Fishermen East
Fredricton holds a 5-game lead over very active (and improving) Blackwater. Bandits continue to lead the world in hitting, and have some decent pitching to go with it this year. Blackwater’s veteran makeover could pay dividends down the stretch when the two clubs hook up for a 3-game set to finish the season. West Bay is 10 back after a horrendous finish to the first half, while PEI and Charlottetown look to rebuild.
Fishermen Central
For the second year in a row, Port Hope hits the break with the best record in the Fisherman League, a world of offensive talent, and enough pitching to get the job done. This year, though, the Battery finished the first half with a 4-game home sweep of Ottawa, giving them the season series for the first time ever. The Milk Men are not even in second, and this marks the first time in CBL history that Ottawa has not been in 1st or 2nd at the break. Quebec continues to improve, and could make some noise going after the wild card - but 2nd place is rarefied air for the Quality. Montreal and Val D’Or can start planning for next year.
Fishermen West
Owen Sound has put together the best staff in the CBL, and it shows, with a super-hot final month of the first half carrying the Crusaders to the top of the West, ahead even of the red-hot Windsor Spitfires. The suspense here is for the division crown, since the wild card will almost certainly belong to the runner-up. 3 games is a small margin. Look for this battle to come down to the wire. Guelph is much improved this year, and would be a force if they weren’t 4-15 against the division. Toronto’s glory days are behind them, but this is still the best last-place team in the league.
Farmers East
Isn’t rebuilding supposed to make your team worse for a while? In the shortest reconstruction ever, Moose Jaw is back on top of the East, sporting more 1-run wins than any team in the FRM. Regina lurks just 2 back and will be there all the way to the season-ending 3-game set at Regina Stadium. There’s no reason to think that the loser won’t make the playoffs, either. A wild card is possible from the East. Winnipeg, Yellowknife and Saskatoon will do a square dance for the bottom of the division.
Farmers Central
Leduc, blah blah, Lethbridge blah blah, excellent hitting blah blah ridiculous pitching blah blah comes down to the end blah blah loser to the wild card blah. Heard it all before. Edmonton is an excellent team and will not get a sniff of the playoffs again this year. Calgary and Banff are both dealing for the future.
Farmers West
The CBL’s most balanced division has the only 3-team race for the title, led narrowly by Creston, looking to 4-peat. It’s going to be tough this year, as Kelowna has established itself and Victoria has the best division record (13-7) of the three. The schedulemakers know how to pick ‘em, too; Kelowna gets Creston and Victoria to finish the season, and it could come down to that. Watch for something near the trade deadline to put one of these three ahead of the pack. Vancouver unaccountably is completely out of it this year.
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