On The Lookout, 4/8: Snell Debuts for Goutfish

Period 4 is off and running on Monday as a tight race is the main storyline of the Roger Dorn Baseball League 2024 season thus far. Five teams sit within 24.0 points of the league lead with the Mission Viejo Maulers looking to make a big move Monday as they send four starters to the mound headlined by Luis Castillo. The Maulers rotation is looking to hold down the fort until Gerrit Cole returns.

Here's the latest On The Lookout for Monday, 4/8:

Projected Starters for Monday, 4/8

Grapes: Valdez (@ TEX)

Falcons: Morton (vs. NYM), Cortes (vs. MIA)

Aristocrats: Mikolas (vs. PHI), Assad (@ SD)

Hammerheads: Olson (@ PIT), Heaney (vs. HOU)

Stacks: N/A

Maulers: Luzardo (@ NYY), Eflin (@ LAA), Castillo (@ TOR), Berrios (vs. SEA)

Clovers: N/A

Goutfish: Snell (vs. WSH)

Jokers: N/A

Fringe: McKenzie (vs. CHW)

Devils: Paxton (@ MIN)

Tacos: Turnbull (@ STL)

Fish: Keller (vs. DET), Ashcraft (vs. MIL), Anderson (vs. TB)

Ducks: Williams (@ SF), Darvish (vs. CHC)

Hops: Gallen (@ COL)

Pitching Matchup for the Day: Berrios vs. Castillo

In an all Maulers matchup, Jose Berrios and Luis Castillo will face off as two of four Maulers starters for GM Chris Ferraro on Monday. Berrios has a 2.25 ERA over two starts while Castillo, RDBL's second highest scoring pitcher in 2023, has limped to a 6.75 ERA over his two outings.

Snell Debuts for Goutfish

The wait for Blake Snell is over as the 2023 National League Cy Young Winner will make his Lake Merced Goutfish and San Francisco Giants debut on Monday night against the Nationals. Snell is the lone starter for the Goutfish who enter Period 4 in 8th Place.

Falcons, Grapes and 'Cats Look to Stay Hot on the Mound

The Maltese Falcons Nashville Aristocrats and Asti Grape Stompers posted 1.85, 2.02 and 2.19 ERA's respectively in Period 3 and will look to carry that momentum into Period 4 with five starters between the staffs on Monday.

Stacks Offense Looks for Jolt

After leading the league in offense through Period 2, the Stacks limped to a .204/.295/.333 line in Period 3, ranking 11th in scoring. With big hits to the rotation between Spencer Strider and Justin Steele, the offense will need to pick up the slack to keep the Stacks relevant early in the season.

State Farm Weekly Recap: Heads, Grapes Dominate the Period

The cream of the RDBL crop appears to be rising to the top as Period 3 saw a shift in the Standings with the Asti Grape Stompers, Maltese Falcons, Nashville Aristocrats and Honolulu Hammerheads all clearing the 300 point mark and occupying the top four spots in the Standings entering Period 4.

Here's the recap of Period 3 with standout performances from the Heads and Grapes:

Team of the Week: Honolulu Hammerheads, 362.0 Points

77-246, 246 AB, 18 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 37 R, 6 SB, 26 BB, CS, 5 HP, 2 SF

47 INN, 28 HA, 20 BBI, 52 K, 14 ER, 3 W, 3 L, 2 HB, HD The Honolulu Hammerheads were excellent in all phases in Period 3, posting a .313/.387/.524 line at the plate with a league-high 213.0 points while notching a 2.68 ERA in 47.0 innings of work on the mound. The Heads were paced by Tanner Houck's 55.0 point effort while Ezequiel Tovar, Jarren Duran, Alex Kirilloff and Seiya Suzuki all posted 20 or more points.

Pitching of the Week: Ronel Blanco (Grapes), 82.0 Points

15 INN, HA, 6 BBI, 11 K, 2 W

Blanco backed up a no-hitter on Monday night with six scoreless innings Sunday, posting 82.0 points over Period 3. The effort helped push the Grapes back into 1st Place entering Period 4.

Hitter of the Week: Spencer Steer (Grapes)/Jarren Duran (Heads), 35.0 Points

It was a dominant week for Steer and Duran at the plate as each posted 35.0 points to help their clubs rise up the RDBL Standings. Steer went 9-for-22 with three home runs as well as a double, triple and three walks while Duran went 13-for-27 with a home run and four steals.

Prospect of the Week: OF Heston Kjerstad (Fish)

Kjerstad is slashing .462/.522/1.026 with six home runs over his first 46 at-bats at Triple-A Norwich. At age 25, Kjerstad appears to be an injury or slump away from reaching the big leagues and sticking.

Life Insurance Player of the Week: OF Austin Hays (Goutfish)

Speaking of Orioles needing to slump for Kjerstad to get a chance, Goutfish outfielder Austin Hays went 0-for-15 in Period 3 and has a total of -2.5 points on the season. His .077 average is one of two Goutfish players hitting sub .080 with Nolan Schanuel checking in at .074.

On The Lookout, 4/7: Heads Eye Top Spot to Finish Period 3

The Honolulu Hammerheads looked dead in the water through the first two days of the season, but things quickly turned for GM Ross Horiuchi's club who has been the hottest team in the RDBL over the last week. The club enters Sunday in 5th Place with three starters on the mound and eyes on the top spot to close out Period 3.

The Heads have been elite on the mound, posting the league's second best ERA (2.63) while their staff has allowed just 45 hits in 68 1/3 innings while punching out 85. Their offense has been red-hot, leading the RDBL in hitter scoring over the last week while slashing .313/.378/.502 with a league-best five triples.

With Reid Detmers and Tanner Bibee throwing well, the pitching staff looks to have the depth to play the matchups all season long and be a viable contender in the Masters Division.

Projected Starters for Sunday, 4/7

Stacks: N/A

Grapes: Blanco (@ TEX)

Falcons: Imanaga (vs. LAD)

Aristocrats: Gonzales (vs. BAL)

Hammerheads: Sale (vs. ARZ), Silseth (vs. BOS), Houck (@ LAA)

Clovers: Marsh (vs. CHW), Flaherty (vs. OAK)

Maulers: Gil (vs. TOR)

Goutfish: Sanchez (@ WSH), Crochet (@ KC)

Jokers: Gore (vs. PHI)

Fringe: Abbott (vs. NYM)

Devils: Dunning (vs. HOU), Nelson (@ ATL)

Fish: N/A

Ducks: N/A

Hops: Webb (vs. SD)

Tacos: Gibson (vs. MIA), Pepiot (@ COL), Kremer (@ PIT)

Pitching Matchup of the Day: Stone vs. Imanaga

Maltese Falcons left-hander Shota Imanaga was dominant in his stateside debut earlier this week, posting 32 points in six dominant innings against the Colorado Rockies. The challenge will be much tougher Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers who will send 'Crats underrated prospect Gavin Stone to the mound and his elite changeup.

Hops Offense Looks for Jumpstart

The Meinert Hope are hitting just .190/.254/.324 over the last seven days, producing a league-low 85.0 points over that span. Six of their 13 position spots have yet to produced double digit points on the year including Jorge Polanco, J.P. Crawford and activation Henry Davis.

Grapes Look to Stay Hot on the Mound

Ronel Blanco will look to follow up his 52-point no-hitter with another strong outing Sunday. He's helped lead the Grapes to be the most pitching points in the RDBL over the last 7 days. as the staff has produced a 2.91 ERA in a league-high 52 2/3 innings over that span.