Midseason Report: Golden Pilots

For the first three years of their existence, the Golden Pilots were the poster children for excellence amid roster turnover. For their fourth season, they finally returned a whole roster, and it appears they might not be quite sure what to do with all the stability they've achieved. The Pilots currently rank 13th in the standings, rocking a 17-15 record that has them in the playoff picture, although far from comfortably. At home, the Pilots are a solid 11-7 for this season, but they tend to have a few problems in their road games, carrying just a 6-8 record. Playing in the somewhat soft Center Division hasn't been a benefit for them, with a 3-4 divisional record that could prove troublesome later in the season.

The Pilots also produce quite a healthy offense as a unit, scoring about 1511 points per game as a team, making them one of the better offenses in the middle of the pack. The captain of the Pilots is their first hitter as well, Valencia, their only constant. Valencia is averaging exactly 375 points per game so far, good for precisely 25% of the team offense (and 100% of the pretty numbers in the league). Valencia also has a consistency approaching 2.1, making her a very prominent and steady force for her team. Behind her is a feisty veteran, Dusty, who hits 397 points per game to account for 26.5% of the Pilots offense. Dusty has a consistency of about 1.2, so she is a more explosive player that can often set the tone for the team. Balancing that is another well-tenured player, Strut, who scores about 404 points per game to lead the team in offense. Strut is a little over 26.5% of the team offense, and he does so at a consistency of about 1, making him another explosive option in the lineup. Rounding out the team is A. Charlton, a second-year Pilot with an average of 335 and a point share of only 22% on the strong team. Charlton holds a 1.3 consistency, the most mundane of any players on the team. As a whole, the Pilots look pretty good on paper. However, all previous teams pegged to make the playoffs, save for the Cascades, had a higher midseason average. There is a thin line between making and missing the playoffs, and unless the Pilots find another gear, they'll be on the wrong side of that line, watching the playoffs at home.