Backyard Baseball League Season 7

==The Beginnings==
Season 6 was the first BBL season where the participants were divided by skill level, and a similar idea was implemented for Season 7. The previous season had 12 teams each in the "Backyard League," for the veterans, and the "Frontyard League," for the rookies. This season introduced three 8-team divisions: The Backyard League still contained the veterans, the Frontyard League still contained the newcomers, but the "Indoor League" consisted of veterans not quite at the skill level of Backyard, and newer players who were deemed too skilled for Frontyard. Each team would play the other teams in their division twice each. 
Due to the imbalanced skill of the three leagues, the 8-team playoffs would consist of 4 Backyard teams, 2 Indoor teams, and 2 Frontyard teams. 
==Setting Up the Season==
The 24 coaches signed on to Season 7 were as follows: 
Backyard League
Team 	Coach
Baltimore Orioles 	Mavfatha
Blue Red Sox 	aesnop
Boston Cubs 	Kiiiiiiiiiiiiis
Green Monsters 	Yurya
Junior Brewers 	JibboDaHibbo
Red Phillies 	crazyei8hts
Seattle Mariners 	JorgesBankAccount
Super-Duper Wombats	Wizard
Indoor League
Team 	Coach
Arizona Diamondbacks 	TheRealSisu
Baltimore Bombers 	jlund24/Repub92
Boston Reds 	Shrewsbury91
Los Angeles Angels 	NateInDisney
Milwaukee Braves 	Natetastic28
Seattle Fishes 	elchrisblanco
Super-Duper Melonheads	Eauxps I. Fourgott
Texas Rangers 	jyknight
Frontyard League
Team 	Coach
Florida Marlins 	skolgamingnetwork
Humongous Hornets 	Vissery
Junior Athletics 	MelloMathTeacher
Little Giants 	SilverBullet102
Los Angeles Dodgers 	Jarod Johnson/hitace
Minnesota Twins 	Toast
New York Yankees 	Marco
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	T-Boz
==The Draft==
The three leagues combined for a 24-team, 9-round draft. The format is known as a "scattered snake" draft, where each team gets one pick per round, but the order of each round is different in order to make each team's total draft positioning relatively even. 
Coach Jarod Johnson of the Expos stunned the league once again. A season after selecting Angela Delvecchio with the first overall pick in the draft, JJ moved up in the draft to obtain the 1st and 7th overall picks, which he used to draft Leah Wayne and Albert Pujols 
The last pick of the draft was Sophie Meyer of the Monsters, the clone of the 7th overall pick, Pujols. 
==The Season==
Some coaching changes took place during the season. Jarod Johnson was dismissed after his game 2 after being caught cheating. He was replaced by rookie coach hitace. jlund24 had to resign as coach of the Bombers due to a personal matter. Newcomer Repub92 took over for the rest of the season.
=== Players of the Week ===
A new weekly tradition was invented this year, as each league was awarded a Batter of the Week and a Pitcher of the Week, given to the in-game players who made the biggest impact at the plate and on the mound. The winners were as follows:
====== Frontyard League Players of the Week ======
Week	Batter of the Week	Team 	Coach 	Pitcher of the Week	Team 	Coach
1 	Gwen Sears 	Yankees	Marco 	Matessa Sturges 	Marlins	skolgamingnetwork
2 	Ray Tran 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher	Tom Glass 	Yankees	Marco
3 	Ernie Steele 	Dodgers	hitace 	Annie Frazier 	Hornets	Vissery
4 	Zena Fromme 	Hornets	Vissery 	Gretchen Hasselhoff	Dodgers	hitace
5 	Wendy Parsons 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers	hitace
6 	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers	hitace 	Tom Glass 	Yankees	Marco
7 	Zena Fromme 	Hornets	Vissery 	Amanda Hellerman 	Giants 	SilverBullet102
8 	Vladimir Guerrero 	Yankees	Marco 	Ronny Dobbs 	Dodgers	hitace
9 	Albert Pujols 	Dodgers	hitace 	Gretchen Hasselhoff	Dodgers	hitace
10 	Debby Nagasawa 	Dodgers	hitace 	Todd Xaiver 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher
11 	Courtney Valentino	A's 	MelloMathTeacher	Julie Dunkel 	Twins 	Toast
12 	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers	hitace 	Todd Xavier 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher
13 	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers	hitace 	Tom Glass 	Yankees	Marco
14 	Wendy Parsons 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher	Julie Dunkel 	Twins 	Toast
====== Indoor League Players of the Week ======
Week	Batter of the Week	Team 	Coach 	Pitcher of the Week	Team 	Coach
1 	Ezra Travolta 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Shohei Ohtani 	Braves 	Natetastic28
2 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Shohei Ohtani 	Braves 	Natetastic28
3 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Angela Delvecchio 	Melonheads 	Eauxps I. Fourgott
4 	Pete Wheeler 	Rangers 	jyknight 	Randy Johnson 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
5 	Jane Davis 	Fishes 	elchrisblanco	Betty Houston 	Rangers 	jyknight
6 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Nancy Chin 	Bombers 	jlund24
7 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Betty Houston 	Rangers 	jyknight
8 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Randy Johnson 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
9 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Mr. Clanky 	Angels 	BootyHunter
10 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Nancy Chin 	Bombers 	Repub92
11 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Nancy Chin 	Bombers 	Repub92
12 	Fred Benson 	Bombers 	Repub92 	Mr. Clanky 	Angels 	NateInDisney
13 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu 	Kristen Sullivan 	Fishes 	elchrisblanco
14 	Mr. Clanky 	Angels 	NateInDisney 	Randy Johnson 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
====== Backyard League Players of the Week ======
Week	Batter of the Week 	Team 	Coach 	Pitcher of the Week	Team 	Coach
1 	Raquel Cullen 	Monsters	Yurya 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
2 	Chico Pappas 	Wombats 	Wizard 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
3 	Nicky Winston 	Red Sox 	aesnop 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
4 	Kay O'Toole 	Red Sox 	aesnop 	Marky Dubois 	Orioles 	Mavfatha
5 	Jerry Winchell 	Wombats 	Wizard 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
6 	Parker Collum 	Brewers 	jibbodahibbo 	Yvonne Carter 	Monsters	Yurya
7 	Jennifer Goodfellow	Wombats 	Wizard 	Tim Hudson 	Wombats 	Wizard
8 	Chico Pappas 	Wombats 	Wizard 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
9 	Raquel Cullen 	Monsters	Yurya 	Marky Dubois 	Orioles 	Mavfatha
10 	Francis Blewer 	Brewers 	jibbodahibbo 	Tim Hudson 	Wombats 	Wizard
11 	Parker Collum 	Brewers 	jibbodahibbo 	Tim Hudson 	Wombats 	Wizard
12 	Timmy Unger 	Red Sox 	aesnop 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
13 	Jody Palmer 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
14 	Jeff Bagwell 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount	Yvonne Carter 	Monsters	Yurya
=== Match of the Week ===
Another tradition was created this season, as one game per week was featured as the Match of the Week on various league members' Twitch accounts. Both opponents recorded video of their games, sent it to the MotW organizers, who then spliced the videos together and provided commentary over them. Match of the Week became notable for featuring many close games throughout the season, even though the matchups were not always selected by how evenly matched the opponents were. 
=== Final Standings ===
At the end of the season, the final standings were as follows. Teams in bold made the playoffs.
Season 7 Final Standings
Backyard League 	W 	L 		Indoor League 	W 	L 		Frontyard League 	W 	L 	
Blue Red Sox 	11	3 		Arizona Diamondbacks 	13	1 		Junior Athletics 	11	3 	
Boston Cubs 	10	4 		Texas Rangers 	10	4 		Los Angeles Dodgers 	10	4 	
Super-Duper Wombats	9 	5 		Los Angeles Angels 	9 	5 		Minnesota Twins 	10	4 	
Seattle Mariners 	6 	8 		Baltimore Bombers 	9 	5 		Tampa Bay Devil Rays	7 	7 	
Green Monsters 	6 	8 		Seattle Fishes 	6 	8 		New York Yankees 	7 	7 	
Red Phillies 	6 	8 		Milwaukee Braves 	4 	10		Florida Marlins 	6 	8 	
Junior Brewers 	5 	9 		Boston Reds 	3 	11		Humongous Hornets 	4 	10	
Baltimore Orioles 	3 	11		Super-Duper Melonheads	2 	12		Little Giants 	1 	13	
 	 	 		 	 	 		 	 	 	
The Mariners, Monsters, and Phillies were locked in a three-way tie for the fourth and final playoff spot from the Backyard League. The Monsters earned the top seed for the tiebreaker matches based on second-half record. The Mariners beat the Phillies and then the Monsters to secure the 4th spot.
The Dodgers defeated the Twins in a tiebreaker game to earn the 2nd and final playoff spot from the Frontyard League.
=== Stats ===
The stats were well-kept throughout the season. The league leaders are listed below: (Bold indicates league record, ERA and WHIP are minimum 28 innings pitched)
Backyard League Leaders
Stat	# 	Player 	Team 	Coach
H 	63 	Kay O'Toole/Marilyn McDonnell	Red Sox 	aesnop
1B 	45 	Star Moonbeam 	Wombats 	Wizard
2B 	22 	Anna Goudreau 	Red Sox 	aesnop
3B 	8 	Timmy Unger 	Red Sox 	aesnop
HR 	24 	Sammy Sosa 	Phillies	crazyei8hts
RBI 	62 	Nicky Winston 	Red Sox 	aesnop
R 	55 	Kay O'Toole 	Red Sox 	aesnop
SB 	35 	Susan Gore 	Cubs 	Kiiiiiiiiiiiiis
Avg.	0.863	Kay O'Toole 	Red Sox 	aesnop
SLG 	2.207	Sammy Sosa 	Phillies	crazyei8hts
OPS 	3.020	Sammy Sosa 	Phillies	crazyei8hts
RC 	111.6	Kay O'Toole 	Red Sox 	aesnop
K 	130 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
ERA 	0.30 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
WHIP	0.33 	Brad Radke 	Mariners	JorgesBankAccount
Indoor League Leaders
Stat	# 	Player 	Team 	Coach
H 	57 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
1B 	36 	Liz Kinghorn 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
2B 	13 	Maria Luna/Ashley Webber 	Angels 	NateInDisney
3B 	3 	Johnny Omar/Sidney Webber	Angels 	NateInDisney
HR 	37 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
RBI 	112 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
R 	51 	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
SB 	27 	Stuart Sullivan 	Melonheads 	Eauxps I. Fourgott
Avg.	0.934	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
SLG 	2.934	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
OPS 	3.869	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
RC 	167.3	Jay Green 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
K 	112 	Angela Delvecchio 	Melonheads 	Eauxps I. Fourgott
ERA 	0.36 	Mr. Clanky 	Angels 	NateInDisney
WHIP	0.45 	Randy Johnson 	Diamondbacks	TheRealSisu
Frontyard League Leaders
Stat	# 	Player 	Team 	Coach
H 	55 	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers 	hitace
1B 	38 	Courtney Valentino 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher
2B 	13 	Robert Young 	Devil Rays	T-Boz
3B 	7 	Debby Nagasawa 	Dodgers 	hitace
HR 	15 	Fabienne Callahan 	Twins 	Toast
RBI 	46 	Zena Fromme 	Hornets 	Vissery
R 	45 	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers 	hitace
SB 	39 	Courtney Valentino 	A's 	MelloMathTeacher
Avg.	0.821	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers 	hitace
SLG 	1.731	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers 	hitace
OPS 	2.555	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers 	hitace
RC 	95.5 	Leah Wayne 	Dodgers 	hitace
K 	110 	Tom Glass 	Yankees 	Marco
ERA 	0.00 	Gretchen Hasselhoff	Dodgers 	hitace
WHIP	0.65 	Annie Frazier 	Hornets 	Vissery
==The Playoffs==
The Season 7 playoffs may go down in history as the strangest BBL playoffs of all time. There was drama, do-overs, and an unexpected champion. 
=== Structure ===
Even before the playoffs began, there was controversy surrounding the playoffs format. As the league was divided into three leagues, for the BBL veterans (Backyard League), intermediates (Indoor League), and rookies or inexperienced players (Frontyard League), the playoff format reflected the differences in supposed skill levels. The top four teams in the Backyard would make the playoffs, and be the hosts in the first rounds to the top two Indoor teams and the top two Frontyard teams. The #1 Backyard seed would face the #2 Frontyard seed, #2 Backyard faced #1 Frontyard, #3 Backyard faced #2 Indoor, and #4 Backyard faced #1 Indoor. Some league members thought this was a fair playoff structure, as the Backyard teams are supposedly "better", and therefore deserved more playoff spots. Others disagreed, saying that it was too skewed in favor of Backyard and thus too hard for Indoor or Frontyard teams to make the playoffs. Indoor coach NateInDisney of the Angels even went so far as to forfeit a game in protest of the playoff format. In an ironic twist, the Angels missed the playoffs by one game and likely would have made it had they not forfeited that game.
=== Participants ===
After the season and the tiebreaker games, the bracket was as follows:
* #1 Backyard: Red Sox (11-3) vs. #2 Frontyard: Dodgers (10-4)
** The Dodgers beat the Twins in a tiebreaker game to claim the #2 Frontyard seed
* #4 Backyard: Mariners (6-8) vs. #1 Indoor: Diamondbacks (13-1)
** The Mariners defeated the Phillies and the Monsters in a three-way tie for the 4th spot in the Backyard League
* #2 Backyard: Cubs (10-4) vs. #1 Frontyard: Athletics (11-3)
*#3 Backyard: Wombats (9-5) vs. #2 Indoor: Rangers (10-4)
=== First Round ===
To add to the controversy of the Backyard getting 4 playoff teams compared to 2 in the other leagues, all four Backyard teams lost their first round matchup. 
* The Red Sox lost two straight games to the Dodgers, who reached the 50-run safety net in both games against the weak pitching of the Sox in the hitter-friendly Steele Stadium. 
* The Cubs lost to the Athletics in two straight games after their grounder attack was thwarted by the strong A's defense. 
* The Wombats lost to the Rangers 2 games to 1; facing elimination, jyknight of the Rangers scored his first career 50-run safety net, and then staved off elimination in game three as well. 
* The Mariners lost to the Diamondbacks in three games; each game was high-scoring and closely contested. 
=== Second Round ===
The second round of the playoffs sparked even more controversy. On the left side of the bracket, the Dodgers were set to face the Diamondbacks. Dodgers coach hitace had to leave town suddenly for a family situation, and chose to forfeit rather than make the whole league wait on him, as he wasn't sure when he would be able to play again. Simultaneously, Diamondbacks coach TheRealSisu was disqualified after failing to meet the requirement of submitting videos of each playoff game. This left the door open for the Red Sox and Mariners to get back into the playoff race. However, having being beaten fair and square, coach aesnop of the Red Sox decided it would not be right to re-enter the playoff bracket, so he bequeathed the World Series berth to JorgesBankAccount and the Mariners.
On the right side of the bracket, things went more smoothly, as the A's pulled off a second straight upset, beating the Rangers in two straight games to clinch a World Series berth.
=== World Series ===
In an unlikely World Series matchup, the 6-8 Mariners, who won the berth by default, matched up against the 11-3 Frontyard League A's, led by rookie coach MelloMathTeacher. 
* Immediately, it was clear that the Mariners' technique of tiring out pitchers would not work well, as the A's had several good pitchers and that stellar infield defense. The A's took Game 1 by a score of 13-8. 
* Getting a couple more breaks to go their way, the Mariners tied the series at 1 after winning in a narrow 13-12 game. 
* Game Three titled the scales back in the A's favor, as their defense shut down the Mariners offense, winning 10-4 and take a 2-1 series advantage.
* Facing elimination, the Mariners turned it all the way up. Getting a fortunate nerf on the AI side, the Mariners faced Ray Tran as starting pitcher instead of Todd Xavier, which made all the difference. The Mariners were able to use their dink-and-dunk offensive strategy, and it resulted in a 29-16 victory to tie up the series and send it to a decisive Game 5.
* In the second straight World Series' Game 5, both featuring JorgesBankAccount, the A's turned in a game for the ages. Dawn Cozart received a batting boost and used it to her full advantage, batting 3-5 with 3 HRs and 10 RBIs. The A's as a whole racked up 20 steals during the game. Ultimately, the A's captured the World Series championship, defeating the Mariners 21-14 in Game 5, 3 games to 2 in the series.
===Consolation Bracket===
All non-playoff teams were invited to play in the consolation bracket. Exactly 8 teams volunteered for the bracket, so the format ended up being the same as the big playoffs. The 2-12 Melonheads were quite the shock, advancing to the consolation championship after upsetting the Backyard League representative Phillies. However, the Melonheads' Cinderella run stopped there, as the Bombers swept them away in the championship, 3 games to none. 
==League Awards==
After the season, all coaches were eligible to vote on three awards for the league: "The Jocinda" (modeled after the MLB MVP), the "Ace Wilson Award" (modeled after the Cy Young Award), and the "Goldie Glove" (modeled after the Gold Glove).
*The Jocinda was won by Jay Green of the Diamondbacks. Jay rewrote the record books with an otherworldly statline. He broke the records for batting average (0.934), slugging percentage (2.934), and home runs (37). 
*The Ace Wilson Award was won by Brad Radke of the Mariners. Brad set a new league record with 130 strikeouts pitched, while also posting a microscopic ERA (0.30) and WHIP (0.33)
*The Goldie Glove was won by Star Moonbeam of the Wombats. As the dominance of catchers waned, the league recognized the dastardly defense of a super fast first baseman. Dropped balls or off-target throws were minimized as Star could run over to ball and still get back to the base in time.
==Aftermath==
Season 8 will be highly anticipated. It will also be the first time that the defending champion did not return to defend their crown, as champion MelloMathTeacher cited a busy work schedule as reasoning to sit out Season 8.