On September 1, there was a tangle of tributes scrapping for Mixed Auction supremacy.
But since then Derek Van Riper has been on a run. In the September standings he has scored 121 points, with Zach Steinhorn (104), Fred Zinkie (101.5), Ray Guilfoyle (95.5) and Al Melchior (95.5) trailing.
The contending teams have done well, but none so well as Derek. Today, before the start of the season’s final nine days, he leads Fred Zinkie by seven points.
Can Van Riper be caught?
Let’s take a closer look at the categories, and see who could gain, and if Derek can lose. The numbers are (points to be gained/points to be lost).
RUNS
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (+2/-.5)
Steinhorn (+1/-2)
Melchior (0/-3)
Guilfoyle (+.5/-1.5)
HOME RUNS
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (0/0)
Steinhorn (+1/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
RBI
Van Riper (0/-1) Eight ahead of Melchior.
Zinkie (0/0)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (+1/0) Eight behind Van Riper, who has five more RBI in September.
Guilfoyle (0/-1)
STOLEN BASES
Van Riper (+.5/-.5)
Zinkie (+.5/-.5)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
OBP
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (+2/-1)
Steinhorn (+2/-2)
Melchior (+1/0)
Guilfoyle (+1/=1)
OVERALL HITTING
Van Riper (+.5/-1.5)
Zinkie (+4.5/-2)
Steinhorn (+4/-4)
Melchior (+2/-3)
Guilfoyle (+1.5/-3.5)
WINS
Van Riper (+1.5/-1)
Zinkie (0/-.5)
Steinhorn (0/-2.5)
Melchior (+1/0)
Guilfoyle (+1.5/-1.5)
SAVES
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (0/0)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (+1/0)
ERA
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (+1/0)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (0/-1)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
WHIP
Van Riper (+3/-2)
Zinkie (0/-1)
Steinhorn (+1/0)
Melchior (+3/-1)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
STRIKEOUTS
Van Riper (0/0) Van Riper is only six K ahead of Davitt, but has 203 Ks this month, opposed to Patrick’s 130.
Zinkie (+2/-2) Zinkie has far fewer K this month than Heaney and Pianowski, but trails them by five and three respectively. There’s room for a miracle.
Steinhorn (+1/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
OVERALL PITCHING
Van Riper (+4.5/-3)
Zinkie (+3/-3.5)
Steinhorn (+2/-2.5)
Melchior (+4/-2)
Guilfoyle (+2.5/-1.5)
OVERALL OVERALL
Van Riper (+5/-4.5)
Zinkie (+7.5/-5.5)
Steinhorn (+6/-6.5)
Melchior (+6/-5)
Guilfoyle (+4/-5)
POINT RANGE (Max/Min)
Van Riper (123/113.5)
Zinkie (118.5/104.5)
Steinhorn (112/99.5)
Melchior (109/98)
Guilfoyle (106.5/97)
The bottom line here is that Van Riper can get out of harm’s way, but Zinkie has a chance to catch him. No one else does.