MID-SEASON REPORT

The fourth season of the Intellivision Baseball League has been a good and historic one so far. Let's break down the first half!

Beamriders

The defending league champions have had a combination of luck and skill this year. Two of their wins have been a result of their opponent's defensive and/or pitching mistakes. Their own pitching and defense have been great though, allowing no more than one run per game and contributing to an undefeated first half of the season. Their only concern is their offense, scoring exactly two runs per game. If the rest of the Action Network can tighten up and improve offensively, the Beamriders might be conquered.

Smash

They are off to another good start, this time going 4-1 for the first time in their history. Run production is once again starting off well, however games are ending closer than they would like. Pitching has been good, but mistakes by the defense have led to opponent's runs. If they can keep the scoring consistent and improve defensively, they could be in a good position for the network championship.

Ghosts

Except for a big game against the Snakes, their offense has been far from scary. Runs in their two wins were also scored due to errors and/or mistakes by their opponent. Their pitching and defense has a good start but might not be good enough to hold the top teams back.

Mutants

Another team that has benefited from the Snakes misfortunes. Besides that game, it's been another weak start offensively for this team of weirdos with costly mistakes being made both in pitching and defense.

Snakes

Oh, the irony of being snake bit! Problems with relief pitching and defense have cost them all of their games. Offense has fought hard and starting pitching have been decent, but without wins, their season is basically over.

Deadly Dogs

Their red hot bats that caught fire in the second half of last season have carried over to this year, as they lead the league in runs scored. Pitching and defense were a concern early, but they seem to have it under control recently. They could easily live up to their name if they keep playing this well.

River Raiders

They're off to another good start due to their powerful offense, including setting a league record for runs in a game with nine. Their starting pitching is a concern, as their opponents have scored all of their runs in the first half of their games. If they can minimize the runs scored against them, they have what they need to soar into the championship series.

Armada

The defending Battle Network champions have not had an easy first half. They exploded with offense in their first game, but have struggled against the stronger teams in the network both offensively and defensively since then. They may not have enough to get back to the championship series this year.

Spartans

They've started off the season showing more power at the plate, but are once again inconsistent from one game to the next. Pitching and defense have also given up a high number of runs. It looks like they might have another mediocre season.

Bombers

After reaching the championship series in 2015, their decline continues this season as they remain winless. Their once strong defense has crumbled, as they are tied with the Snakes for allowing the most runs in the league. They have focused on offense this year, and it has shown signs of improvement over recent years. This could be the first step in rebuilding the team to be a new offensive threat, but they're endurance will really be tested during this tough time.

We have lots more games to play, and anything can happen in the second half! The race for the championship series starts Monday! Games can be followed live on twitter @intysports. Game time is around 11:30am PT.

You can watch the fastest baseball game in the world on the league's YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/intytube

Games average 10 minutes in length. There are crushing hits and great defensive plays in almost every game. No commercials, no delays, no replays, all action!

Full league standings and schedule are available at http://bit.ly/ibl17.