Stars of spring training

Spring training is but 28 games and teams may not even play their best players. But let's have a look anyway at some of the players who lit up the scoreboard in these exhibitions.

Schwellenbach becomes 1st 20-game winner since 2022

Green Lake rookie Spencer Schwellenbach became the DMBL's first 20-game winner in three years after a 7-4 win over Blue Ridge on Friday night.

Verlander the 4th to 3,000 strikeouts

Justin Verlander became the 4th DMBL pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, 

2023 Ben McDonald Award winner: Justin Verlander

In the long and storied history of the franchise, Marietta had never had a player win the Kevin Mitchell Award or Ben McDonald Award, despite three titles on its shelves. In its 28th and final season in the DMBL, that changes.

2023 Ben McDonald Award candidates

There was no 20-game winner during the 2023 season but there are three previous Ben McDonald Award winners among this year's contenders, including the reigning award winner.

Cole garners postseason MVP honors

The Livingston Lords of Swing claimed their 3rd DMBL title, becoming the first team in 15 years to win go back-to-back, Gerrit Cole added to his trophy case, and after a lengthy, stellar career Albert Pujols finally got his DMBL ring.

ASG Candidates: Starting pitchers

We've hit the All-Star Break of the 2023 season, so here's a look at potential candidates to fill out your ballots.

2022 McDonald Award winner: Jacob deGrom

Jacob deGrom collected Livingston's second Ben McDonald Award in franchise history, easily outdistancing fellow 21-game winner Walker Buehler of El Paso and the rest of the field.

2022 Ben McDonald Award contenders

As Hot Stove League heats up, it's time for DMBL owners to vote on the 2022 player awards. Let's start with a look at contenders for the Ben McDonald Award, recognizing the league's top pitcher.

deGrom dominates, nearly perfect

Nearly two months after the first perfect game in DMBL history, Jacob deGrom came within one error of notching the second.

2021 McDonald Award contenders

This year's race for the Ben McDonald Award seems to have everything for everyone. If you like strikeouts, you'll love this year's field. If you like workhorse starters that put up W's and log innings, there's that too. Even relievers had extraordinary seasons.

2020 Ben McDonald Award winner: Lance Lynn

Before this past season, Lance Lynn had registered double-digit losses in five of his six DMBL seasons, including a brutal 15-43 record over three years. The four-time draftee broke out in 2020 after latching on with Sardine City, going 24-6 to help the Straphangers to a 104-win campaign and the commissioner's cup.

2020 McDonald Award candidates

The 2020 Ben McDonald Award could become more of a coronation than last year's close race after a season that saw the second-highest win total by a starting pitcher in DMBL history. 

Livingston shuts down Hopatcong in Game 1

Jacob deGrom and Ryan Pressly combined to limit Hopatcong to 4 hits, lifting No. 5 Livingston to a 5-1 win at No. 4 Hopatcong in Game 1 of their 1st round series.

2019 Playoff MVP

On a team replete with stellar postseason pitching performances, rookie Juan Soto shined in key moments of Livingston's DMBL championship run.

2018 Ben McDonald Award winner

Hopatcong's Stephen Strasburg, the league's only 20-game winner and the ERA champion in 2018, was a nearly unanimous selection as the Ben McDonald Award.

ASG ballot: Diamond starters

At one point after All-Star Game ballots were released, the Diamond Conference featured nine of the top 10 league leaders when it comes to ERA. With only five spots on the ballot, there could be the potential for a few snubs in the Diamond Conference's rotation.

San Francisco's Chris Sale was humming along, leading the league in ERA (1.33), K/9 (11.5), shutouts (4), and second in several other categories, until he left Sunday's outing after 7 innings with an injury. The lefty is expected to land on the DL for the second time this season, this time for almost three weeks. Voters may have to overlook his 11 starts, five fewer starts than most hurlers in contention.

Teammate Henderson Alvarez looked like he could challenge Sale for the starting nod after a torrid start to the season, jumping out to a 9-1 mark. But his ERA has ballooned to 3.16 after returning from the DL and getting bombed in Sunday's start. Yet another SF starter can make a case, as Anibal Sanchez was tied for the league lead in wins with a 10-2 record.

Meanwhile, Marietta's Phil Hughes was the first to 10 victories and followed that up with a 12-strikeout complete game on Sunday. He improved to 11-4, a league high in wins, extended his league lead in K/BB (9.6), and matched three others with a league-best 5 complete games (to go with a league-high 38 doubles allowed). Michael Pineda may not have the wins (6-5) that Hughes does for Marietta, but he's still spinning an all-star caliber first half, with a 2.42 ERA (5th in the league) and 0.91 WHIP (3rd in the league).

There are plenty of new faces to consider for the All-Star ballot too. Hillsborough's Garrett Richards, acquired from Hoboken at least year's deadline, consistently has been atop the league leaders in ERA (2.12), to go with a 7-2 record in 16 starts and a 1.13 WHIP. He pairs with Julio Teheran to form a solid duo for the Hit Men, with both logging a league-high 13 qualify starts. Teheran improved to 9-3, trails Richards in ERA (2.31) but also boasts 3 complete games and 2 shutouts along with a top 10 WHIP (1.03).

Several first-round picks have made an impact and could make the mid-season squad. After a slow start, Hopatcong's Mike Fiers has been on fire, including a near perfect game. He leads the league in WHIP (0.87),  is tied for the lead in complete games (5), and is first in batting average against, runners and hits per nine innings, to go with a top 10 ERA (2.68). El Paso first-rounder rookie Jacob deGrom is only 4-3 but has been consistent through the first half, sporting a top 10 ERA (2.85). A 2014 first-round pick as an ineligible prospect, Masahiro Tanaka of El Paso has paid dividends with an 8-3 record, to go with a 2.69 ERA and 12 quality starts.

Another candidate to earn the starting nod could be Tucson's Jake Arrieta, who has a league-leading 13 quality starts and is top five in strikeouts (124), WHIP (1.00) and ERA (2.35). He's 7-3 and now is joined in the rotation by another potential all-star. Tyson Ross spent most of the first half with Livingston, nearly throwing a no-hitter, before getting dealt. Combined, he's 8-4 with a 1.04 WHIP (5th in the league). The Scorpions can also boast one of the top lefties in Madison Bumgarner, who's quietly tossed 12 quality starts with a 3.16 ERA, although his 1.35 WHIP could be one reason why it's a quiet 9-1 record.

Ross left behind Felix Hernandez to anchor Livingston's rotation. He's trying, with 121 Ks (tied for 2nd in the league), and 2 complete games, but the 5-8 record belies his 3.80 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. He and former teammate Andrew Cashner have both logged 10 quality starts. Cashner was leading Diamond starters -- before being dealt to the Micro Conference's Vancouver Iron First -- with 122.2 innings and 4 complete games heading into the break, despite a 4-9 mark. Chris Archer leads The Lords of Swing with a 9-3 record and a respectable 3.19 ERA but an iffy WHIP of 1.45.