Total Twins Draft League, season midpoint: Winners take all?

For the introduction to this OOTP tournament, click here.

First and Foremost

Halfway through the Total Twins Draft League season, one would expect that the Minneapolis Winners, the Twins’ signed first-round picks with the highest career rWAR, would be leading their league easily.

Those expecting such would be absolutely right.

The Winners are absolutely dominant at the All-Star Break. Want contact? Michael Cuddyer is batting .372 and Joe Mauer .345; six of their nine regular lineup starters are batting over .300. Power? Cuddyer and Jeff Reed have both whacked 20 homers. Speed? Chuck Knoblauch leads the league with 44 steals, with Byron Buxton right behind him at 43.

They’ve won their last 19 and show no signs of slowing down, and should be the easy favorite to earn the top seed and bye in the Choice League.

J.D. for three?

Yet if there is a case for MVP right now, the leading candidate is not one of the Winners.

It’s this guy:

J.D. Martinez has been on a tear for the sticks, leading in many offensive categories and making a push for the Triple Crown. His .400 average boggles the mind and sets him up with a chance to become the first to reach that mark since Ted Williams’ famous 1941 .406.

Martinez also leads in RBIs, on-base percentage, and slugging (and thus also OPS), but currently sits four homers behind Graig Nettles in striving for the Triple Crown.

There’s a Hole in the bottom

On the more distressing side of the standings are the 24-60 Plymouth Holes, who are struggling with both bat and arm. At the plate, only Edouard Julien has an average over .280; on the mound, no pitcher has an ERA below 4.

Worst of all, they have to play a sixth of their games against the Winners. (I turned on interleague play but I think the game had already set the schedule.)

Well, there’s half a season to go to see how the seeding shakes out. If there are any notable games in that mix, I’ll add them to the season’s-end recap.

Until then, we wait.