(AP-Munich, Germany)
TML Biff Barnes Highlight Reel - September 2010
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Crawfish and Squires Make Their Move!

The Carolina Crawfish (18-8 in September) took
advantage of a Valparaiso (11-15) stumble to
take over the Atmospheric Wild Card by 3 games!
Beverly (15-11) slowed down a bit, but still
clinched the Gatto Division. The other two
division leaders, Rensselaer in the Robinson and
Toxic Waste in the Gehrig, both went 20-6 and
have opened up big leads. Toxic Waste started
their season 19-19 at home and have since gone
30-4. (What are they putting in the water coolers
in the visiting clubhouse?!)

In the Oceanic Conference, the 'Skayuna Squires
(18-8) have closed to within 3 games of Steinmetz
Division leading Walla Walla Wombats (12-14), who
had a tough month. Albany (17-9) closed to 5
games behind. Elsewhere, Rocky Mountain (13-13)
played .500 ball and nearly clinched the Williams,
as second place Brandon (4-22) completely imploded!
The "Ruth Showdown" between Arkansas (19-7) and
Danny Way (12-14) went to Arkansas, who now has a
solid 6-game lead. Danny Way has clinched at
least a tie for the Oceanic Wild Card, with 16
games to go.

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'Skayuna's Albert Pujols strengthened his bid to
become only the second Triple Crown winner in TML
history. Pujols (.359) regained the batting lead
from Madison's Ichiro Suzuki, who slumped (.241)
during the month. Pujols has a comfortable lead
in RBI (141), but only leads Valparaiso's Adrian
Gonzalez by 2 HRs, 56 to 54. Ichiro did reach
200 hits once again, now with 213. Albany's Hanley
Ramirez stole 19 bases and is now only 2 SBs

behind Walla Walla's Michael Bourn (81 SBs). Toxin
DeWayne Wise was beaned 9 times, raising his TML
lead to an incredible 31 HBP (and he only has 149
ABs). Ouch!

In pitching, Toxin Javier Vazquez won another five
games, raising his record to 22-5. Danny Way's
Scott Baker (21-7) and Beverly's Justin Verlander
(21-7) also joined the "20-win Club." Verlander
took over the strikeout lead from Perth's Zack
Greinke, 257 to 251. The battle for "Fireman of
the Year" will likely come down to Arkansas'
Angel Guzman and Toxin C.J. Wilson, tied with 43
SVs, though Beverly's Huston Street is not far

behind in RPs.

Featured series in October, 'Skayuna goes to Walla
Walla and Albany goes to 'Skayuna. Carolina and
Valparaiso both play Beverly and Marco Island.

Below are some awards and tid-bits from the
September 2010 in the TML American.

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** Player of the Month **

(AV) Matt Kemp
.424, 36-85, 3-3-6, 63 TB
25 R, 16 RBI, 12 W, 34 RC



Honorable Mention:
Jason Kubel (GL) .414, 41-99, 9-0-6, 68 TB
19 R, 22 RBI, 12 W, 32 RC
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** Pitcher of the Month **

(RS) Chris Carpenter
4-0, 1.68, 6 GS, 5 QS, 3 CG, 3 Sho
48 IP, 34 H, 7 W, 34 K, .197 OAVG



Honorable Mention:
Phil Hughes (TR) 6-0, 2.02
Javier Vazquez (TX) 5-0, 2.15
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** Best Offensive Performance of the Month **

The Strikers Andres Torres led his team to a big
18-9 win over the division rival Thundercats.
Torres went 4 for 6, with 7 RBI. He had a pair
of 2-run homers, an RBI-triple, an RBI-single and
drew a bases loaded walk.

9/9/2010, RS09-DT09, Angel Stadium
_______________1 2 3__4 5 6__7 8 9_____R__H_E
Strikers_______2 1 0__7 4 0__0 2 2__-_18 21 1
Thundercats____1 0 4__0 0 4__0 0 0__-__9 13 2

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** Best Pitching Performance of the Month **

Toxin Javier Vazquez won his league-leading
21st game, by tossing a 4-hit CG at the Blue
Jays. Vazquez walked only 2 and fanned 7.
He was trailing 2-1 into the 8th, when the
River Rats put up a 5-spot, the blow a Grand
Slam by Brandon Phillips.

9/3/2010, TX09-BB09, PNC Park
_______________1 2 3__4 5 6__7 8 9_____R__H_E
River Rats_____1 0 0__0 0 0__0 5 0__-__6 14 0
Blue Jays______1 0 0__1 0 0__0 0 0__-__2__4 0

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** The Dogfight Game of the Month **

The Avalanche built up a big 12-3 lead after 4
innings, only to see the Wombats nick away at the
lead, scoring in each of the final 4 innings.
The Avalanche finally put out the fire, when
recent call-up Esmerling Vazquez fanned pinch-
hitter Michael Bourn, with runners on 1st & 2nd,
to preserve a hard fought 12-11 win.

8/26/2010, AV09-WW09, Wrigley Field
________________1 2 3__4 5 6__7 8 9_____R__H_E
Avalanche_______0 1 6__5 0 0__0 0 0__-_12 15 1
Wombats_________1 0 2__0 0 4__1 2 1__-_11 18 1

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** Overtime Game of the Month **

The longest game of the month (19 innings)
was finally won by the Mudville Nine over
the hot Squires. Coco Crisp lined a GW-double,
after Jeff Keppinger had by hit by the pitch.
Mudville was involved in the longest game of
the Summer Stretch (18-innings), also won by
the Nine.

9/2/2010, SS09-M909, Progressive Field
__________123 456 789 012 345 678 9_____R__H_E
Squires___010 000 000 000 000 000 0__-__1 11 0
Nine______000 001 000 000 000 000 1__-__2__6 0

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Up next ... October end-of-season highlights!

Staff Columnist - Biff Barnes