclones | 34 | 30 | .531 |
Des Moines Kernels | 32 | 32 | .500 |
Chicago Black Sox | 28 | 36 | .438 |
Louisville Sluggers | 27 | 37 | .422 |
Madison Wolves | 27 | 37 | .422 |
Yellow Springs Nine | 24 | 40 | .375 |
Vs HEARTLAND | W | L | PCT |
---|---|---|---|
Sacramento Mad Popes | 41 | 23 | .641 |
Long Beach Surfers | 35 | 29 | .547 |
Vancouver Mounties | 32 | 32 | .500 |
Hawaii Tropics | 31 | 33 | .484 |
Portland Lumberjacks | 30 | 34 | .469 |
San Fernando Bears | 30 | 34 | .469 |
Valencia Stars | 29 | 35 | .453 |
Bikini Krill | 27 | 37 | .422 |
Not surprising, the Heartland and Pacific were actually pretty even, with the difference being Nashville was stouter at the top end, and the Pacific was stronger at the bottom.
So, which division is the best in baseball?
Well … that’s a fun question, right?