Superbone Threefinger: A look into what could be the first and only 100 inning season

Every sports league has a handful of records that will never be beaten. Nobody in the MLB will ever hit .400 again, nor is it likely that they'll beat DiMaggio's hitting streak. It's so elusive, MLB taunts the fans with it using an online contest and an elusive, multi-million dollar jackpot. 

The MLR is a young league, but it is looking to already develop records like these. A prime example is the 100 inning season, a feat that Superbone Threefinger could yet achieve by the end of Session 18. 

It is a goal that is difficult to imagine even in this fledgling league's first full season. Threefinger currently sits over 30 innings ahead of competition, and it is likely that the single-pitcher dominated team is becoming more and more antiquated. By 2018-19, with more players sure to enter and a growing number of established players looking towards pitching, a 50 inning season may be a feat in and of itself. Threefinger is currently 5.2 innings away from doubling that. Whether or not he reaches 100, there is no doubt he will be in the record books.

Which obstacles stand in his way, however? Firstly, he placed a hurdle ahead of himself when he was unable to finish his Session 17 game against Oakland. With a sudden, worrying auto-walk chain, Rangers manager Rabbi Chase was forced to bring in relief, ending Threefinger's game at 5.1 innings pitched. The extra two outs would give him a surefire path to the 100, albeit barely. Now, it's less obtainable. 

If the Rangers want to put their ace in the history books, they will need to lead or be tied with the Phillies when the bottom of the sixth comes around. Philadelphia is on a hot streak, riding a 6-game wave of wins and battling for a wildcard. It will not be an easy feat, and Threefinger must pitch the entire thing. 

So what's so special about a 100 inning season? It's easy to look at that in the scope of the MLB, where starters are expected to pitch 150 a season, but the MLR only has 18 games at 6 innings a piece. It leaves a maximum inning count of 108, and that bars when pitchers are losing while away or if their 2 weeks run out-- any situation where they'd pitch less than 6 in a full game. 

A 100 inning season shouldn't be possible, yet here is Threefinger. The feat is so amazing, he's seen as a Cy Young contender for it alone, an iron-man durability that will never be seen again. He is definitely sure to get votes and dramatize that race further. 

Session 18 will be the craziest in MLR history; I'm positive of this. Many teams will be looking to wrap up a playoff spot, and while Texas has already clinched, they'll be fighting for a whole different goal. And while your eyes stay glued to the chaos of postseason contention, it will be worth it to watch that Rangers game as well, because you may not see anything like it again.