2023 Playoffs Kick Off Monday

The 2023 Roger Dorn Baseball League Playoffs have arrived with 14 games set to start Monday afternoon. As the scores reset to zero, the pressure builds as the RDBL looks to crown a Champion in their 10th season of play.

The Returnees

The Spokane Fightin' Fish and Mission Viejo Maulers the only teams to reach the Playoffs in both 2022 and 2023. The Fightin' Fish captured their second Regular Season Title on Sunday, capping off a dominant season that saw them lead the RDBL in both hitting and pitching. The Fish won their third consecutive Masters Division Title and fifth overall, setting a new RDBL Record.

A New Champion?

The Lunatic Fringe or Idaho Taters will need to accomplish the feat of going from Wild Card to RDBL Champion to avoid a repeat winner in 2023. The Spokane Fightin' Fish are the lone multi-Champion with Titles in in 2016 and 2018 while the Lake Merced Goutfish (2021), Mission Viejo Maulers (2017) and Mt. Diablo Devils (2015) each have one.

The Maulers (2017) and Burlingame Blue Ducks (2019) are the only Champions to be crowned from the Wild Card spot.

Who's Hot

Julio Rodriguez (Fish): Ranks second in scoring over last 28 days, slashing .404/.451/.663 with 15 extra base hits.

George Kirby (Goutfish): 2.48 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over his last 32 2/3 IP.

Mookie Betts (Devils): Leads all RDBL Hitters in points over the last 28 days, slashing .464/.514/.814

Matt Olson (Fringe): Ranks fourth in scoring over last 28 days while launching eight home runs.

Spencer Strider (Taters): Fifth in Pitcher Scoring over last 28 days, posting a 2.37 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.

Luis Castillo (Maulers): 2.00 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with 100.0 points over last 27.0 IP.

Who's Not

Dansby Swanson (Fish): Just 16-for-90 (.178) over last 28 days.

Clay Holmes (Goutfish): 12.46 ERA and 2.54 WHIP over last 21 days (4.0 IP).

Pitching Staff (Devils): Own a 5.17 Team ERA over last 14 Days

Jameson Taillon (Fringe): 6.08 ERA over last 26.0 IP

Taters Offense: Hitting just .234/.320/.407, ranking 13th in offense over last 14 Days.

Matt Chapman (Maulers): Hitting just .190 over last 28 days with four extra base hits while battling a finger injury.

The Money

The RDBL Champion will receive $500, 2nd Place is awarded $275 with 3rd Place receiving $100. The Spokane Fightin' Fish were the first team to cross $4,000 in career earnings and will enter the Playoffs at $4,715, seeking to be the first team to cross the $5,000 mark.

Fightin' Fish Capture Second RDBL Regular Season Title!

Michael Tirabassi's Spokane Fightin' Fish continue to be the gold standard of the Roger Dorn Baseball League as the Franchise captured their second Regular Season Title on Sunday evening. The club captured their fifth Division Title, setting a new RDBL Record while increasing their league-lead in cash winnings to $4,175, $955 more than the next highest Franchise.

The club certainly wrapped up their banner season in style, putting up a league seasons-high 486.0 points in Period 22, allowing just 11 earned runs in 65 2/3 innings over the last seven days.

This version of the Fightin' Fish was dominant on both sides, ranking 1st in hitting and 2nd in pitching. While the rotation was star-studded, the offense was extremely well balanced, working around injuries to Corey Seager and Aaron Judge, among others, to still lead the league in scoring. Star activation Julio Rodriguez led all Fish hitters with 380.0 points (entering Sunday).

Since missing the Playoffs in each of the first three seasons of play, the Fightin' Fish have rattled off six cash finishes in seven seasons while being the only Franchise with two RDBL Championships under their belt. Tirabassi will be looking to increase that number to three as they look to fend off the competition in the 2023 RDBL Playoffs over the next five weeks.

On The Lookout: Maulers Looking for Final Day Comeback

The Mission Viejo Maulers will look to their rotation to mount a final day comeback Sunday as the 2023 RDBL Regular Season comes to a close. GM Chris Ferraro will send Yusei Kikuchi (vs. CLE) and Luis Castillo (vs. KC) to the mound, looking to make up a 54.5 point deficit behind the Meinert Hops while they sit just 76.0 points behind the Idaho Taters. Both the Hops and Taters are idle on the mound Sunday.

Standings Entering Sunday

5th Idaho Taters 6148.0

6th Meinert Hops 6126.5

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Mission Viejo Maulers 6072.0

Fish Wrapping Up Banner Season

The Spokane Fightin' Fish are set to become the eighth team in RDBL History to cross the 7,000 point mark in a Regular Season as they put the final touches on their second RDBL Regular Season Title. GM Michael Tirabassi has made the Playoffs in six of seven seasons since the new format was implemented in 2016 while manning the only Franchise with two RDBL Titles.

This will also mark the Fish's fifth Division Title, a new RDBL Record as they break away from the Maltese Falcons and Alamo Short Stacks who each have four.

Goutfish Bounceback

After sweeping the Regular Season and RDBL Titles in 2021, the Goutfish were disappointed to miss the Playoffs in 2022. GM Ryan Atkinson has bounced back in a big way as they Franchise is set to capture their third Division Title and fourth Playoff berth.

Devils End Streak

The Mt. Diablo Devils are set to snap a four season streak of missing the Playoffs as they set to wrap up their fourth Division Title Sunday. Two-time Executive of the Year Jason Watson has been in control of the East Bay Division for much of season and will look to capture their second League Title when the Playoffs start on Monday.