Midseason Report: Freedom Cascades

One of the first three expansion teams, the Freedom Cascades have always been seen as a blue-collar unit that is not rewarded for their hard work. The roster has experienced a bit of change through two years, most notably in the last offseason, which saw Kavan head to the Victoria Spurs and Cowzart to the Pearl Surfers (with varying degrees of success for each), while journey-bear Roxy joining from the Oceanside Waves most recently (also formerly of the Queens Flames and Boston Swifts), and the rookie Nikolai. Chemistry between the newcomers has helped stabilize the back end of the Cascades order, while steady veterans Jasmine and Stinky are having strong years up top. This has resulted in the Cascades having their first serious foray into the playoff conversation at 18-14 overall. At home, a 10-6 record paces the team, while a respectable 8-8 road record doesn't harm them a bit. Most impressively, the Cascades hold their own in a tough East Division with a 6-2 division record, which should help with tiebreakers later on in the year.

The Cascades must be viewed with wary eyes though, as they have an average offensive output of 1463 per game, which actually ranks lower than the much worse Whitewater Shores at their halfway mark. The low-offense model is unsustainable for long-term success, although a low average can be coped with for parts or most of a season. The team is led by their captain, Jasmine, who hits almost 421 points per game, making up 29% of the offense at a consistency of 1.3, giving her a bit of an explosive touch. Behind her is Stinky, her long time deputy. Stinky adds about 392 per game, and his consistency at nearly 1.4 makes his 27% share of the offense very reliable. Behind him is Roxy, a well-traveled veteran with a nearly 355 average this season, giving the team 24.5% of its offense at a consistency of almost 1.7, making her a steady producer for the team. Nikolai, the rookie, is the weak link here, with an average of only 295 and a 20% share of the offense. His consistency of just under 1.3 is kind of good in this case, but he is far from reliable to put up meaningful points for the Cascades. As such, I think the Cascades will regress, but hold onto their first ever playoff berth for cricket.