This year, the all star game marks the halfway point of the season. This gives us enough time to actually see who is earning awards based on their play on the field, as opposed to signature names or pre-season hype. Let’s take a look at the potential captain of the year:1. Saad (Ducks) – Most years, the captain of the year is never awarded to the first place team. It’s usually given to a team that surpasses expectations. This year, it’s looking like it’ll be a situation where both will happen. Saad has the Ducks flying together; they are the only undefeated team in SASL. Need more? They lead the league with a +55 run differential. Even though they’ve missed games due to rainouts, they’ve only given up 6.7 runs per game, which leads the league by two runs per game. Look for them to be just as tough in the second half of the season and the likely #1 seed entering the playoffs.2. Jason (516) – 516 made noise week 1 after mercying the Savages twice. Since then, they’ve come back to earth a bit, but have still been very good. Currently the 3 seed at 7-5, they likely would have a better record with slightly better attendance. Big time hitters like Steve and Anthony have missed games, yet they’re still second in the league with 141 runs scored and 11.8 runs scored per game. They are third in runs allowed with 110 given up. With the playoff race heating up, that usually means better attendance for most teams. Look for 516 to be even better in the second half, and for Jason to have a “tough decision” in deciding where to place all the sluggers in the 516 lineup.3. Charley (Savages) – Winners of six straight, the Savages are now sitting in number two spot. Charley loses some points here as the Savages were the defending champions, were expected to repeat, and then started the year 2-4. In addition, they definitely have the most top end talent where they were going to figure it out quickly. That being said, you have to give credit for the captain who’s able to keep the course and not panic over a few losses. They’re second in the league with a +33 run differential and 105 runs allowed. Charley and Hashim started the year slowly, but they weathered that storm and will not be looking back. Expect them to finish strong and to fulfill the role of the juggernaut they were expected to be when the season began.
