STATE OF THE PVBL
Special Edition
June 22, 1999

1999: Year of The Record

Between the numbers and inside the lines of the amazing playoff races this year in PVBL lies an unprecedented contest of might and skill. With new owners and franchises changing locations and names this was surely going to be an interesting season but no one was prepared for what is surely to be coming our way by season's end: the breaking of the PVBL single season homerun and RBI records. Here is a breakdown...
PVBL Single Season Homerun Record:
     DL-	Mark McGwire	58	(Spokane/1997)
     EL-	Bob Higginson	53	(Tucson/1998)
   PVBL-	Mark McGwire	58	(Spokane/1997)

Current Homerun Leaders:
DL-	Frank Thomas	34	(Calgary)	Pace: 82
	Kevin Elster	24	(Calgary)	Pace: 56
	Kevin Caminiti	24	(Spokane)	Pace: 55

EL-	Mark McGwire	27	(Hartford)	Pace: 63
	Bob Higginson	21	(Tucson)	Pace: 49

PVBL Single Season RBI Records:
DL-	Ryan Klesko	151	(Punxatawney)
EL-	Bob Higginson	145	(Tucson)

Current RBI Leaders:
DL-	Frank Thomas	67	(Calgary)	Pace: 162
	Larry Walker	62	(Washington)Pace: 150
	Jim Edmonds	    61	(Larimer)	Pace: 140

EL-	Bob Higginson	59	(Tucson)	Pace: 139
	Mark McGwire	58	(Hartford)	Pace: 136
	Ken Griffey	    55	(Motor City)Pace: 127

So, if all goes according to plan, the records will belong to....
HR DL-		Frank Thomas with 82 (crushing McGwire's previous record of 58)
HR EL-		Mark McGwire with 63 (crushing Higginson's previous record of 53)
HR PVBL-	Frank Thomas, obviously, with 82

RBI DL-		Frank Thomas with 162 (shattering Klesko's record of 151)
RBI EL-		It will still be Bob Higginson's, no doubt.  His record is 145 and neither he nor McGwire are on a pace to break it.  If it's going to be broken, however, it's going to be Higginson or McGwire (Griffey is way behind in that race and has already played 3 more games than Higginson and 1 more than Mcgwire).
RBI PVBL-	Frank Thomas, obviously, with 162

It's kind of humorous to think of Big Mac over in the EL now given what The Big Hurt is doing. Perhaps McGwire sought to be traded so he could go for the El record and not have to compete with Thomas. Heh. No matter what happens, one thing is clear: This *IS* Frank Thomas' year. Perhaps none of you realize that The Big Hurt was *NOT* in the Top 5 in either league in homeruns -or- RBI at season's end in 1997 -or- 1998. That is what makes what he is doing all that more amazing (similar to Sammy's run this year in real life). You see, we have come to expect these things out of Mark McGwire and Bob Higginson. Therefore, the pressure has been on them to do what they've always done. Meanwhile, Thomas has stolen the spotlight, the show, and the country's attention and its heart.

Thankfully, Albert Belle is nowhere near breaking anything...except maybe a few bats over his head or knee. ;)

--written by Jeremy Chrabascz
Guest Writer