Posted by APSN Final Score on 3/28
10TH  SEASON HITS QUARTER-SEASON MARK
The 2009 season draws to the quarter-season mark this week, and the usual suspects top the central and western divisions, with Indiana beginning to open a big lead on the central division, and Minnesota racing just to hang in the division race at this point. Rhode Island continued their inspired play, despite dropping two games to friendly rivals Atlantic City in the tail end of their annual Root Beer Classic -- That's right, five weeks in and those two root beer quaffing teams are done for the regular season.

That series loss allowed the Rage to catch the Peanuts for the eastern division lead with a two games to one series win over Wichita, while Tucson's sweep of Buffalo allowed the Cacti to stay with Oklahoma out west.

Looking to this week, everybody plays in their division. Rhode Island stays at the Vacant Lot to face the fledgling Buffalo Bolts, while Orlando heads to Birmingham. Indiana heads to Minnesota in a central division battle, while Tucson takes on Calgary in a key series for both teams.

Posted by ASPN Insider on 3/28
MARSHALS STILL LOOKING AT SABATHIA DEAL
The Minnesota Marshals have confirmed that they have put ace starter CC Sabathia on the trading block and are looking for interested teams. It has not been revealed what the Marshals are asking in return for the 28-year old starting pitcher.

Posted by APA Enterprises on 3/28
Garth Brooks will not be back next season as manager of the Nashville Slammers organization, the team announced today after the closing game of their sweep to the Minnesota Marshals.

"We will be looking at all possible options for the best possible fit for the next XBL season and beyond" said APA Enterprises owner Aaron Andera.

A search for the next leader of this team will not begin until after this season so we give Garth the support he deserves and not cause any problems on the side.

Brooks was unavailable for comment as to whether he will stay on for the remainder of this season as manager.

Posted by Brian on 3/27
Bill Mauldin is a happy man right now, we will quaff a root beer for another classic AC/RI season series.

Posted by Gail on 3/27
Peanuts get squeezed, squashed and turned into applesauce by Trumps. Aaaarrrgghh!!!

Oh and the Rowdies got rowdy at the Rowdie House with a sweep of the Buffalo Bolts in their home openers.

Posted by Gail on 3/19
Peanuts take 2 from Bombers. No, really!

Peanuts continue uncharacteristic winning play.  Head scout Joe Shlabotnik tried to explain: “I don’t know, these guys are playing a lot better than when we scouted them.  Our people are out there scouring the country for any player that excels in mediocre play, but these guys are really starting to disappoint me."

To be fair to the Peanuts, Birmingham's Chad Billingsley did no-hit the Peanuts in the second game of this series, but the Peanuts continue to tear up the early part of their schedule and leading the eastern division.

Posted by ASPN Final Score on 3/14
PEANUTS BECOME LATEST TO TOP EAST
There was much rejoicing after the Peanuts got back to the Vacant Lot from their annual series in Quahog when the Rage come to town. That's because they heard that Oklahoma had swept the New Jersey Rhinos, thus giving the Rhode Island Peanuts sole possesion of the eastern division lead in the early stages of the season.

"Is this a joke? Are you kidding?" Peanuts manager Charlie Brown said. "First place? This is the best feeling I've ever had!"

Elsewhere in the league, Indiana ran their season-opening winning streak to eight games before Minnesota's Nick Blackburn shut down the Stars' bats. Indiana still has a four-game lead after just nine games, so if the Stars keep playing this way, they could run away and hide the central division early, while the western division has developed into an early-season three-way dogfight.

This week, Oklahoma heads to the Great White North to face Calgary in a big western division tilt, while Orlando is off to Tucson and Rhode Island opens the Vacant Lot to face Birmingham for their first series as a division leader.

Posted by Gail on 3/14
Peanuts take two from the Rage!

If Okie wins 1 it would put the Peanuts into a tie for 1st, if Okie wins more than 1, RI would be in 1st alone.

Posted by SDX International on 3/14
ROWDIES WIN! ROWDIES WIN!
...And improve to 2-7! Vegas had the second game in hand but then gave it away late.

"I'll let you in on an industry secret," said Craps Pit Boss Richard Cheese. "We're, uh...we're just really not that good, you dig? We're not awful, but it'll be really surprising if this team can finish .500 -- especially in the West."

Posted by ACE3 Management on 3/12
WE NEED STARTING PITCHING

Posted by Brian on 3/11
Sacramento sweeps, Atlantic City is swept.

Posted by ASPN Final Score on 3/7
SWEPT AWAY
Week 2 started an early separation of the teams, as the play featured an astounding five sweeps. Atlantic City swept Memphis on the road, and with that wrested early control of the eastern division. That also means the Trumps have their first sole division lead in team history. Calgary also pulled off a sweep of Sacramento and took control of the west for now as well.
 

And, well, everyone else beat up on the central division who now sport two 0-6 teams, and two more teams with 1-5 records.

This week brings the second test of the Vacant Lot, as the Peanuts (4-2 after their home-opening sweep) try to continue their good times at home against the Orlando Rage (4-2). Calgary heads to Tucson for rookie starter Tommy Hanson's second start and to try to keep their western division lead, while Atlantic City welcomes their home tourists as the Nashville Slammers visit for the Trumps' home opener, and New Jersey attempts to restore order to their league dominance, but has a test when the Rockhounds come calling.

Posted by Jason on 3/5
I'm considering trading CC Sabathia. Doesn't make sense to have such a good pitcher on such a bad team.

Posted by RIP, Inc. on 3/4
Anyone want to discuss a possible trade for Peanuts' first baseman Ryan Howard? Rhode Island needs position players and maybe a starting pitcher.

Posted by Commissioner's Office on 2/28
XBL FACEBOOK GROUP NOW OPEN
To better facilitate league posts, as well as announce trading block discussion and give updates on the league's status and announce updates to this page, the league has invited all league members, as well as a select few others who may be invited to join this league in a future season to the XBL official Facebook page.