GHTBL Mid-Season Review 2024

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The Fourth of July is an Independence Day here in the United States but it also represents about the halfway point through the GHTBL regular season, as most of the games are played in June and July.   The GHTBL also takes the Fourth of July and days around it off, so since there is this nice little break in play here I figured it would be a good time to discuss where every team is at and how they might impact the rest of the season and playoffs.

Please Note: The format for this within each team is Team Name (win-loss record as per GHTBL website / number of times I've seen the team play)  I do feel, for obvious reasons, I am more qualified to talk about teams I've seen play more times, but that it is only if you consider me to be qualified at all.   These teams will also be in order based on the standings.

Vernon Orioles (10-2 / 3)

The Vernon Orioles sit atop the standings, a place with which they are familiar, and they haven't really changed much about their team since last season.   The Orioles are missing Ian Halpin this season, but they have the other usual suspects in their line up= Jimmy Titus, Jordan English, Dan Trubia, Tony Trubia, Nick Roy and Peter Kelley.   The Orioles are also dangerous with their pitching: Jason Ray and Matt Cleveland are always threats.  But they've also utilized the pitching of Calvin Hurty and the offense of Leo Vanags, two newcomers to the team.

While the Orioles had a history of winning the playoffs but then in recent years have been bested by the Jets, it feels like they're always just one move away from doing it all over and again and these new additions might just spark that in the team.  With only two losses, it will also be difficult to defeat the Orioes in general this season and post season.  With the team being made up of a lot of older, experienced players, it's difficult not to root for them.

M&T Bank (8-2 / 4)

M&T Bank is only out of first place right now because they haven't played as many games as the Vernon Orioles.   Both teams only have two losses, which means they're tough to beat and the difference between the Orioles and M&T is that the Bankers haven't captured that tournament trophy as recently.   With the returning Brendan Lynch, the Bankers have Justin Miller, Willy Yahn, Cooper Johnson, Gunnar Johnson and Jordan Jeroszko all returning.   New faces such as Parker Bennett have helped shape the team and Joey Rios is back in the league for the first time since 2020.

For pitching, M&T still has Eric Malinowski, Matt Smith and Camden Murphy, but they've added key players such as Joey Zawisza.  On top of that, the Bankers have added AJ Desarro to their roster, a utility player who was last seen on the Hartford Colts, as well as former Graphics pitcher Ryan Skaff.  While adding new players and bringing back players who have missed a season or more, the real way that M&T Bank might win it all this season was also in the moves they made by acquiring players from other teams in the league.

Record-Journal Expos (7-4 / 11)

Depending upon how you look at it, the Record-Journal Expos either sit in second or third place right now, but they have only the second most losses of any team in the league with four.   As seems to be the story in the league this season, the Expos have a healthy mix of returning players and new players alike.  Hector Gonzalez is back again while main stays AJ Hendrickson, Sebby Grignano, Jason Sullivan, Will Kszywanos and Kyle Hartenstein are all present.  Max Giacco and Luis Delgado are back as well.  

Pitching wise, the Expos have been relying heavily on Charlie Hesseltine and JD Tyler and it's been working.  They also have Brendan O'Connell, who has been so valuable to their pitching depth, and new pitcher Rory Mayer has one win for the Expos under his belt as well.   With Luis Delgado able to come in for relief, the Expos don't seem to have any pitching troubles.  Their addition of players like Max Adams (from the Rainbow Graphics) and "Superstar" Luke DiMauro have their playoffs hopes looking better than ever.  

Rainbow Graphics (9-6 / 6)

The Rainbow Graphics started off hot but have struggled a bit going into the end of June.  They really feel like the workhorse team of the GHTBL though, as they have so many games in a row and have managed to tough through all of them.  In years past, the Graphics have really turned their team around and became contenders in the playoffs.   This year, it looks like they could be closer to winning the tournament than ever before.

In addition to returning players such as Evan Chamberlain and Tyler Repoli, the Rainbow Graphics have players who helped boost them last year returning- players like Matt Costanza and Dan Orzech who are in their second year with the team.   (For what it's worth, Matt Costanza was my Rookie of the Year pick last season)  But now the Graphics have added pitching depth with AJ Rooks and, umm, just about everything you could want in a baseball player with Ryan Laubscher.  2024 just might be the year of the Rainbow Graphics.

East Hartford Jets (6-10 / 4)

The East Hartford Jets have had one of the most interesting seasons of any team in the GHTBL.   Having nearly twice as many losses as wins doesn't seem like the record you'd have for the team which won the playoffs tournament last year, but here we are.   Perhaps what's most odd about all of this is that players like Jeff Criscuolo, Adam Dadinos and Julian Gonzalez are still here, they're still on the team.  Corey Plasky missed some games, but on their roster page the Jets don't look that different from last season.

The Jets have a mixed bag second half of the season, playing everyone again at least once, so there really is no distinct advantage or disadvantage there.  Some teams they might be able to defeat, others they may not.   My overall prediction for the Jets is that they come alive during this second half and become their old selves by playoffs.    They may not win the tournament again, but they will put up a fight.

South Windsor Phillies (5-10 / 3)

All four teams in the bottom half of the standings have the same thing in common: they can all play spoiler to a top team in the playoffs.  The South Windsor Phillies are a team which I feel, when working together and the whole team is present, could pose the biggest threat in the playoffs.   I do believe the Phillies are a bigger threat than the Mets right now and in the playoffs they could send a team or two down to the losers bracket.

What I like best about the Phillies is I remember their game back on June 17th against the Middletown Mets.   The Mets put up some early runs and everyone thought that the game was over and the Mets would win.  But then the Phillies kept battling, shut the Mets down offensively and scored enough runs to win the game.   This is why you can never count out the Phillies.  They're that wild card that you have to be prepared for at all costs.  

Middletown Mets (4-9 / 3)

When the Middletown Mets really need to win, it feels like they can pull it out.   This season has seemingly been better for them than last season as they've kept a lot of their players from last season but also brought in Angel Rivera and a slew of pitchers.   I believe the Mets pose one of the greatest threats during the post season because when they all come together and do what needs to be done, they can win.

Much like the South Windsor Phillies, I expect the Middletown Mets to play spoiler to a team such as the East Hartford Jets or Vernon Orioles and knock them out of the playoffs tournament.   It definitely feels like a long shot for the Mets to win it all, sitting here right now, but if any team could pull off such a surprise I feel like it could be this team.  

Bristol Greeners (3-9 / 2)

The story of the Bristol Greeners this season feels a lot like the story of the Bristol Greeners last season so far.  What's most interesting perhaps is that while the Bristol Greeners are sitting in last place, the Vernon Orioles are once again in first place.   This was a matchup last year that saw the Orioles nearly sent down to the losers bracket right away by the Greeners.   When everything comes together for AJ Lorenzetti, Trevor Nohilly, Matt Fusco and Trevor Mays, the Greeners can be a team that eliminates other teams in the playoffs.

Much of the first half of the season was spent by the Greeners and Jets battling for the 7 and 8 spots.   But right now, the Jets have moved up to 5th place with the Mets and Phillies coming down.  All of these records are so close- between the Greeners, Mets, Phillies and even Jets to an extent- that the Greeners moving up to 5th place is just a matter of a few wins.   The bottom four teams are really close enough that they could drastically shift before the season is over.