Our last update featured a four-way tie for first place in British Baseball’s National Baseball League. A fortnight later and the London Mets are once more on top as the juggernaut seeks its fourth consecutive title. The middle of the table is now a lot more complicated, with three clubs with three or four wins, while the debutant London Legends are now in the win column. In the lower tiers, five league leaders are still undefeated.
Week 3: London Mets at Essex Arrows (11-0, 13-1)
The Mets romped to two easy wins in Essex, with Brian Lainoff and Jordan Edmonds shutting down the Arrows’ offense. Lainoff (3-0) chucked three of the five innings in Game One, striking out three. The Mets collected only six hits, but walked nine times.
In Game Two, Edmonds (1-1) almost duplicated Lainoff’s start, with two hits and two Ks. This time, the Metros pounded out 12 hits, including a three-run jack from Zach Stroman and a double and two singles from Jamie Dix. The venerable Grant del Zoppo—who made his debut in 1995—also made his season debut, driving in three with a double and a sacrifice fly.
Week 3: London Capitals at Lancashire Legends (13-3, postponed)
After dropping the first game of the season, the Capitals’ winning streak reached four with a mercy rule smashing of the Lancashire Legends. Julio Figueroa drove in six with a pair of three-run dingers, and Kyle Randall also went yard. Louis Wampler was 3-for-3 with a walk, four runs, and three stolen bases in the mercy rule-shortened game.
Week 4: London Mets at Lancashire Legends (13-2, 13-0)
The three-time defending national champions swept its Week 4 twinbill as well, running its winning streak to six. The Mets twice posted 13 runs, with pitchers Freddy Mosier and Thomas Flaherty both pitching gems. Sparkplug Drake Yoshioka laced a double and a single to drive in four from the leadoff spot, adding two walks and a stolen base. Yoshioka has a .520/.639/.760 average through the Mets’ first eight games.
Mosier (1-0) punched out seven with only a single unearned run in four frames in the 13-2 win, his first start of the season. Flaherty (1-0), also starting his first game on the bump in 2021, was just as good, permitting two hits and three walks and sending down five on strikes. Edmonds backed up his fellow moundsman with a two-bagger, a single, and a free pass, scoring three times. Brendan Power had three hits in Game One and two more in the nightcap.
Week 4: Essex Arrows at London Legends (4-14, 14-0)
The London Legends earned the club’s first victory of the year in the fortnight’s only split. A developmental club in the four-team Legends system, the London club may very well have the youngest average age of any national league team in Europe. Daniel González had a massive game from the cleanup spot, earning the win and backing himself up with a 4-for-4 effort that included a walk-off two-run shot. Long-time Great Britain utility player Miguel Rodríguez was 3-for-4 with three ribbies.
In Game Two, Essex took its revenge, piling up 14 runs as Mario Escobedo and Luis Ramey tossed a seven-inning shutout. Escobedo K’d eight and allowed only three hits and a walk in the first six frames, backed up by a three-hit game with two swipes for Juan Díaz, who had two safeties in the opener. Ambiorix Hurtado was 3-for-3 with two free passes.
BBF National Baseball League Standings
| Team | W-L | Pct. | GB | H | A | RF | RA | Str |
| London Mets | 7-1 | .900 | – | 1-1 | 6-0 | 95 | 24 | W6 |
| London Capitals | 4-1 | .857 | 1.5 | 0-0 | 4-1 | 48 | 19 | W4 |
| Essex Arrows | 4-4 | .500 | 3 | 0-2 | 4-2 | 84 | 85 | W1 |
| Lancashire Legends | 3-4 | .333 | 3.5 | 1-4 | 2-0 | 45 | 70 | L3 |
| London Legends | 1-5 | .125 | 5 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 33 | 65 | L1 |
| Herts Falcons | 0-4 | .000 | 5 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 40 | 83 | L4 |
Box scores are available here [link]. All games contested in or immediately outside Greater London, regardless of team name.
Results
Week 3 (May 16)
Mets 11 – Arrows 0 (5)
Capitals 13 – Lanc. Legends 3 (5)
Mets 13 – Arrows 1 (6)
Capitals – Lancs. Legends (PP)
Week 4 (May 23)
Mets 13 – Lancs. Legends 2 (5)
Falcons – Capitals (PP)
Arrows 4 – Lon. Legends 14 (5)
Mets 13 – Lancs. Legends 0 (5)
Falcons – Capitals (PP)
Arrows 14 – Lon. Legends 0
Home team listed second.
League Leaders in Lower Leagues
| League | No. Teams | Leader | W-L | Pct. |
| BBF Triple-A South | 7 | East London/Essex | 4-2 | .667 |
| BBF Triple-A South West | 4 | Bournemouth Bears | 2-0 | 1.000 |
| BBL Triple-A North | 4 | Opening Day | June 6 | |
| BBF Double-A Central | 6 | Milton Keynes Bucks | 5-1 | .833 |
| BBF Double-A South East | 6 | Sidewinders | 7-0 | 1.000 |
| BBL Double-A North | 4 | Opening Day | June 6 | |
| BBF Single-A Central | 6 | Essex Redbacks | 6-0 | 1.000 |
| BBF Single-A South | 6 | Brighton Brewers & Jets | 4-1 | .800 |
| BBF Single-A South East | 6 | Tonbridge Wildcats | 4-2 | 1.000 |
| BBF Single-A Severn | 4 | Bristol Brunels | 1-0 | 1.000 |
| BBF Single-A Wessex | 4 | Cornish/Taunton | 1-1 | .500 |
| Single-A East of England | 8 | Cambridge Lancers | 4-0 | 1.000 |
| BBL Single-A North | 7 | Opening Day | June 6 | |
| Single-A Westcountry | 5 | No scores available. | ||
| Single-A West Midlands | 7 | Opening Day | June 6 |