Warehouse Wire 2042.04: Back in the Hunt

[bcslouck]

After this news source questioning if the season was salvagable, it appears that it indeed was. Since the All-Star break, the team has gone 23-10, which includes a 14 game winning streak and have currently won 4 in a row. Even more encouraging perhaps, the team has gone 12-4 on the road in this stretch. After a dismal 4-23 road record through May, they are now 27-35 on the road. Still not good, but a fairly impressive turnaround.

The offense has improved as a whole. Since the All-Star break, they've scored 203 runs which averages out to 6.15 runs per game. Before that, they averaged 5.03 runs per game. The pitching also improved. The 33 game stretch has seen the team give up 4.88 runs per game. Not a great number, but probably around league average in the current environment. Before that, it was 5.45 runs per game. So the team went from a slightly above average offense and below average pitching stat to a top tier offense and slightly above average pitching staff.

On offense, José Toledo has been the hottest hitter, hitting 12 home runs in the last 33 games. Other batters have raised their game and continued with what the had been doing, but Toledo sticks out as the guy who really stepped up to become the teams top power threat.

Pitching is similar as not of ton of guys have taken off but just have been better and pitched to their abilites. Mauro Ríos has lowered his ERA from 5.55 to 4.99 as a starter is one guy who sticks out. Fernando Márquez has also improved his ERA from 4.84 to 4.42. Over the last 16 games (not including last sim), Márquez has recorded 12 saves with a minuscule 0.57 ERA.

Currently, the team sees itself 3 games outside of the division lead and only a half game outside of the last wildcard spot. The team has surged forward in the last month to add to the mess that is the Johnson league playoff race. Other than Edmonton, nobody is safe. It's wide open. Mexico City has a small cushion of 2.5 as the first wildcard team. After that, you have 9 teams with 4 games of each other. Hell, Phoenix is 3.5 games behind the 8th and 9th teams in the mix, but with the moves they made could easily get on a run that puts them in better position.

Some big moves have already happened. The deadline is approaching fast. Moves will be made that will shift this race one way or another. Expect Charm City to be one of the shakers in this wild race to the playoffs.