State Farm Weekly Recap: Stacks Off to Hot Start in 2024

The 2024 Roger Dorn Baseball Season is off and running with Period 1 and 2 in the books. While the Alamo Short Stacks raced out to a lead through the first four days of play, the league looks incredibly competitive again this season with a battle certain to carry out deep into the summer across the three Divisions.

Here's the latest State Farm Weekly Recap to kick off 2024:

Team of the Week: Alamo Short Stacks, 281.0 Points

47-174, 174 AB, 6 2B, 8 HR, 29 RBI, 31 R, 2 SB, 32 BB, CS, 4 HP, SF

42.1 INN, 31 HA, 9 BBI, 49 K, 11 ER, 3 W, S, HB

The Short Stacks came racing out of the gates in Period 1/2, slashing .258/.386/.419 with 16 extra base hits and a league-high 37 walks while their pitching staff throttled opponents to the tune of a 2.34 ERA an 0.94 WHIP. Both units led the RDBL in scoring while the club enters Period 3 with a 78.0 lead over the second place Lake Merced Goutfish. The Stacks were paced on offense by off-season addition Ke'Bryan Hayes going 8-for-18 with a pair of doubles and four walks while the club got three different 25+ point starts.

Pitcher of the Week: Paul Blackburn (Ducks), 35.0 Points

7 INN, 3 HA, BB, 3 K

The Ducks had four negative pitchers through Period 2, making Paul Blackburn's 35.0 point start against the Cleveland Guardians that much sweeter. Blackburn was excellent in his first start of the season, retiring his first 12 batters and giving up no extra-base hits. He will have an opportunity to build on his scoreless debut with tentative matchups against the Tigers and Nationals scheduled for his next two starts.

Hitter of the Week: Mookie Betts (Devils), 46.5 Points

Mookie Betts got a jumpstart on the rest of the competition with a pair of March games in South Korea while taking full advantage of the early at-bats. Betts is pacing all hitters with 46.5 points, hitting .500/.621/1.136 through 22 at-bats and entered Sunday with more home runs than swinging strikes.

St. Joseph Jokers outfielder Lourdes Gurriel led all hitters in Period 2 with 30.5 points, hitting .471 with three home runs and a pair of doubles.

Prospect of the Week: RHP Quinn Priester (Heads)

5 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K

The Hammerheads have several prospects on the doorstep of the big leagues with Quinn Priester looking to knock down the door in Pittsburgh. He took a big step in that direction over the weekend with a dominant start at Triple-A.

Life Insurance Player of the Week: RHP Bailey Ober (Clovers), -39.0 Points

1.1 INN, 9 HA, 1 BB, 1 K, 8 ER

After a sparkling Spring Training that saw increases in his velocity consistently over March, Bailey Ober shat the bed on Sunday with a -39.0 point effort while allowing three home runs and eight earned. A Keeper Deadline acquisition from the Honolulu Hammerheads, Ober is a lock to hit the bench in Period 3 while he looks to regain his form.

TRADE: Goutfish Acquire Smith for 2025 1st Round Pick

The San Mateo Oppo Tacos saw their first opportunity to grab a 2025 1st Round Pick and grabbed in Sunday night as they struck a deal with the Lake Merced Goutfish for catcher Will Smith (3/$30). The Goutfish will send their 1st Round selection straight up for Smith following an oblique injury to current starter Sean Murphy who is also playing in the final year of his contract.

Smith is fresh off inking a 10-year, $140M contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers last week

The deal will be in place for Period 3 with the Goutfish entering Monday in 2nd Place.

On The Lookout, 3/30: Heads Look to Get Offense Going

A full slate of games is on deck for Saturday as the opening weekend of Major League Baseball is upon us. 25 RDBL Starters are scheduled to pitch today making the Roger Dorn Baseball League Standings a must-watch throughout the day.

Here's the latest around the RDBL for Saturday, 3/30:

Projected Starters

Stacks: Gilbert (vs. BOS), Jones (@ MIA), Littel (vs. TOR)

Hops: N/A

Clovers: Ryan (@ KC), Soroka (vs. DET)

Grapes: Greene (vs. WSH), Canning (@ BAL)

Devils: N/A

Jokers: Hall (@ NYM), Hendricks (@ TEX)

Goutfish: Cease (vs. SF), Weathers (vs. PIT)

Aristocrats: N/A

Tacos: Brown (vs. NYY), Severino (vs. MIL), Kikuchi (@ TB)

Ducks: Fried (@ PHI), Stroman (@ HOU), Meada (@ CHW)

Maulers: N/A

Falcons: Lugo (vs. MIN), Sears (vs. CLE), Hicks (@ SD)

Fringe: Rodriguez (vs. LAA), Lynn (@ LAD)

Fish: Nola (vs. ATL)

Heads: Bibee (@ OAK), Crawford (@ SEA)

Heads Offense Looks for Jumpstart

The Honolulu Hammerheads offense is looking to get going Saturday after starting the season 11-for-69 with just three extra base hits and the lone team without a home run. Their .159/.194/.203 slash line has produced just 8.0 points. With a full slate of games Saturday, GM Ross Horiuchi will look to turn the tide this weekend.

Ducks, Falcons, Tacos and Stacks Lined Up for 3 Starts

It will be a pivotal day on the mound for four clubs who each send three starters to the mound on Saturday. By contrast, the Mission Viejo Maulers have run through their six starts this period and will look to keep pace strictly with their offense and bullpen.

Betts Set for Historic Year?

With two additional games under his belt thanks to their South Korea series, it's not a major storyline that Mookie Betts is leading the RDBL is scoring entering Saturday. Just how hot he is to start the year certainly is as the Mt. Diablo Devils superstar has amassed 34.5 points through just 14 at-bats. His .571/.684/1.286 line jumps off the page boosted by a league-high three home runs and five walks.

Injuries Already Piling Up

Two days of action have already produced some significant injuries with Royce Lewis (Falcons), Justin Steele (Stacks) and Sean Murphy (Goutfish) all set to hit the IL on Saturday. Murphy's absence could be the longest given the wait on oblique strains which could push Goutfish GM Ryan Atkinson quickly into the Trade Market.