2023 WORLD SERIES

The #2 seed Baltimore Comets did the near impossible…They upended the #1 Dynasty Tempe Tempers.  When Tempe sniffs a World Series appearance, they have no let downs, they kick it into high gear.  To put that in perspective, the last time Tempe lost a League Championships Series was in 2012 to Sacramento (4-3).  In Tempe’s 25-year history, that was the ONLY loss in the League Championships Series, and it was in 7 games.  So, to dispatch them in only 5 games was a monstrous feat.  And, to top it all off, this is the same team they traded expected Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander (28-2) to two weeks before the Annual Draft.  Baltimore put together the core of this team prior to the season.  Miles Mikolas & eventual draft pick David Robertson came back in the Verlander deal, along with potential superstar Jasson Dominguez.  #1 starter Tyler Anderson and bullpen piece Jake Woodford came over via an offseason trade with Triple Creek, but the most notable trade was the one made on January 25, 2023, linking Hollywood and Baltimore this season.  The two teams swung a deal that was expected to make Hollywood the favorite in the American League and just help Baltimore compete, possibly making the playoffs.  Baltimore sent Aaron Judge (with Mike Clevenger and a late pick) to Hollywood for what turned out to be three key bodies vaulting Baltimore to the World Series, Nick Castellanos, Cristian Vasquez & Matt Olson. The combination of Castellanos, Vazquez & Olson combined for 54 home runs and 181 RBIs.  While Judge hit 55 homers, driving in 136 for Hollywood.  It’s a trade was one of those rare ones that saw both teams reap the benefits.  That’s 7 pieces via trade.  Then you consider that in the draft they also added their closer in Evan Phillips and secondary starter Jose Quintana, makes 9 significant adds prior to the season.

The #2 Hollywood Werewolves led the AL all season, but faltered down the stretch, losing a late series to Chicago, which lost the #1 seed and home field advantage.  In the end it didn’t matter as Hollywood took out Chicago in 5 games.  The last time the two teams faced off in a League Championships Series was 2020, where Hollywood won in 5 games (as well) and eventually the World Series.  Now looking back at the Judge trade, some view that the biggest of the acquisition in Hollywood’s offseason, but while that was significant, the answer would be, it was not.  There were a series of bullpen acquisitions that turned a sad looking bullpen to stellar.  Hollywood added Cinel Perez (and Lane Thomas), Adam Ottavino, Peter Fairbanks and Jordan Romano in several trades.  Hollywood’s starting staff is some of the best in the game, but they cannot pitch long as they are often injured, so they need to be careful with their handling.  That was the reason they needed to shore up the bullpen.  Without that bullpen, Hollywood doesn’t win the division and is not in the League Championships Series. 

In a surprising move, Hollywood hands the ball back to Shane McClanahan in game 1, in lieu of future Hall of Famer, Clayton Kershaw.  Kershaw has not had a great post season, but he is still their #1, so it is surprising to see.  McClanahan and Anderson trade goose eggs through the first five innings as we head to the sixth.  Cristian Yelich leads off the 6^th with a single.  With the hit-and-run on, Alejandro Krik executes perfectly as he singles behind the runner, placing runners at the corner for Aaron Judge.  Anderson steps it up, striking out Judge on a pitch in the dirt bringing up Paul Goldschmidt.  Goldschmidt hammers a sacrifice fly, driving in Yelich for the 1-0 lead.  Anderson gets out of it and they head to the bottom half of the inning with Hollywood up 1-0.  With 1-out in the bottom half, Jorge Polanco and Josh Bell walked back-to-back, bringing up former Hollywood Werewolf, Matt Olson.  McClanahan is in the wind, OLSON leans into it … it’s hammered high and hard to right…. Judge can only look up and watch…that ball does a disappearing act … it’s long gone! … never in doubt…Matt trots around the bases and like that Baltimore leads 3-1!  Baltimore hands it over to the bullpen from there.  Hector Nervis and David Robertson got Hollywood 1-2-3 handing the ball to their closer Evan Phillips.  Judge greets Phillips with a double and Hollywood is in business!  Vazquez visits the mound to calm Phillips down, giving him advice on his former teammates.  It works as he K’s Goldschmidt and Jake Cronenworth, before getting Matt Chapman on an easy grounder.  Baltimore wins game 1, 3-1 and leads the series 1 game to 0.

Baltimore 3 – Hollywood 1

Win: Tyler Anderson 1-0 (1.50)
Loss: Shane McClanahan 0-1 (4.26)
Save: Evan Phillips #1

Hollywood turns to their future Hall of Famer to even the series before making the cross-country trip home.  With 2-out in the top of the second, Ketel Marte walks then J.P. Crawford is drilled on the elbow.  He’s removed from the game, with the report that he’s only out 1 day.  While it hurts Hollywood in game 2, with the off day, he is expected to miss no additional time outside game 2.  Gray walks Lane Thomas loading the bases for Yelich.  Yelich grounds out to end the threat.  The Crawford injuries prove important as Cronenworth moved to shortstop in his place and commits an error to start the bottom half.  Then with 1-out, Christian Vazquez, another former Werewolf steps in on Kershaw.  Big hole on the right side … Hunter Renfroe not wandering too far … here’s a pitch…. a big fly to left … Thomas backpedals … he’s at the wall…. he leaps…..it’s outta here! Vazquez circles the bases, and the Comets lead 2-0!!  Hollywood is shaking their head.  They run their 2-bst pitchers out there and Baltimore continues to deliver big hits.  After another former Werewolf, Nick Castellanos singles, Kershaw settles in and gets out of the jam only trailing 2-0.  With 1-out in the top of the 3^rd, Judge is walked.  He promptly steals second with Paul Goldschmidt up, trying to get the offense going.  The pitch to Goldschmidt…it’s jacked to deep left … Ramirez retreats … still going back….to the track it’s gone! Goldschmidt ties the game at 2, as the camera pans to Kershaw who appears to take a deep breath after that.  In the 4^th, Ketel Marte leads off with a single, then with 1-out, Lane Thomas doubles, bringing home Marte and giving Hollywood a 3-2 lead.  Kershaw cruises in the 4^th and we head to the 5^th.  Judge walks to lead off the inning, bringing up Goldschmidt again.  This time Judge stays put for Goldschmidt.  Gray comes home with it … Goldschmidt goes the opposite way this one may go! Castellanos got a good jump … he’s at the warning track, he leaps….and Goldschmidt has his second homer of the game, giving Hollywood a 5-2 lead! Kershaw takes the ball into the 6^th and after giving up a 1 out double to Olson is pulled in favor of Scott Effross.  Then with 2-outs, Effross hangs a breaking ball and Harold Ramirez doubles home Olson, cutting the lead to 5-3.  He then gets Vazquez on strikes to end the threat.  The bullpens take over into the 9^th.  Up 5-3 with 1-out in the top of the 9^th, Kirk walks, bringing up Aaron Judge.  Judge hammers a 2-run shot to left to put Hollywood up 7-3 and put the game no longer in doubt.  Hollywood evens the series at 1 game a piece as the series shifts left.

Hollywood 7 – Baltimore 3

Win: Clayton Kershaw 1-0 (3.38)
Loss: Sonny Gray 0-1 (11.25)

With the series even, the series shifts to Hollywood.  Mikolas has been stellar all year for Baltimore, winning 19 games while Rasmussen had an ERA sub 2 for Hollywood.  The game remained scoreless into the 3^rd inning.  Ketel Marte walks to lead off the bottom half, bringing up J.P. Crawford.  Crawford, back from injury, hammers a double, scoring Marte, giving Hollywood the 1-0 lead.  With 1-out Yelich walks, bringing up Alejandro Kirk.  Comets playing for the double play … Crawford down the line some at third…the pitch from Mikolas.  Krik lofts it to left…. that ball is still going…. still going…. it’s gone!  Kirk trots around the bases and Hollywood leads 4-0. In the bottom half, with 1-out Matt Olson hammers a double.  Then with 2-outs Hector Ramirez walks, bringing up the ageless one, Josh Donaldson.  Donaldson singles home Olson cutting the lead to 4-1.  Rasmussen settles down and gets out of the jam without further issue.  Then with 1-out, Matt Chapman comes up and hammers a solo shot to left to get the lead back to 4 at 5-1 knocking Mikolas out of the game.  With 2-outs in the top of the 5^th, Jorge Polanco walked.  Nothing good ever happens with a 2-out walk.  Well, Josh Bell shows how true that is when he doubles home Polanco to make it 5-2. Rasmussen gives the ump the sign to put Olson on first.  He’d rather deal with Hunter Renfroe.  Kirk commits a passed ball, making it 5-3 and putting Olson on 2^nd.  Renfroe doubles home Olson to make it 5-4 as the Hollywood bullpen frantically gets ready.  Rasmussen walks Ramirez and gets a visit from Kirk as he tries to waste time.  With the bullpen not ready yet, he has to face Donaldson.  He gets under the ball and Crawford squeezes it to end the threat.  With the now 1-run game, Hollywood turns to the bullpen.  Scott Effreoss, Cionel Perez, Peter Fairbanks, & Jordan Romano goes 4 innings of hitless ball, allowing 1 runner enroute to the 5-4 victory.  Hollywood leads the series 2 games to 1.

Hollywood 5 – Baltimore 4

Win: Drew Rasmussen 1-0 (5.40)
Loss: Miles Mikolas 0-1 (13.50)
Save: Jordan Romano #1

In a rematch of game 1, Anderson and McClanahan take the mound.  With 2-outs and no one on, Ketel Marte strides to the plate.  And the pitch comes in … and MARTE takes ANDERSON for a ride … going back is Ramirez…. he’ll look … but he won’t touch it … it’s long gone! Hollywood jumps out early again and leads 1-0.  The game stays that way until the 4^th.  Josh Bell doubles to lead off the inning.  McClanahan strikes out Olson and with 1-out, Hunter Renfroe doubles home Bell to even the score.  Hector Ramirez singles home Renfroe, giving the Comets the 2-1 lead!!  McClanahan settles down and gets out of the jam.  With 1-out in the bottom of the 4^th, Paul Goldschmidt, who has been quiet since game 2, singles and steals second. He moves to third on a deep fly by Jake Cronenworth, bringing up Matt Chapman.  Anderson brings it home…. Chapman hammers it…this is a no doubter folks! Anderson doesn’t even turn around and Hollywood jumps back out to a 3-2 lead on Chapman’s second homer of the series.  In the top of the 5^th, Donaldson walks with 1-out and is doubled home by Josh Bell to tie the game at 3 apiece.  Both starters pitch through 6 innings and hand the ball to the bullpen.  With 1-out in the bottom of the 7^th, Lane Thomas doubles for Hollywood and scores on a Yelich double to give Hollywood the 4-3 lead!  Jake Woodford gets out of the inning without further damage, trailing 4-3.  Then in the bottom of the 8^th with Aaron Bummer on the mound for Baltimore, Ketel Marte smacks it down the line to right … base hit … it’s rolling down the line… Castellanos is there … and he Kicks the ball away … Marte’s digging … he rounds second… he’s headed for third … they’re waving him home … here comes Castellanos ‘s throw…Olson’s relay … SAFE!… high throw…  a run scores … oh man, what a play!  Hollywood now leads 5-3! Hollywood’s Scott Effross gets the first out in the 9^th.  Peter Fairbanks gives up a single to Kevin Newman and is immediately pulled for Cionel Perez, as Hollywood plays the percentages against Joey Wendle.  They’re holding Newman … but he’s well off the bag … there goes Newman … he brings it home…looped toward J.P. Crawford at short … he’s got it … over to first … double play to end the game!  Hollywood wins 5-3 and leads the series 3 games to 1.

Hollywood 5 – Baltimore 3

Win: Adam Ottavino 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Jake Woodford 0-1 (5.40)
Save: Cionel Perez #1

One team is on the brink of a Championship, while the other is hanging on by a thread.  Hollywood sends out the potential AL Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw, while Baltimore looks to the ever-stable Sonny Gray.  The last time they met up, in game 2, Kershaw got the best of Sonny Gray.  Those two do not disappoint as they both throw goose eggs one inning after another as we head into the 5^th.  Top of the 5^th and Christian Vazquez leading off and he rips a double off the centerfield wall and puts on the brakes as Cristian Yelich tosses it in.  He then moves to 3^rd on a Nick Castellanos ground out.  With Kershaw in the stretch and the infield back, Kevin Newman grounds to J.P. Crawford who double pumps to keep Vazquez at 3^rd, but doesn’t get the ball to first in time, allowing Newman to reach on a fielder’s choice, putting runners at the corners with still 1 out.  With the defense at double play depth for Josh Donaldson, Kershaw comes to the plate … hit deep to center field … Yelich is racing back….it one hops the wall … Yelich corrals the ball … Vazquez scores then NewmanN scores putting Baltimore up 2-0 with Donaldson clapping his hands at 2^nd base yelling “LET’S GO!!!” After Jorge Polanco flies out to make 2-outs, Josh Bell steps in.  Kershaw brings it in … it’s grounded into the hole … scooped by Crawford … this should do it…and he fires it right by Goldschmidt … Donaldson rounds third … he’s headed for home and will score … Bell kept going down the line and settles in at first on Crawford’s error.  Baltimore up 3-0!  That brings up Matt Olson.  And the pitch comes in … hit deep … Yelich takes three steps to his right and all he can do is watch it land in the upper deck!  Baltimore hammered Clayton Kershaw to the tune of 5 runs in the inning, leading 5-0!  That’s all Sonny Gray needed because he was looking like the Cy Young candidate in this one, going the distance, shutting out Hollywood on 3-hits in the 5-0 victory.  They are 1 win closer to evening up the series.  Hollywood leads the series 3 games to 2 now.

Baltimore 5 – Hollywood 0

Win: Sonny Gray 1-1 (3.46)
Loss: Clayton Kershaw 1-1 (3.48)

Baltimore returns home with their back against the walls and sends their winningest pitcher to the mound to try and get them to game 7.  Mikolas gives up a walk in the first but gets around it.  Jorge Polanco leads off in the bottom of the first for Baltimore.  Rasmussen into the wind … Polanco clubs a high drive … deep to right … it could be. 

Judge to the track … wave goodbye … it’s gone! Baltimore jumps out to a 1-0 lead with the home stadium rocking!  Rasmussen wipes his brow and goes into the wind against Josh Bell…. Now the pitch … and it’s pulled hard to right … it’s deep enough if it’s fair… hooking … FOUL BALL … that was very nearly back-to-back home runs but’s just a long strike.  Rasmussen settles in and gets Bell on strikes for 1-out.  Matt Olson then singles to right, putting a runner on first with 1-out.  Rasmussen then gets Hunter Renfroe on strikes, bringing up Hector Ramirez with 2-outs.  Rasmussen cranks it up … pulled sharply to Chapman … just out of reach… Thomas’s racing to the line … still after it … still running … he’s there … picks it up…Olson’s around third…they’re waving him in… here comes the throw home…SAFE!!!  Kirk is going nuts…Ramirez sneaks into 3^rd while Kirk argues with the umpire.  Hollywood calls time and puts their hands to their ears, signaling they want a review.  The umpires go to the headphones… they come back.  “After further review the call is CONFIRMED” The place erupts as Baltimore jumps out to a 2-0 lead in the 1^st!  Kirk goes to the mound and brings the infield in to settle down.  Rasmussen responds by getting Donaldson on a fly ball to right to end the threat.  Wade Miley and Griffin Jax get up in the pen as Hollywood doesn’t want to let this get out of hand as we head to the 2^nd inning.  Jake Cronenworth grounds it to short, Kevin Newman comes up with it and pulls Olson off the base.  Cronenworth reaches on an error.  That brings up Matt Chapman.  The delivery to Chapman … it’s corked to left… back to the wall… this may go! … and it does! Chapman tied the game with his third homerun of the series.  And just like that the game is tied.  With 1-out J.P. Crawford singles, but it goes nowhere, and we head to the bottom of the 2^nd tied at 2.  Rasmussen gets around a single in the bottom half and we head to the 3^rd.  With 1-out, Mikolas walks Aaron Judge bringing up Paul Goldschmidt.  The offering from Mikolas… a blast to right … there is no doubt about this one … it’s gone!  Goldschmidt just hammered his third homerun of the series, giving Hollywood a 4-2 lead!  Mikolas settles down and gets through the inning.  With 1-out in the bottom of the 3^rd Matt Olson reaches base yet again on a single.  Then with 2-outs Hector Ramirez singles, bringing up Josh Donaldson with 2 runners on.  Rasmussen gets him on a groundout and Rasmussen gets out of another jam.  We head to the 4^th.  Mikolas has little drama in the top half, but it’s what happens in the bottom half that is important.  With 1-out and Nick Castellanos stepping in, Rasmussen walks off the mound holding his arm.  The word from the clubhouse is he is lost for the remainder of the World Series.  That means Hollywood needs to turn to the pen with 5 2/3 inning to go.  Scott Effross is the first one out.  He gets the next two batters on strikes.  In the bottom of the 5^th, Effross gives up a double to Matt Olson but gets out of it.  Hollywood leads 4-2 after 5 innings.  Adam Ottavino goes 6-up-6-down for Hollywood which brings us to the 8^th inning.  Cionel Perez is the next one out in the 8^th for Hollywood.  He gets Josh Bell and Matt Olson easily but gives up a double to Hunter Renfroe. He is pulled for Peter Fairbanks, with Baltimore bringing the tying run to the plate in Joey Gallo.  Fairbanks gets him on 3-pitches to end the 8^th.  Hollywood goes down in the 9^th – 1-2-3 and they turn to their closer, Jordan Romano in the bottom of the 9^th.  He gets Bryson Stott on a lineout to center for 1-out.  That’s followed by a Christian Vazquez single.  He is pulled for base threat Myles Straw.  While Nick Castellanos is pulled in lieu of Joey Wendle. Goldschmidt perched right in front of the first base bag … Romano into his motion … delivers… half swing … strike! … there goes Straw… Kirk gets rid of it quickly HE GOT HIM!!!  Alejandro Kirk Nails Mile Straw Making it 2-outs.  THE HOLLYWOOD FAN BASE IS ON THEIR FEET.  The pitch from Romano… bounced up the middle … Cronenworth’s there… he spins… fires to first… HE GOT HIM!!  HOLLYWOOD WINS…HOLLYWOOD WINS!!!

Hollywood 4 – Baltimore 2

Win: Scott Effross 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Miles Mikolas 0-2 (7.71)
Save: Jordan Romano 2

SERIES SUMMARY – If Baltimore won the series, Matt Olson would get the MVP.  He batted .348 with 2 home runs, 4 doubles and 5 RBIs.  The rest of the Baltimore offense batted a pathetic .182. 

The story of the series was the Hollywood bullpen.  They carried the team in the World Series.  The entire bullpen threw 22 innings with a 0.00 ERA! 

MVP: Hollywood’s version of the Nasty Boys Scott Effross–Adam Ottavino–Cionel Perez–Peter Fairbanks–Jordan Romano did the bulk of the work going 2-0 with 3 saves and striking out 16 in 16 2/3 innings.