On The Lookout, 4/1: Period 3 Kicks Off with Wave of 2-Start Arms

A slate of 14 games is on deck for Monday as clubs look to take advantage of their first opportunity to slot in 2-start pitchers in Period 3. All eyes will be on the Mt. Diablo Devils, Honolulu Hammerheads and San Mateo Oppo Tacos who look to make Monday "Moving Day" with three starters on the mound.

Here's the latest On The Lookout for Monday, 4/1:

Projected Starters for Monday, 4/1

Stacks: N/A

Goutfish: Sanchez (vs. CIN)

Clovers: N/A

Falcons: Imanaga (vs. COL), Morton (@ CHW)

Hops: N/A

'Crats: N/A

Grapes: Blanco (vs. TOR)

Devils: Dunning (@ TB), Nelson (vs. NYY), Paxton (vs. SF)

Jokers: Gore (vs. PIT), Wacha (@ BAL)

Hammerheads: Olson (@ NYM), Silseth (@ MIA), Houck (@ OAK)

Tacos: Pepiot (vs. TEX), Kremer (vs. KC), Gibson (@ SD)

Maulers: Gil (@ ARI)

Fringe: McKenzie (@ SEA), Abbott (@ PHI)

Ducks: N/A

Fish: N/A

Imanaga Debut for Falcons

The Maltese Falcons enter Period 3 in 4th place after a hot start and send a pair of starters to the mound on Monday including Japanese signee Shota Imanaga who makes his big league debut against the Rockies. Imanaga posted some elite K/9 numbers in Spring Training but was bit frequently by homers. He will be one of the more interesting pitchers to watch early in the season.

McKenzie Makes Long Awaited RDBL Debut

It has been a long road for Fringe right-hander Triston McKenzie who will finally make his RDBL debut Monday. McKenzie has already logged 360 1/3 big league innings including the 2022 campaign where he logged a 2.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP to earn the RDBL Pitching Prospect of the Year Award. He was set to be activated last season but an injury pushed him back to the Minors on Draft Day.

Heads Look to Continue Surge

It was a rough first three days for the Honolulu Hammerheads, but GM Ross Horiuchi's team is surging after a big day Sunday. They will look to continue that momentum on Monday as one of three teams sending three starters to the mound. Chase Silseth was virtually untouchable in Spring and will look to carry that momentum over against the 0-4 Miami Marlins while Tanner Houck gets a favorable matchup against the Oakland A's. The Heads have posted a 2.63 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 37 2/3 innings thus far but have failed to match that production at the plate with just 51.5 points through 169 at-bats with league-low numbers in on-base percentage (.246) and slugging (.296).

Maulers Look to Heat Up Bats

The Mission Viejo Maulers will look to get their bats going in Period 3 as they enter Monday with a league-low .198 batting average through 202 at-bats. Brandon Nimmo, Harold Ramirez and Ryan Jeffers are among the slow starters, combining to go 2-for-41 through the first weekend for a combined -11.5 points.

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.