MMDA Champions: What Makes Them Tick?

Little Rock won the 2025 MMDA World Series. 

I'm always curious to see how great teams succeed. Are they strong offensively? Can they pitch? Is their defense airtight? What can we learn from their success?

This year's Little Rock team clearly stood out in one area, but maybe not the one you would guess first.

TOP HITTING CHAMPIONS 
2004–2025

Here are the park-adjusted OPS+ leaders for MMDA champions. Each team's raw OPS+ is adjusted by its park factor multiplier (Mult) to yield what I call OPS*.

Rk	Year	Team	R/G	OPS+	PF	Mult	OPS*
1	2007	Bethlehem	6.67	129	87	0.934	138
2	2005	Bethlehem	6.07	127	91	0.956	133
3	2006	Bethlehem	5.34	119	90	0.951	126
4	2015	Mohawk Valley	4.54	113	82	0.910	124
5	2018	Elysian Fields	5.72	115	86	0.932	124
6	2022	Northeast	5.02	108	78	0.888	122
7	2011	Bethlehem	6.12	130	116	1.082	120
8	2010	Cape Cod	5.67	119	99	0.994	120
9	2009	Northern Lehigh	7.14	140	136	1.181	119
10	2004	Northeast	6.06	121	107	1.037	117
11	2013	Northeast	5.50	116	102	1.012	114
12	2021	Northeast	4.77	101	83	0.913	111
13	2008	Northwest	5.16	102	86	0.930	110
14	2016	Lake County	4.40	111	102	1.011	110
15	2019	Spokane	4.48	102	89	0.947	108
16	2012	Goldenrod	4.91	112	109	1.044	107
17	2025	Little Rock	4.81	113	114	1.070	105
18	2024	Murrieta	4.82	105	104	1.021	103
19	2023	Murrieta	4.66	105	106	1.030	102
20	2014	Mohawk Valley	4.35	95	92	0.962	98
21	2020	Death Valley	5.30	107	117	1.085	98
22	2017	Death Valley	4.46	95	105	1.027	93

The average park factor for a league champion is 99, while the average team OPS+ is about 14% better than league average, with values ranging from 38% better to 7% worse.

TOP PITCHING CHAMPIONS 
2004–2025

Here are the park-adjusted ERA+ leaders for MMDA champions. Each team's raw ERA+ is adjusted by its park factor multiplier (Mult) to yield what I call ERA*.

Rk	Year	Team	RA/G	ERA+	PF	Mult	ERA*
1	2007	Bethlehem	3.52	130	87	0.934	125
2	2019	Spokane	3.25	128	89	0.947	124
3	2013	Northeast	3.65	122	102	1.012	123
4	2006	Bethlehem	3.36	126	90	0.951	122
5	2004	Northeast	4.19	119	107	1.037	122
6	2018	Elysian Fields	3.44	127	86	0.932	121
7	2008	Northwest	3.73	124	86	0.930	118
8	2025	Little Rock	3.86	112	114	1.070	118
9	2021	Northeast	3.68	124	83	0.913	116
10	2015	Mohawk Valley	3.19	122	82	0.910	115
11	2020	Death Valley	4.60	105	117	1.085	113
12	2009	Northern Lehigh	5.19	96	136	1.181	112
13	2017	Death Valley	4.08	109	105	1.027	111
14	2014	Mohawk Valley	3.80	112	92	0.962	109
15	2022	Northeast	3.90	119	78	0.888	109
16	2012	Goldenrod	4.40	102	109	1.044	106
17	2024	Murrieta	4.57	102	104	1.021	104
18	2005	Bethlehem	4.60	108	91	0.956	104
19	2010	Cape Cod	4.58	104	99	0.994	103
20	2016	Lake County	4.14	100	102	1.011	101
21	2011	Bethlehem	4.81	92	116	1.082	100
22	2023	Murrieta	4.55	94	106	1.030	97

The average park factor for a league champion is 99, while the average team ERA+ is about 12% better than league average, with values ranging from 25% better to 3% worse.

TOP FIELDING CHAMPIONS 
2004–2025

It's difficult to tease defensive quality from traditional run-prevention measures, such as ERA or runs allowed per game. One common way to attempt this is to estimate the number of balls in play that are converted into outs via a metric called defensive efficiency rating, or DER.  

Here are the park-adjusted DER leaders for MMDA champions. Each team's raw DER is adjusted by its park factor multiplier (Mult) to yield what I call DER*. 

Rk	Year	Team	RA/G	DER	PF	Mult	DER*
1	2025	Little Rock	3.86	.731	114	1.070	.749
2	2019	Spokane	3.25	.753	89	0.947	.739
3	2004	Northeast	4.19	.728	107	1.037	.738
4	2018	Elysian Fields	3.44	.753	86	0.932	.735
5	2020	Death Valley	4.60	.711	117	1.085	.733
6	2006	Bethlehem	3.36	.744	90	0.951	.731
7	2021	Northeast	3.68	.754	83	0.913	.730
8	2009	Northern Lehigh	5.19	.681	136	1.181	.730
9	2012	Goldenrod	4.40	.717	109	1.044	.729
10	2016	Lake County	4.14	.724	102	1.011	.727
11	2008	Northwest	3.73	.742	86	0.930	.722
12	2013	Northeast	3.65	.719	102	1.012	.722
13	2005	Bethlehem	4.60	.733	91	0.956	.721
14	2023	Murrieta	4.55	.712	106	1.030	.721
15	2007	Bethlehem	3.52	.735	87	0.934	.717
16	2024	Murrieta	4.57	.710	104	1.021	.716
17	2017	Death Valley	4.08	.702	105	1.027	.710
18	2010	Cape Cod	4.58	.709	99	0.994	.708
19	2014	Mohawk Valley	3.80	.718	92	0.962	.706
20	2015	Mohawk Valley	3.19	.731	82	0.910	.704
21	2022	Northeast	3.90	.735	78	0.888	.701
22	2011	Bethlehem	4.81	.673	116	1.082	.698

This year's Little Rock club converted nearly 73% of batted balls into outs, which implies something like a .270 BABIP. Applying a park adjustment—Little Rock played in a hitter's park—those numbers improve to nearly 75% of batted balls as outs and a .250 BABIP. 

The league-wide DER in 2025 was .717, which is similar to the 24-year league average of .713, meaning that the big-picture league BABIP is about .287, with the spread of values ranging from .279 to .296.  

So the consistent defensive excellence of Little Rock fielders this year helped drive the club's pitching success, which led to a 97-win season and ultimately a league title.