Like any other league, there are some preconceived notions in the JAL about people, teams, strategy and whatever else that really don't make too much sense in reality when you think about them. Below we're going to look a few popular one's in an effort to shine some light on the false stereotype.
1. The Lynx are a historically successful team
Did Toutle win the JAL 9 championship in their franchise debut and then subsequently make it back to the WWCD Cup (lost both times) in JAL 10 and 11? Yes. They're a historic team for sure, but a historically "successful" team? Ehh, that might be stretching it. When you really look at the numbers, they've only got 1 title, and they've only took first place in the regular season 1 time as well. Most of all, and you might be surprised to hear this, the Lynx have a 13-18 all-time record as a franchise..... Historic team, yes, historically successful team, no.
2. The Express are untouchable
In the postseason, yeah it's hard to argue the Express aren't bulletproof, but stats suggest otherwise in the regular season. We all know the Express have won 3 of the last 4 championships, but did you know that in those regular season's they've only placed 1st in the American Conference one time? In fact the Express haven't even won the AC regular season since JAL 12. Weird huh? Wanna get weirder? We do.... Missouri has won the last 2 titles, but in each of those playoffs they were the bottom seed (#3) in the AC.
3. You need pitching depth
You really don't. For a while people thought it was a big deal, but now the tides are changing. If your team has to turn to another guy mid-way through a game-date because they're getting tired and you don't have another good backup you don't have "pitching depth" issues, you just have "pitching" issues. Throwing three 5-inning games of 1-pitch-per-at-bat wiffleball is not as physically taxing as it's made out to be.
4. The JAL is a man's league
It sure seems this way at times, probably for the most part because there's only 1 girl player in the game today, but there's been many more in the past. Right now too, Trisha Martell of the underdogs might be the teams most valuable piece. And let's be serious for a minute here, she's not a below average player when you really look at all the rosters, she might be slightly above average. Based on that, if more solid women players got on teams there's no reason to think they'd do just fine, maybe better. Besides playing though, did you know that 3 franchises are owned by women, and 1 of those also has a woman GM? Two of those owners also have won titles, and as recently as JAL 9 and 10. Even the President of the JAL is a woman. The league might be majority male, but women have a place and have been very successful.
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