Home Run Derby and Season 6 All Star Game Results

The thirteen top homerun hitters in the league met at Dulcolax Stadium for the first ever Home Run Derby. The rules were as follows: each player would have fifteen pitches to hit as many home runs as possible. The top six hitters would advance to the second round, which would also be fifteen pitches. Advancing to the third round would be the top four cumulative hitters from rounds 1 and 2. In round three, the score would reset, so that the top two would duke it out, one on one, in the fourth and final round.

The night got off to an exciting start with the first round results as follows:

1. Alber Pujols (ZSY) - 8
2. Ralph Kiner (ZSY) - 7
3. Gregg Zaun (MMD) - 7
4. David Ortiz (TEN) - 7
5. Eric Chavez (MMD) - 7
6. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 6
7. Ellis Burks (QEY) - 6
8. Larry Walker (STL) - 4
9. Magglio Ordonez (TEN) - 4
10. Jeff Kent (MAX) - 4
11. Jorge Posada (TEN) - 3
12. Miguel Tejada (RED) - 3
13. Jason Giambi (RED) - 1

In the event of the tie between Ellis Burks and J.D. Drew, both were accepted to advance to Round 2. Also of interest to note was the early departure of Larry "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Walker, who only hit four homers in this round. Round 2 went as follows

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 14 (+6)
2. Ralph Kiner (ZSY) - 14 (+7)
3. David Ortiz (TEN) - 14 (+7)
4. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 13 (+7)
5. Ellis Burks (QEY) - 12 (+6)
6. Eric Chavez (MMD) - 12 (+5)
7. Gregg Zaun (MMD) - 9 (+2)

While Pujols, Ortiz, and Kiner continued with the fireworks, there was a three way tie for the number 4 spot. It was agreed on the spot for a sudden death elimination, which was won by Tenbil Town Green Sock J.D. Drew, sending Eric Chavez and Ellis Burks home. Down to the final four, Round 3 commenced.

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 6
2. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 5
3. Ralph Kiner (ZSY) - 4
4. David Ortiz (TEN) - 3

Two Z-Slayers faced off against two Green Sox, and the result was surprising, namely the very bad performance from sluggers Ralph Kiner and David Ortiz. Both posted their worst performance of the evening in the crucial Round 3, paving the way for J.D. Drew to challenge Albert Pujols, who had remained atop the leaderboard the entire evening. Round 4 would prove even more dramatic than the third.

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 4
2. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 4

The rules once again had not provided for the case of a tie. In a gentleman's agreement made right there on the field, the two agreed upon a repeat of the same conditions in a fifth round.

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 5
2. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 4

And thus, with a razor thin margin of one home run, Albert Pujols was crowned the first ever Champion of the Home Run Derby.

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SEASON 6 ALL STAR GAME

D2 - 0   D1 - 9   F

D1: Ellis Burks: 3B, 3 RBI

D1: Ralph Kiner: HR, 3 RBI

D1: Luis Aparicio: 3B, SB

D1 Jack Wilson: RBI

D1: Gregg Zaun: HR, RBI

D1: Albert Pujols, HR, RBI

In the first All Star Game since Season 3, the entire league cast their attention towards hosting Dulcolax Stadium on this muggy summer evening. Division 1 did not waste any time in flexing their muscles and exerting their dominance over the Pee Wee League, with Coach Greg Maddux's incredibly dangerous lineup punishing Division 2 starter Jamie Moyer with a leadoff Luis Aparicio triple, followed by a rally bringing home two runs. The Ghost of Mao rotated a different pitcher each inning, with Brad Penny and Andy Pettite both pitching scoreless innings. But Ben Sheets ran into trouble in the fifth surrendering home runs to Z-Slayer sluggers Ralph Kiner and Albert Pujols. Kiner's was a three run shot, while Pujols's could be considered his 40th of the night if you factor in his performance in the Home Run Derby earlier that day. As for the Division 1 pitching, the Bobian starters did what they do best. Roy Halladay, Tom Seaver, and Tom Glavine SS all put in 2 dominant innings each, leaving the Division 2 lineup speechless. Division 1 did not let up, eventually expanding the lead to 9-0, thanks to a Gregg Zaun solo shot and an Ellis Burks triple. The Ghost of Mao went to the bench in the eighth and ninth innings, which seemed to finally bring a spark to the team's offense. In the top of the ninth, the team managed to load the bases with two outs. The Ghost of Mao opted to pinch hit the Tycoons Fred McGriff with the Marauders Fred McGriff, which ended up backfiring when the latter struck out to end the game. After the game, all players shared a good natured laugh over a highlight reel that included bloopers and achievements during the season. A Little League game between Georgia and Hawaii followed after, but was cut short after both teams strategy of "swing at everything" failed to break the tie after extra innings. Even still, the mood with the Division 2 players seemed dampened, with Coach Ghost of Mao wondering aloud at one point how any Pee Wee team would have any chance of winning the championship after such a humiliating performance.  

All Star Team and Home Run Derby Qualifiers!

After a long season, the League Commissioner presents the highly anticipated All Star Teams. The teams will play against each other next week. The number in parenthesis shows how many times that player had been named to the All Star Team.

This year, the Division 1 Team has made two slight adjustments. Since there were no outstanding second basemen and two very highly qualified shortstops, one of the shortstops can also play second base and has been accordingly granted that spot even though he played most of the season as a shortstop. Next, a team usually carries four starters and four relievers. Due to the very high caliber of starters in Division 1, an exception has been granted whereby the team will carry five starters and three relievers.  

For Division 2, a special congratulations is in order for Red Clay second baseman Alfonso Soriano, the only player who has made every single All Star team since Season 3.

DIVISION 1

Coach - Greg Maddux, BOB

C - Gregg Zaun, MMD (1)

1B - Albert Pujols, ZSY (3)

2B - Jack Wilson, ZSY (3)

SS - Luis Aparicio, BOB (1)

3B - Mike Lowell, BOB (1)

LF - Eric Chavez, MMD (1)

CF - Ellis Burks, QEY (3)

RF - Ichiro Suzuki, BOB (1)

DH - Ralph Kiner, ZSY (3)

Bench - Frank Catalanotto, QEY (2)

Bench - Jason Larue, ZSY (1)

Bench - Manny Ramirez, LIN (3)

Bench - Rondell White, LIN (3)

Bench - Travis Hafner, BOB (1)

Starter - Roy Halladay, BOB (1)

Starter - Tom Glavine SS, BOB (1)

Starter - Tom Seaver, BOB (1)

Starter - Kip Wells, ZSY (1)

Starter - John Burkett, BOB (1)

Reliever - Rollie Fingers, BOB (1)

Reliever - Tim Spooneybarger, QEY (2)

Reliever - Steve Karsay, LIN (2)

Closer - Keith Foulke, MMD (2)

Closer - Danny Graves, ZSY (3)

Division 2

Coach - The Ghost of Mao

C - Bengie "Don't Make Fun of My Speed" Molina, MAX (2)

1B - Fred McGriff, TYC (1)

2B - Alfonso Soriano, RED (4) 

SS - Miguel Tejada, RED (2)

3B - Edgar Martinez Jr., TEN (1)

LF - J.D. Drew, TEN (1)

CF - Richie Ashburn, MAX (3)

RF - Larry Walker, STL (2)

DH - David Ortiz, TEN (1)

Bench - Edgar Renteria, STL (1)

Bench - Jorge Posada, TEN (2)

Bench - Fred McGriff, MEL (1)

Bench - Scott Rolen, MEL (1)

Bench - Jeff Kent, MAX (2)

Starter - Andy Petitte, MAX (3)

Starter - Brad Penny, TYC (2)

Starter - Jamie Moyer, MEL (2)

Starter - Ben Sheets, RED (2)

Reliever - Shingu Takatsu, TYC (3)

Reliever - Shingu Takatsu, RED (3)

Reliever - B.J. Ryan, TYC (1)

Reliever - Dave Veres, STL (1)

Closer - Mariano Rivera, MAX (3)

Closer - Danny Kolb, TYC (1)

HOME RUN DERBY

All players who hit five or more homeruns during the regular season will qualify for the Home Run Derby. The qualifiers are as follows.

David Ortiz (TEN)

Albert Pujols (ZSY)

Eric Chavez (MMD)

Ralph Kiner (ZSY)

Larry Walker (STL)

J.D. Drew (TEN)

Ellis Burks (QEY)

Jason Giambi (RED)

Magglio Ordonez (TEN)

Miguel Tejada (RED)

Jorge Posada (TEN)

Jeff Kent (MAX)

Gregg Zaun (MMD) 

 

Series 12: Part 4: So it Comes to This...

TEN - 4   MEL - 6   F
W - Politte (1-1)   L - Foulke (1-3)
MEL: Beckett: 4 1/3 IP, 4 ER
TEN: Ishii: 5 IP, 3 ER
MEL: Jeter: GW HR (4), 2 RBI (10), SB (3)
TEN: Drew: HR (6), 3 RBI (13)
MEL: Groom: 2 2/3 IP, BB, 0 H, 0 ER

The tension could not be thicker as both teams stared down elimination in the ultimate contest of do or die in their last game of the season. The nervous energy could be felt in the packed crowd at Melmegetia Municipal Stadium in which every seat was filled this evening. Nerves certainly seemed to be an issue for both starting pitchers, as neither seemed comfortable throughout the evening. Veteran Josh Beckett was the first to stumble, rocked by a J.D. Drew three run home run in the third inning. Beckett stumbled again in the fourth, surrendering a leadoff triple to Omar Vizquel, his league leading sixth of the year. Magglio Ordonez brought him home with a single on the next pitch, expanding the Green Sox league to 4-0. Beckett did not survive the inning, resulting in a very disappointing 4 and a third inning performance. He was relieved by Buddy Groom who was dominant in his first appearance in a while, not surrendering a hit in almost three innings and being a solid bridge to the late innings. On the other side of things, Tenbil Town starter Kaz Ishii ended up in some hot water himself in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff single from catcher Miguel Olivo, team captain and manager Adam Kennedy made things interesting by crushing a double and moving himself and Olivo into scoring position. The Marauders then finally got on the board with a Scott Rolen single; this ended Ishii's night as Emerick Jones called in Paul Shuey from the bullpen. But Shuey had a bit of a choking incident; Kennedy scored on a Brandon Larson single, Scott Rolen scored on a Fred McGriff double, and Larson scored on a Frank Thomas single. But the time Shuey finally ended the inning, the Marauder rally had brought the score to 4-4. Both bullpens kicked into high gear, and neither offense had any spark in the seventh and eighth innings. As the game went to the bottom of the ninth, the entire stadium held their collective breath as it looked like they were in for a long night. But there was to be drama before regulation was over. In the bottom of the ninth, with a runner on first, hot hitting Derek Jeter stepped to the plate. Tenbil closer Keith Foulke dealed a  fastball that hung just enough over the plate for Jeter to connect. The ball then sailed over the right field wall, and just like that, the Tenbil Town Green Sox season was over. While Melmegetia celebrates for the time being, their fate now rests in the hands of the Red Clay Aces. If the Aces when, then the Marauders punch their ticket to the playoffs...
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RED - 1   MAX - 3   F
W - Daal (2-2)   L - Fogg (1-2)   S - Rivera (6)
MAX: Daal: 7 IP, ER, QS (3)
RED: Fogg: 7 IP, 3 ER, QS (4)
MAX: Koskie: 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI (5)
MAX: Martinez: 1-3, 2B, RBI (17)
RED: Walker 04: 2-3, HR (2), RBI (7)

The last game of the season had so much riding on it. Would the Aces win the division? Could the Bombers pull off an incredible second half of the season turnaround and secure a playoff spot? Would they fail and allow the equally incredible story of the Marauders to have the Cinderella ending? Both teams threatened early, with both offenses getting runners on second and third in the first inning. Neither team capitalized on this chance, nor on the other opportunities in the early innings. Both starters indeed seemed nervous and were working in and out of trouble most of the evening. Huge double play balls saved each respective starter in the fourth inning; very tough rolls were achieved by the Maxion defense thanks to a very tough turn by second baseman Jeff Kent, while the Aces were able to emerge unscathed from a bases loaded situation with only one out when Bomber LF Hideki Matsui grounded out into a double play. But the Maxions bats finally hit pay dirt in the fifth inning, when the first three men of their lineup, Richie Ashburn, Corey Koskie and Edgar Martinez, hit three consecutive doubles. The Aces answered back in the sixth with a Larry Walker solo homerun, bringing the score to 3-1. Both starters pitched the seventh without incident before turning it over to their bullpens. The Maxions went to normally solid setup man Ugueth Urbina who started off the inning with two quick strikeouts. But two walks and a single lead to a bases loaded situation where they called in the closer Mariano Rivera. Using his signature cutter fastball, he struck out Jose Cruz to end the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Aces reliever Paul Quantril struggled but managed to get out of a jam without any bloodshed. In the top of the ninth, Rivera was to face the top of the Aces order. After surrendering a walk to leadoff man Tom Goodwin, the Bombers could not capitalize on a ground ball from the next batter. The number three hitter, Paul Konerko, then singled, moving a runner to scoring position and allowing the go ahead run to come to the plate. But Rivera did not falter. After popping up the hot hitting Alfonso Soriano, he put the game to rest but catching Jason Giambi looking and sending the Maxion Bombers to the playoffs!

What an incredible run for this team, who bounced back after a 1-9 start to finish the year with a record of 10-12. They will play in the first round of the playoffs against the Red Clay Aces, a rematch of this epic series where they were able to secure the third Pee Wee League playoff spot.

So ends the regular season of Season 6. With the playoff picture decided, stay tuned for the All Star Team announcements.

League News Roundup 02 AUG 2018

Your Guide to the Thrilling Pee Wee League Finish

Although there are only two games left in the season, Division 2 standings could change radically based on the outcome of these two games. Here is a breakdown of exactly what each team is playing for:

RED: Has already clinched a playoff spot, but a win against MAX will give them the division crown, a first round bye, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They will send second starter Josh Fogg to the mound. In five appearances this year, he is 1-1, with 3 quality starts and one complete game.

MAX: Will be eliminated with a loss. Will clinch the number 3 playoff spot with a win over RED and a TEN loss. If they get the win over RED, but TEN also wins, the Maxions will face off against TENin a one game playoff due to a perfectly even tie breaker. Omar Daal, who has been reliable in the second half of the year, will start their final game (5 starts, 1-2 record, 2 QS).

TEN: Is in the same exact situation as the Bombers. A loss means elimination. A win plus a MAX loss gives them the third spot, while a win and a MAX win results in the one game playoff. The team has lost two games in a row, games which GM Emerick Jones called "easy wins transformed into nightmare losses." Jones hands the ball to Kaz Ishii, who in five largely disappointing starts is 1-3 with only 2 quality starts.

MEL: Incredibly, Doctor Vindaloo's squad could still grab the number three spot with a win over the Green Sox and a MAX loss. They would have a similar record as the Bombers and Green Sox if this were to happen, but would control the tie breaker over both of them thanks to head-to-head record and division record. A loss results in their immediate elimination. Veteran and long time Marauder Josh Beckett 03 will take on the very dangerous Green Sox offense. In five starts, Beckett is only 1-3 with three quality starts, but is admittedly better than that might lead one to believe.

Z-Slayers GM Implicated in "Mister B" Plot; Makes Strange Comments

A leaked police report shows that several calls on murderer Tomo Ohka's mobile device have been traced back to the Tuldarian Z-Slayers clubhouse of all places. There's no word yet on how this exactly factors into the investigation, but Z-Slayers GM Lord Sinister blasted the accusation as "utterly false" and "slanderous of my team's immaculate reputation." In an open press conference in which all journalists except for John Kruk were invited, Sinister went on to explain that the Tuldarian Z-Slayers were the one and only team in the entire league that did not have any player or coach on the roster whose first or last name started with the letter "B", and therefore it was absurd to even think that someone in his organization had any involvement in the plot. But that's when league luminary Butthead asked a very poignant question: "Uhhhh...uhuh, uhuh...like, why do you even know that?" Butthead's co-host of the Leit'em Up Roster Report, Al Leiter, then rose as well and said "Yes, that is indeed a random fact. What if "Mister B" picked that alias for himself, knowing that would direct the search elsewhere?" There was then a moment of very awkward silence until it was shattered by a furious outburst from Sinister. "LISTEN HERE, IF I WAS GONNA KILL A COACH, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THAT CHUMP TAKLAMENTE. DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF TAKING OUT THAT BOBIAN A**HOLE RONDE BARBER? THERE'S MY ANSWER TO THAT. NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! ALL OF YOU! YOU SO CALLED "SPORTS JOURNALISTS MAKE ME SICK!" And thus ended a very interesting press conference.  

Stadium Mania: Report initiates Renovations Across the League

A report commissioned by Red Clay GM Ishmael van Corrin has published the result that a well perceived stadium directly correlates to a team's success on the field. Driving the result were the Spartans of Bobia and the Tuldarian Z-Slayers, whose home field's (Dulcolax Stadium and Sinister Industries Stadium) both received the highest rankings of A+. Aside from commanding scenic views of their respective hometowns, both are world renowned for the variety and sophistication of their dining options. Both are also relatively new builds as well and are number 1 and 2 in the league in terms of crowd capacity. Both stadiums also feature very unique aspects such as a high tech drainage system in Bobia and a Zachrian war memorial in Tuldaria. Other stadiums around the league that scored decently were Melmegetia Municipal Stadium (B+), the South Queynos Grounds of Fate (B), and Beanway Park (B). In light of this report, many other teams launched initiatives to "spruce up" their home fields. The Red Clay Aces, Tenbil Town Green Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Alyxian Darkpaws, Maxion Bombers and Mao's Tycoons all released statements that they would be looking to rebuild, renovate, or rebrand their home fields. But the big news was that Ishmael von Corrin unveiled plans for a new waterfront stadium in Red Clay, which will be started in the offseason if he can receive proper permits and funding from the city.  

Series 12: Part 3: Wrapping Up Division 1

QEY - 4   LIN - 0   F
W - Rodgers (2-2)   L - Schoenweiss (2-3)
QEY: Rodgers: CG (1), 0 ER, QS (5)
LIN: Schoenweiss: 6 IP, ER, QS (5)
QEY: Catalanotto: 2-4, 2B, RBI 12)
QEY: Jenkins: 3-3, 2 2B, RBI (9)
QEY: Guillen: 2-3, RBI (1)

Got his first CG of the year

Both teams were attempting to imitate the Bobians early on, with rather aggressive base running. From both teams, three players were caught stealing while two others were thrown out trying to go for extra bases during the first third of the game. The help from the defense was not wasted by either team's respective starter, who both settled down and pitched rather well in the middle innings. The Warriors were able to squeeze out a run in the fifth, however, thanks to a Frank Catalonotto double. Both offenses went back to being very quiet, as the Lindsyan bullpen and Queynos starter Kenny Rodgers powered through the late innings. But Lindsyan reliever Aquilino Lopez ran into trouble in the top of the ninth, loading up the  bases with only one out. Lindsyan closer Robb Nen then entered the game, but he was not able to stop the bleeding and proceeded to surrender a three run rally to the Warriors. Interesting to note, Warriors shortstop Carlos Guillen achieved his first RBI of the season during this rally...despite the fact that it was also the very last game of the season. A four run lead was more than enough for Rodgers to go the distance, as his 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth secured the victory. Not a very meaningful game, as both teams have long since been eliminated from playoff contention. Nevertheless, decent but overall disappointing seasons for both teams who had the unfortunate circumstance of being in a very difficult division.
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MMD - 1   AXN - 3   F
W- Zito (3-0)   L - Schilling (4-2)   S - Kolb (7)
AXN: Zito (6 IP, ER, QS (5)
MMD: Schilling: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (5)
AXN: Fullmer: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI (6)
MMD: Zaun: HR (5), RBI (18)
AXN: Cameron: 2-4, RBI (12)

16th career win; most in AXN history

With the expectation of a pitching duel, both teams entered their final game of the season without much to play for. While the Darkpaws are just trying to avoid a last place finish, Meow Meow Dui could secure second place and homefield advantage for the first round of the playoffs with a win. The Darkpaws got off to a promising start in the first inning, completing a two run rally off the normally unhittable Curt Schilling, with the help of a completely botched double play attempt by the Meow Meow defense. On the other side of things, long time Alyxian starter Barry Zito was effective, looking strong, but not dominant. He surrendered a run in the fifth, however, when MMD catcher Gregg Zaun capped off his career year with his fifth homerun and eighteenth RBI. The Darkpaws responded in the sixth, thanks to an RBI double from former Melmegetian Brad Fullmer, his second of the game. Schilling was then pulled from the game, a quality start but undoubtedly his worse showing of the year which could affect his chances at a spot in the very competitive all star rotation. Back to this game, both teams went to the bullpen after the sixth, and both bullpens pitched shutout baseball: two innings from Kevin Gregg for Meow Meow while Vladimir Nunez and Danny Kolb rounded things out for the Darkpaws. Interesting to note that Danny Kolb earned his league leading seventh save, which says a lot when the entire team has only nine wins. Because of the strong showing of the Darkpaws in the second half of the year, the team has agreed to keep GM ALLIED_MASTERCOMPUTER on for another year. But he has said that the team will most likely undergo some restructuring in the offseason. As for MMD, they now prepare for their first ever playoff appearance against the Z-Slayers.
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TYC - 2   STL - 8   F
W - Oliver (1-2)   L - Wood 04 (0-2)
STL: Oliver: 7 1/3 IP, 2 ER, QS (4)
TYC: Wood: 5 IP, 6 ER
STL: Walker: 3-4, 2 HR (8), 4 RBI (17)
STL: Polanco: 4-4, RBI (6), SB (3)
STL: Renteria: RBI (15)

Weapon of Mass Destruction

Since the Marauders own the tie breaker, the Cardinals tonight were simply playing the role of spoiler as well as hopefully positioning themselves not to finish the season with the worst record in the league. As for the Tycoons, much more was at stake; a win would clinch the division, a first round bye, as well as homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. But as John Kruk called it at the beginning of the game "There was no chance that the Tycoons were gonna win this game. The gut has spoken." His intuition seemed on point from the get go, with the Tycoons looking very shaky in the first two innings; they were quite lucky to come out of it only one run behind. On the other side of things, the highly serviceable Cardinal starter Darren Oliver had yet another very solid performance, and was dominant in the early and middle innings. Tycoons starter  Kerry Wood 04 seemed to settle in after the second, going 1-2-3 in both the 3rd and 4th innings. But he simply fell apart in the fifth, surrendering a five run rally, which was culminated in the form of a Larry "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Walker three run blast to the upper deck. Walker homered yet again in the 7th, this one a solo shot representing his eighth of the year. At 7-0, things looked all but over until Darren Oliver allowed two Tycoon baserunners on in the eighth before handing the ball over to the bullpen. Closer Jason Isringhausen struggled to the point that both those base runners came home, tagging two runs to Oliver in what was otherwise a near immaculate performance. The Cardinals added yet another run in the ninth, before putting the Tycoons to be in the ninth with a very nifty gold glove double play. After the game Kruk remarked "What a shame these Cardinals aren't going to be in the playoffs. They sure are a fun team to watch. Not like these Tycoons, they stunk up the joint like Doc Vindaloo on falafel day. No offense to the good doctor, by the way." Indeed, for a team that was entertaining hopes of winning Division 2, the win represents a bittersweet end to a wild season for a team that is not likely to change much in the offseason. They will most likely finish the year in the number 5 spot of the Pee Wee league. As for the Tycoons, they could still win the division and the first round bye IF the Red Clay Aces lose their last game against the Bombers. If the Aces win that game, the Tycoons drop down to the second seed and will need to face off against the yet to be determined third seed in the first round of the playoffs.

Series 12 Part 2: Down to the Wire

TYC - 5   STL - 1   F
W - Johnson (2-3)   L - Veres (2-1)   S - Ryan (1)
TYC: Johnson: 7 IP, ER, QS (3)
STL: Smith: 6 IP, 0 ER, QS (3)
TYC: Beltre: 2-5, HR (3), 4 RBI (11)
STL: Walker: 1-3, HR (6), RBI (13)
TYC: Ryan: 2 IP, S (1)

The Tycoons were playing to punch their tickets to the playoffs...a win would make them the first Division 2 Team to clinch a playoff spot. Both starters were in excellent form, with both Bud Smith and Randy Johnson looking dominant in the first three innings. The Cardinals drew blood first, however, when Larry "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Walker knocked a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, his sixth of the year. Johnson ran into trouble again in the fifth, but got out of a bases loaded jam with a clutch double play ball. His opponent Bud Smith never really ran into trouble and threw six very strong innings, giving up only two hits. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa decided to go to the bullpen in the seventh, but this proved to be a fatal mistake. The normally very solid Dave Veres quickly got into trouble and found himself with runners on second and third with nobody out. That's when former Green Sock Adrian Beltre stepped to the plate and "Beltre'd" an upper deck monster which put the Tycoons ahead 3-1. The Cardinals once again had a chance in the eighth when they loaded the bases, but Tycoon reliever B.J. Ryan shut the door on that. The Tycoons struck again in the top of the ninth with an end of the batting order rally, in which Adrian Beltre notched another RBI with a single and rightfielder Aaron Freel doing the same. B.J. Ryan went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save of the year and seal the Tycoons spot in the playoffs. Big celebrations in Tycoonia as they will head to the playoffs for the third straight year. A win in their final game of the year will clinch the Division lead and a first round bye. As for the Cardinals, this is a shattering blow but they are not technically eliminated yet. They can still sneak into the third spot if all of the following occur: they win their final game against the Tycoons, the Maxions lose their final two games, and Tenbil Town loses their final game against the Marauders. In other words, it doesn't look good.
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MAX - 0   RED - 2   F
W - Buerhle (1-4)   L - Halladay (0-3)   S - Wagner (4)
RED: Buerhle: 6 1/3 IP, 0 ER, QS (1)
MAX: Halladay: CG (1), 2 ER, QS (4)
RED: Tejada: RBI (16)
RED: Konerko: RBI (12)
MAX: Ashburn: 1-3, 2 SB (18)

In a much anticipated showdown, two down trodden pitchers took to the mound to continue the struggle for a playoff spot. Mark Buerhle, who has been one of the worst pitchers in the league this year, thankfully for the Aces had by far his best game of the year. Although it was his best performance and although he didn't give up a single run, the real story is how bad the Bombers offense was in this one. Incredibly, they got a runner in scoring position in EVERY SINGLE INNING yet failed to score a run. Missed swings and vicious double play balls struck in every inning, resulting in a very ugly game that was hard to watch. The disease must have been infectious since this affected the Maxion lineup in it's entirety. As for the other side of things, Maxion starter Roy Halladay 02 had probably his best outing of the year, at some points dominant and never really losing control of the pace of the game. He did stumble however in the fourth, when the Aces managed to rally for two runs, thanks to singles from SS Miguel Tejada and 1B Paul Konerko. Halladay was able to pitch the rest of the game without any further trouble but the complete lack of run support results in him taking his third loss of the year. With this win, the Aces clinch a spot in the playoffs; they still have a chance to win the Division if they win their final game and the Tycoons lose theirs. As for the Bombers, they are still alive but they must win their last game of the season against Red Clay. If Tenbil Town loses, then they will be the number three seed team. If Tenbil Town wins, then the Bombers will face the Green Sox in a one game playoff to determine who will advance.
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BOB - 5  ZSY -2   F
W - Seaver (3-1)   L - Wells (5-1)
ZSY: Wells: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (5)
BOB: Seaver CG (3), 2 ER, QS (4)
BOB: Hafner: 2-4, HR (3), 2B, BB, 3 RBI (12)
BOB: Ichiro: 2-3, 2 RBI (15)
BOB: Aparicio: 2 SB (26)

In what many billed as a preview to the Divisional Championship round, the first place Spartans of Bobia faced off against the Tuldarian Z-Slayers. Both teams are having such impressive years that they are both in the process of recording top five all time winning percentages of teams. In the first game of the double header, both teams sent their ace to the mound in what was sure to be a pitchers duel. The Bobians were the first to strike, with Travis Hafner coming up with a clutch double to put the Bobians ahead by two. Very aggressive base running also paid off for the Spartans, with one stolen base from Juan Pierre, two from Aparicio, and several extra bases which resulted in the classic Bobian manufacturing two more runs. Especially clutch was hitting from Ichiro Suzuki, who has clearly emerged at the offensive leader of this team and is now in talks of making the all star team despite missing almost the entire first quarter of the season. Travis Hafner reared his head once more later in the game, with a towering solo homerun, his third of the year. The Z-Slayer's answered in turn, with heavy hitter Ralph Kiner tacking Tom Seaver deep for two runs. The Z-Slayers were on top of Seaver for most of the game, but Seaver was very good under pressure and navigated out of trouble with help from the always solid Bobian defense. A crucial moment came when Z-Slayer Jack Wilson stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, but was popped up by the resilient Seaver, who went on to finish the game earning his third complete game of the year. After the game, Bobian GM Ronde Barber highlighted the performance of Travis Hafner, whose hitting seems to conveniently get hot whenever the likes of Mike Lowell or Fredgar Martinez falter.
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ZSY - 2   BOB - 3    F
W - Halladay (5-0)   L - Myers (0-2)
BOB: Halladay: CG (5), QS (5), 2 ER
ZSY: Hernandez: 6 IP, 2 ER, QS (6)
BOB: Ichiro: HR (3), RBI (16)
BOB: Aparicio: 2 SB (28), 3B (1), 2 R
ZSY: Kiner: HR (9), 2 RBI (25)

Although these games won't change much in the standings, you could feel both teams on edge, probing each other for weaknesses that might come in handy if these teams face off in the playoffs. The tension was especially thick on the Z-Slayer side, as the invincible aura of the Bobians had withstood the test of their firepower in Game 1. Both teams were threatening early, with Bobian Roy Halladay uncharacteristically working into trouble in the first inning. But his best friend, the double play ball, was faithful to him then and throughout the rest of the game. In the middle innings, Louie Aparicio solidified his reputation as the most dangerous base runner in the league, playing crucial roles in the manufacturing of two runs. One of which was from a Mike Lowell sacrifice fly and the other being brought home by Raul Mondesi after his first triple of the year. But in a strange similarity to game one of the series, the Z-Slayers responded with a Ralph Kiner two run shot. Both teams had quite a few opportunities, often generated by the bottom of their respective orders, but the score remained stubbornly stuck at two apiece until the seventh inning, when Ichiro belted a home run off Z-Slayer reliever Mike Myers which would put his team ahead and notch his team leading 16th RBI of the year. Halladay steamed ahead despite a very shaky seventh inning himself, putting together a respectable eighth. But come the ninth inning, the Z-Slayers managed to get the tying run in scoring position with the two players with the most RBI's in the league stepping to the plate. In a moment which was fraught with tension, Halladay spiked the Dulcolax stock price by grounding out Albert Pujols and striking out Ralph Kiner, thus completing the sweep of the Tuldarians. Z-Slayers Coach Lord Sith was frozen in his seat in amazement at the end of the game, in what some described as rather unsportsmanlike conduct. So ends the regular season for these two amazing teams. For the Bobians, they finish the year with a nine game win streak and will enjoy their first round bye, waiting to see if they will play against Meow Meow Dui or the Z-Slayers in the second round. As for the Z-Slayers, they finish the year with a rather ugly five game losing streak, despite finishing the year near the top of the rankings both in terms of pitching and hitting. Coach Sith will need to create some kind of spark to lift this team above Meow Meow Dui for even a possibility of getting revenge on the Bobians in the playoffs. If MMD wins their final game of the year against the Darkpaws, then the Z-Slayers could drop to third place and lose home field advantage.

League News Roundup 15 JUN 18

League News Roundup 15 JUN 18

Grievous Error: Melmegetian Marauders Not Actually Eliminated from Playoffs

It was reported several weeks ago that the Melmegetian Marauders were eliminated from playoff contention. With one game left in the season, a scenario has been discovered in which it is still possible for the Marauders to advance: if they defeat the Green Sox and are helped out by a loss by the Bombers. Should all these teams finish the season with 9 wins, the Marauders actually own the tie breaker over the Bombers, Green Sox, and Cardinals due to head-to-head record and divisional record. While Maxions and Tenbil Town still fully control their own destinies, the Cardinals are now officially eliminated with their most recent loss. If the Maxions and Tenbil town both win, then the Marauders will be eliminated and those two teams will head to a one game playoff. In response to this news, Marauder General Manager Doctor Vindaloo has banned John Kruk from Melmegetia Municipal Stadium for their final home game. Krukkie is now banned from two stadiums, the other being the New Z-Slayers Park. In his defense, Kruk said that he had been distracted by some kielbasa when he meant to say that the Marauders had been eliminated from winning the division, not from playoff contention. Kruk went on to say that since the Polish sausage was now lodged in his heart, the apology that he offered was truly "heartfelt."

Massive Rains Engulf Bobia for More than Six Months: Dulcolax Stadium in Great Shape

For more than six months the league was put on hold by monsoon like weather that made the Spartans vs. JELLY QUEEN game simply impossible. League rules state that the game could not be rescheduled and neither team consented to forfeit. Therefore the league enjoyed a several month hiatus before finishing off the regular season. Although the Bobian home field of Dulcolax Stadium was full to the brim several times with water, the incredible "flush" function installed by the good people over at Dulcolax kept the stadium in perfect working order. As a side note, the stadium recently announced several new concessions to go along with the Bacon Boutique and Bobby's Burger Palace: Cluckin' Bell, Dulcolax Emergency Care, Pizzeria Bobiana, Baconator's House of Bacon, and Crazy CJ's (Home of the Mad Burger). 

Taklamente Murder Investigation: Ohka speaks of "Mister B"

Former Zachrian Ace Tomo Ohka has officially confessed to the murder of Meow Meow Dui Coach Checko Checko Talklamente, but a shocking new detail has leaked to the press: Ohka insists that he did not act alone. Instead, he says that he was aided and abetted by a shadowy figure named "Mister B." No word yet on what role this "Mister B" played exactly, but an investigation has been launched into who this person might be. While Ohka insists that he himself has no idea who this person is, but suspicion is now cast upon all players, coaches, and personalities with a "B" initial in their name. Some of the most spoken about persons are Danys "Slapass" Baez (free agent relief pitcher), Benny (AXN first base coach), Ellis Burks (QEY CF), Bengie "Don't Make Fun of My Speed" Molina (MAX catcher), and Lance Berkman (league drunk), to name a few.