September | 2018 | Mid-West Baseball League

Monthly Archives: September 2018

2018 WORLD SERIES PREVIEW

Presented to you by Jarl Jackson – September 2018

The Sacramento Capitals will be heading to Chicago to Open up the 2018 MWBL World Series. It looks like a great series lies ahead for the two pennant winners.

CATCHERS	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	OSBP
Buster Posey CHI	.305	.369	.424	131	505	65	154	24	0	12	67	2	67.9
Yadier Molina SAC	.240	.285	.377	138	488	50	117	29	1	12	50	12	59.3

Buster Posey was 7^thin average and 8^th in on base percentage in the AL. Yadier Molina had the 3^rd lowest OSBP on the N.L. side. Posey had a 62 error less game streak while Molina had a 72-game streak. Both veteran catchers are invaluable to their respective pitching staffs. Posey makes his third World Series appearance and for Molina his 4^th. The advantage in the first two slash lines give Posey the edge.
Advantage: Chicago

FIRST BASEMEN	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
Freddie Freeman CHI	.279	.364	.565	107	405	69	113	35	3	25	78	2
Yonder Alonso CHI	.263	.377	.480	118	415	57	73	13	1	25	73	1
Mitch Moreland SAC	.232	.306	.439	102	289	41	67	18	0	14	43	0
Albert Pujols SAC	.215	.260	.348	73	233	20	50	2	1	9	34	1

Statistically speaking none of the first basemen stood out among lead leaders although Freddie Freeman did have a 23 game on base streak good for 12^th best in the AL. Freeman, his teammate Yonder Alonso and Mitch Moreland for Sacramento all had long error less game streaks. Comparing the two teams the Demolition did better offensively although both Moreland and Albert Pujols are capable of hitting the long ball. Advantage: Chicago

SECOND BASEMEN	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
Neil Walker CHI	.249	.332	.442	101	346	48	86	23	1	14	64	0
Robinson Cano SAC	.269	.314	.423	148	562	77	151	19	1	22	87	4

Neil Walker’s OPS is slightly higher than Robinson Cano, but Cano played more often, hit 20 points higher, and contributed to the running game. Advantage: Sacramento

SHORTSTOPS	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
Andrelton Simmons CHI	.290	.347	.421	157	568	73	165	39	1	11	68	17
Francisco Lindor SAC	.287	.367	.539	162	614	99	176	39	4	36	117	16

On the league leader boards Andrelton Simmons was 11^thin average, tied for 7^th in hits, and 10^th in doubles. In the National League Francisco Lindor was 8^th in slugging, 9^thin hits, 9^th in runs, tied for 6^th in doubles, 7^thin homers, 6^th in RBI, and had the second longest hitting streak at 18 games. Lindor’s homers pushes him over the top and his overall 2018 performance probably put in the conversations about league MVP. Advantage: Sacramento

THIRD BASEMEN	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
Alex Bergman CHI	.250	.312	.431	144	592	92	148	37	2	22	84	15
Evan Longoria SAC	.249	.303	.388	137	454	47	113	24	0	13	50	3

Alex Bergman provides a little more pop with the bat – he was 11^thin runs and 12^th in doubles – to go along with his 15 to 3 SB advantage. Evan Longoria did have a 58 error less streak, but Bergman’s power
makes this a win for Chicago. Advantage: Chicago

OUTFIELDERS	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
Billy Hamilton CHI	.282	.324	.383	116	355	58	100	6	9	4	40	45
J.D. Martinez CHI	.283	.354	.692	117	441	83	125	30	0	50	102	2
Andrew McCutchen CHI	.252	.334	.417	152	576	81	145	15	4	24	90	12
Dexter Fowler CHI	.246	.330	.513	115	476	81	117	20	13	27	77	7
Josh Reddick SAC	.299	.363	.413	134	475	67	142	28	1	8	40	9
Giancarlo Stanton SAC	.282	.369	.632	162	611	133	172	37	0	59	142	0
Trey Mancini SAC	.295	.335	.501	140	553	89	163	24	0	30	83	2

Billy Hamilton was tied for 3^rd in triples and led the AL in stolen bases. J. D Martinez led the AL in home runs and was tied for 11^thin RBI. Dexter Fowler was tied for league lead in triples. On the defensive side
Hamilton had a 92 error less game streak while Andrew McCutchen was flawless in 74 consecutive games. Offensively this was the strongest position on the team next to Lindor for the Capitals. Josh Reddick was 7^th in average, had a 16-game hitting streak good for 4^th NL best, and had 63 straight error less games. Giancarlo Stanton was 10^th in on base percentage, third in slugging, 10^th in hits, and led the N.L. in runs, homers, RBI. Trey Mancini was 12^th in average and tied for 11^th in hits – and oh by the way still mashed 30 bombs falling just outside the leagues top 15 players. Chicago’s outfielders were like the quick and nimble elfish foot archers while the outfielders from Sacramento were the big brutish giants who casually picked up and threw boulders at their enemies. Advantage: Sacramento

DH	AVG	OBP	SLG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
Justin Turner CHI	.246	.357	.434	125	463	81	114	33	0	18	58	4
Corey Dickerson SAC	.216	.271	.333	109	264	15	57	15	2	4	15	1

Meh, not much to see here. Justin Turner outperformed the under achieving Corey Dickerson. Maybe Dickerson will wake up for the world series. Advantage: Chicago

CHI STARTERS	W-L	ERA	GS	CG	SHO	QS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	SO/9	BB/9
Marcus Stroman R	15-8	3.95	27	2	1	8	166.1	150	79	73	27	7.3	2.3
Rich Hill L	13-3	2.98	24	1	1	11	145	95	54	48	22	10.1	2.7
Carlos M Martinez R	11-9	3.47	30	0	0	18	194.1	158	80	75	25	7.7	2.2
SAC STARTERS	W-L	ERA	GS	CG	SHO	QS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	SO/9	BB/9
Max Scherzer R	23-4	1.71	35	3	2	28	241.2	102	49	46	23	10.4	2.5
Chris Sale L	22-6	2.50	37	1	0	23	248.1	156	79	69	29	10.7	2.2
Zack Greinke R	14-10	2.66	36	4	4	19	240.1	157	80	71	27	7.7	3.0

Nothing really stood out on the AL leader board among the Demolition starting rotation for the World Series, but you can’t really measure heart and determination by stats. The Capitals trio are as strong a World Series rotation as there’s ever been. Max Scherzer was first in wins, first in ERA, third in IP, first in quality starts. 5^th in shutouts, and first in the N.L. in opponents batting average against for SP at .125. Chris Sale was 2^ndin wins, 6^th in ERA, first in IP, tied for 2^nd in QS, 2^nd, in consecutive shutout innings at 30.1, and was 5^th in S-OBA at .176. Zack Greinke led the N.L. in shutouts and his S-OBA was 6^th best at .180. Advantage: Sacramento

CHI RELIEVERS	W-L-SV	BS	ERA	HLD	G	GF	IP	H	R	ER	HR	SO/9	BB/9
Andrew Miller L	6-1-1	2	2.42	18	60	15	52	35	14	14	4	10.9	3.3
Chad Green R	11-6-3	4	2.21	19	67	18	73.1	48	21	18	8	8.5	2.1
Dellin Betances R	5-1-0	0	1.56	15	66	12	69.1	34	13	12	5	9.3	4.0
Aroldis Chapman L	1-4-36	5	3.24	0	53	42	41.2	35	17	15	5	9.9	1.7
Nick Goody R	0-0-0	1	2.53	22	63	14	57	34	17	16	10	9.9	1.6
SAC RELIEVERS	W-L-SV	BS	ERA	HLD	G	GF	IP	H	R	ER	HR	SO/9	BB/9
Alan Busenitz R	2-2-6	1	1.43	8	32	20	37.2	18	6	6	0	6.2	2.4
Alex Claudio L	4-4-10	2	2.43	11	55	23	70.1	45	20	19	10	6.9	2.4
Greg Holland R	6-3-21	3	2.86	6	61	33	66	34	23	21	4	11.5	3.5
Pedro Baez R	3-3-3	1	1.60	10	45	23	56.1	32	12	10	4	7.7	3.2
Tyler Olson L	1-1-7	1	1.19	9	22	7	22.2	14	5	3	2	7.5	3.2

For Chicago Chad Green was first in wins, Andrew Miller was 6^th, and Dellin Betances was 12^th. Aroldis Chapman led the league while the other 4 relievers listed were all in the top 10 in holds. Betances also had the 2^nd best ERA and was 4^th best in opponent batting averages against at .144. The stat that stood out the most for the Capitals relievers was that Greg Holland was 8^th best in OBA at .148 and Tyler Olson was 11^th best at .162. The Demolition made more noise on the league leader boards, but on paper the Sacramento pen just looks better. Advantage: Sacramento

Overall team stats and MWBL League rankings:

TEAM	AVG	OBP	SLG	R/GAME	2B	3B	HR	SB
Chicago	(1) .266	(1) .339	(2) .459	(2) 5.4	(6) 296	(1) 39	(2) 240	(1) 135
Sacramento	(3) .257	(3) .317	(3) .436	(3) 4.9	(4) 268	(12) 14	(2) 237	(3) 91

TEAM	S-WINS	S-ERA	SHO	S-OBA	R-WINS	SAVES	R-ERA	R-OBA
Chicago	(4) 73	(5) 3.71	(4) 7	(2) .204	(2) 26	(4) 42	(1) 1.83	(3) .178
Sacramento	(2) 81	(1) 2.73	(6) 6	(2) .203	(8) 19	(5) 42	(5) 3.20	(5) .219

TEAM	FLDG %	OF ASSISTS	DP
Chicago	(1) .987	(7) 51	(11) 117
Sacramento	(3) .984	(6) 41	(14) 84

Overall Chicago has the better offense, but I think the pitching from Sacramento will be too much.

WORLD SERIES WINS
Team	Wins	Losses
Tempe	10	4
Kentucky	2	0
Sacramento	2	0
Severn	2	3
Tijuana	1	0
Merrick	1	0
Detroit	1	0
Chicago	1	4
Hollywood	1	3
Iron City	0	1
Yonge Street	0	1
East Lansing	0	1
Ohio Valley	0	1
Emporium	0	1

2018 – NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

SACRAMENTO CAPITALS @ COLUMBUS EXPLORERS
The Columbus Explorers (117-45) and Sacramento Capitals (106-56), winners of the NL Central and NL West Sacramento, face each other in the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons. With the exception of the Tempe Tempers and the Chicago Mobsters, Sacramento (.607 Win %) and Columbus (.558 Win %) are the winningest teams during that 10-year period. Both have had modest success in the playoffs, with winning percentages hovering around the .500 mark, while Columbus hopes to make its first World Series appearance in franchise history, the Capitals have hopes to return to the World Series for the first time since 2012. Over the course of the regular season, Columbus and Sacramento were relatively closely matched. While both held a .984 FLD %, Sacramento had the advantage with its star-filled rotation. Both Sacramento and Columbus were top in the NL in pitching, with Sacramento holding teams to a 2.75 ERA and 494 Runs and Columbus holding teams to a 2.94 ERA and 536 Runs. Columbus, however, had the advantage with the most powerful offense in the National League; Sacramento held a .257/.317/.436 triple slash with 237 HR and a 4.9 RC/G while Columbus held a .267/.335/.440 triple slash with 224 HR and a 5.6 RC/G.
GAME #1 – Max Scherzer (23-4 1.71) vs. Ervin Santana (15-3 2.61) The bats were quiet, very quiet, in the opening game as the NL Central winning Columbus Explorers hosted the Sacramento Capitals. Both Santana and Scherzer pitched a scoreless game through the first three frames, but a Trey Mancini walk and a Giancarlo Stanton home run in the top of the 4^th would give the Capitals enough to win the opener. Max Scherzer would do the rest by pitching 8.2 innings of near-perfect baseball, giving up only 1 base on balls and while earning the “W”. Like Sale in the NLDS, Max was on a pitch count and was pulled one out away from a no-hitter. Ervin Santana was nearly as effective, giving up 2 runs over 8.1 innings on just 6 hits. Sacramento – 2 Columbus – 0 W – Scherzer (1-0) L – Santana (0-1) S – Olson (1)
GAME #2 – Chris Sale (22-6 2.50) vs. Alex Meyer(6-1 4.14) First on the scoreboard again is Sacramento, this time in the top of the 2^nd inning. Stanton boarded on a walk and was driven home on a 2-out RBI single by Yadier Molina. That is all the offense either team would see until the 9^th inning when Giancarlo, doing what he does, smacked a 2-run home run to give Tyler Olson a little breathing room to earn the save. Chris Sale was spectacular once again, pithcing 7 strong innings while giving up 5 singles and no runs. Alex Meyer might have actually been better for Columbus in this one, pitching 6 innings of 1-hit ball, with the only hit being a costly single to Molina. Sacramento – 3 Columbus – 0 W – Sale (1-0) L – Meyer (0-1) S – Olson (2)
The National League Championship headed to Sacramento with the Capitals leading the series 2 games to 0.
GAME #3 – J.A. Happ (15-7 2.61) vs. Zack Grienke (14-10 2.66) Both teams got off to a hot start in Game three, with Columbus scoring first with a Ryan Zimmerman single scoring a speedy Dee Gordon in the top of the 1^st. Sacramento took the lead right back off a 2-run home run off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton, again with Mancini on 1^st. Columbus came right back to to tie it up at 2 with an Alex Avila solo home run in the top of the 2^nd. Tied up at 2 in the bottom of the 3^rd, Reddick reached on a 1-out single and promptly stole second; with a runner on 2^nd, Flores hits a topper to Happ, who promptly throws it right past Carpenter at 1^st, scoring Reddick and landing Flores at second. Mancini strikes out and Stanton gets the base on balls. Two out, two on, Lindor up … and he gets the knock to RF, scoring Flores and giving Sacramento the 4-2 lead. Sacramento would hold the lead until the top of the 9^th inning. Olson in for the save. Eduardo gets a lead-off infield base hit to start the 9^th. With one on, Columbus calls on Tyler Flowers to bat for Alex Avila; Flowers drills the first pitch he sees to left-center for a double, and Nunez stops at 3^rd with no outs. Tying run at 2^nd with no outs and the pitcher’s spot up next. Ian Desmond steps up to the plate and hits a looping drive to the gap in right-center, Reddick hurries and dives for it, making the one-handed grab as he hits the ground! But, Columbus holds Nunes at 3^rd and no damage was done. Two on, one out. Dee Gordon step up to the plate, a hard grounder to Lindor, and Lindor drops it! Nunez scores and Gordon takes a big turn around first, Molina fires the ball to first, Gordon’s out! Runner on 3^rd and two outs, Matt Carpenter steps up, bounces it to Lindor, who slowly and carefully under-hands the ball to Moreland at 1^st for the final out. Greinke and Happ both pitch well, with the former pitching 6 IP while giving up 8 H and 2 ER; Happ also turned in 6 IP with 5 H and 2 ER. The difference in this one was 3 unearned runs from two fairly solid defensive teams. Sacramento – 4 Bethesda – 3 W – Greinke (1-0) L – Happ (0-1) S – Olson (3)
GAME #4 – Lance McCullers (15-3 2.40) vs. Max Scherzer (23-4 1.71) Columbus got the scoring going in the top of the 2^nd inning with a 3-run home run by Alex Avila off Max Scherzer. Trey Mancini closed the lead in the bottom half of the inning with a 2-run home run, only to see the lead extended back to 3-runs in the top of the 3^rd off a Paul DeJong 2-RBI double, scoring Zimmerman and Carpenter. Down 5-2 in the 3^rd, Sacramento would inch closer with another home run, this time a solo shot, by Mancini in the bottom of the 4^th, and would tie it up in the bottom of the 6^th with a 2-run home run off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton. Tied 5-5 in the bottom of the 9^th, no outs, Wilmer Flores stepped up to the plate, and took Yusmeiro Petit deep for the walk-off victory. Columbus – 5 Sacramento – 6 W – Holland (1-0) L – Petit (0-1)
Sacramento takes the series 4-0 against a very good Explorers team. Columbus batted .168 with a .224 OBP, scored 8 runs, hit 2 HRs, and didn’t steal a base; while Sacramento batted .210 BA with a .261 OBP, scored 15 runs, hit 7 HRs, and stole 2 bases in 4 attempts. The Capitals also had the edge on defense, holding a 1.25 ERA while giving up 8 runs, 3 unearned, over the 4 games, while the Explorers held a 3.18 ERA while giving up 15 runs, also 3 unearned. Giancarlo Stanton was the series MVP, again leading the Caps in offense, batting .429 with a .500 OBP, 3 HRs, 5 runs, and 6 RBI.

SACRAMENTO CAPITALS @ COLUMBUS EXPLORERS

The Columbus Explorers (117-45) and Sacramento Capitals (106-56), winners of the NL Central and NL West Sacramento, face each other in the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons. With the exception of the Tempe Tempers and the Chicago Mobsters, Sacramento (.607 Win %) and Columbus (.558 Win %) are the winningest teams during that 10-year period. Both have had modest success in the playoffs, with winning percentages hovering around the .500 mark, while Columbus hopes to make its first World Series appearance in franchise history, the Capitals have hopes to return to the World Series for the first time since 2012.

Over the course of the regular season, Columbus and Sacramento were relatively closely matched. While both held a .984 FLD %, Sacramento had the advantage with its star-filled rotation. Both Sacramento and Columbus were top in the NL in pitching, with Sacramento holding teams to a 2.75 ERA and 494 Runs and Columbus holding teams to a 2.94 ERA and 536 Runs. Columbus, however, had the advantage with the most powerful offense in the National League; Sacramento held a .257/.317/.436 triple slash with 237 HR and a 4.9 RC/G while Columbus held a .267/.335/.440 triple slash with 224 HR and a 5.6 RC/G.

GAME #1 – Max Scherzer (23-4 1.71) vs. Ervin Santana (15-3 2.61)

The bats were quiet, very quiet, in the opening game as the NL Central winning Columbus Explorers hosted the Sacramento Capitals. Both Santana and Scherzer pitched a scoreless game through the first three frames, but a Trey Mancini walk and a Giancarlo Stanton home run in the top of the 4^th would give the Capitals enough to win the opener. Max Scherzer would do the rest by pitching 8.2 innings of near-perfect baseball, giving up only 1 base on balls and while earning the “W”. Like Sale in the NLDS, Max was on a pitch count and was pulled one out away from a no-hitter. Ervin Santana was nearly as effective, giving up 2 runs over 8.1 innings on just 6 hits.

Sacramento – 2

Columbus – 0

W – Scherzer (1-0)

L – Santana (0-1)

S – Olson (1)

GAME #2 – Chris Sale (22-6 2.50) vs. Alex Meyer(6-1 4.14)

First on the scoreboard again is Sacramento, this time in the top of the 2^nd inning. Stanton boarded on a walk and was driven home on a 2-out RBI single by Yadier Molina. That is all the offense either team would see until the 9^th inning when Giancarlo, doing what he does, smacked a 2-run home run to give Tyler Olson a little breathing room to earn the save. Chris Sale was spectacular once again, pithcing 7 strong innings while giving up 5 singles and no runs. Alex Meyer might have actually been better for Columbus in this one, pitching 6 innings of 1-hit ball, with the only hit being a costly single to Molina.

Sacramento – 3

Columbus – 0

W – Sale (1-0)

L – Meyer (0-1)

S – Olson (2)

The National League Championship headed to Sacramento with the Capitals leading the series 2 games to 0.

GAME #3 – J.A. Happ (15-7 2.61) vs. Zack Grienke (14-10 2.66)

Both teams got off to a hot start in Game three, with Columbus scoring first with a Ryan Zimmerman single scoring a speedy Dee Gordon in the top of the 1^st. Sacramento took the lead right back off a 2-run home run off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton, again with Mancini on 1^st. Columbus came right back to to tie it up at 2 with an Alex Avila solo home run in the top of the 2^nd. Tied up at 2 in the bottom of the 3^rd, Reddick reached on a 1-out single and promptly stole second; with a runner on 2^nd, Flores hits a topper to Happ, who promptly throws it right past Carpenter at 1^st, scoring Reddick and landing Flores at second. Mancini strikes out and Stanton gets the base on balls. Two out, two on, Lindor up … and he gets the knock to RF, scoring Flores and giving Sacramento the 4-2 lead. Sacramento would hold the lead until the top of the 9^th inning.

Olson in for the save. Eduardo gets a lead-off infield base hit to start the 9^th. With one on, Columbus calls on Tyler Flowers to bat for Alex Avila; Flowers drills the first pitch he sees to left-center for a double, and Nunez stops at 3^rd with no outs. Tying run at 2^nd with no outs and the pitcher’s spot up next. Ian Desmond steps up to the plate and hits a looping drive to the gap in right-center, Reddick hurries and dives for it, making the one-handed grab as he hits the ground! But, Columbus holds Nunes at 3^rd and no damage was done. Two on, one out. Dee Gordon step up to the plate, a hard grounder to Lindor, and Lindor drops it! Nunez scores and Gordon takes a big turn around first, Molina fires the ball to first, Gordon’s out! Runner on 3^rd and two outs, Matt Carpenter steps up, bounces it to Lindor, who slowly and carefully under-hands the ball to Moreland at 1^st for the final out.

Greinke and Happ both pitch well, with the former pitching 6 IP while giving up 8 H and 2 ER; Happ also turned in 6 IP with 5 H and 2 ER. The difference in this one was 3 unearned runs from two fairly solid defensive teams.

Sacramento – 4

Bethesda – 3

W – Greinke (1-0)

L – Happ (0-1)

S – Olson (3)

GAME #4 – Lance McCullers (15-3 2.40) vs. Max Scherzer (23-4 1.71)

Columbus got the scoring going in the top of the 2^nd inning with a 3-run home run by Alex Avila off Max Scherzer. Trey Mancini closed the lead in the bottom half of the inning with a 2-run home run, only to see the lead extended back to 3-runs in the top of the 3^rd off a Paul DeJong 2-RBI double, scoring Zimmerman and Carpenter. Down 5-2 in the 3^rd, Sacramento would inch closer with another home run, this time a solo shot, by Mancini in the bottom of the 4^th, and would tie it up in the bottom of the 6^th with a 2-run home run off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton. Tied 5-5 in the bottom of the 9^th, no outs, Wilmer Flores stepped up to the plate, and took Yusmeiro Petit deep for the walk-off victory.

Columbus – 5

Sacramento – 6

W – Holland (1-0)

L – Petit (0-1)

Sacramento takes the series 4-0 against a very good Explorers team. Columbus batted .168 with a .224 OBP, scored 8 runs, hit 2 HRs, and didn’t steal a base; while Sacramento batted .210 BA with a .261 OBP, scored 15 runs, hit 7 HRs, and stole 2 bases in 4 attempts. The Capitals also had the edge on defense, holding a 1.25 ERA while giving up 8 runs, 3 unearned, over the 4 games, while the Explorers held a 3.18 ERA while giving up 15 runs, also 3 unearned. Giancarlo Stanton was the series MVP, again leading the Caps in offense, batting .429 with a .500 OBP, 3 HRs, 5 runs, and 6 RBI.

2019 DRAFT LOTTERY

The 2019 MWBL Draft Lottery will take place on Sunday Night October 7th, 2018 at 9:00 PM ET.

The ten Franchises listed below will have a shot at the #1 Pick in the 2019 MWBL Draft to be held on Saturday February 23rd, 2019.

The Commissioner’s Office will send out a join.me link around 8:45 PM on Sunday night 10/8 if you would like to watch the event live.

American League	W	L	WIN %	BALLS
Southwest Detroit Fighting Chihuahuas	38	124	.235	20
Southbend Lynx	55	106	.342	16
Coconut Creek Crushers	61	101	.377	8
Mesa Solar Sox	67	95	.414	4
Yonge Street Stalkers	70	92	.432	2

National League	W	L	WIN %
Rosemere Renegades	28	134	.173	20
Long Beach Dirt Bags	55	107	.340	16
Portland Lumber Jax	58	104	.358	8
Selkirk Steelers	65	97	.401	4
Harsens Island Walleye	66	96	.407	2

Continue reading →

2018 – AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Chicago Mobsters @ Dallas Cougars
The American League Wild Card Chicago Mobsters (105- 57) were headed to face the beast in the east the Dallas Cougars (101-61). The series started with the Mobsters having five days of rest coming off a 4-0 American League Division Series #1 win over the Bottle Rockets of Tijuana. The Cougars were coming off a 4-2 American League Division Series #2 win over the Hollywood Werewolves & the Dallas squad had two days of rest themselves. In what should be a very tight American League Championship Series the Dallas team had the home field advantage & were looking to eliminate the Wild Card Mobsters of Chicago.
GAME #1 – Marcus Stroman (15-8 3.95) vs. Chase Anderson (15-10 2.64) Through 2.5 innings the game was scoreless. In the bottom of the 3rd A.J. Pollock took a Marcus Stroman fastball deep to left, this one had a passport to Mexico & it was Adios Amigos giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead after 3 Innings of play. After a Andrelton Simmons infield Single that Jed Gyorko tried to let roll foul, Neil Walker hits a line drive down into the corner in left, Simmons was on the move at first base, Simmons scored & the game was tied at 1 run apiece on Walkers Double. Lead off hitter Daniel Nava then lines a shot paste Yangervis Solarte into left scoring Neil Walker & giving the Mobsters a 2-1 lead after 4.5 Innings of play. After getting one out in the bottom of the 5th, with two runners on base (1st & 2nd) manager Stray Corrado replaced Marcus Stroman with Noah Syndergaard. Josh Harrison cracks a Double over the head of Nava in left, two runs come across & the Cougars go back on top 3-2. Alexander Presley then lines a Single into centerfield scoring Harrison & putting the Cougars up 4-2. Things only got worse for the Mobsters and Syndergaard. Justin Smoak took Syndergaard deep to left for a 2-Run Home Run & putting the Cougars in the drivers seat for Game #1. Chicago put up 2 in the 9th with Alex Bregman at third, Freddie Freeman Doubled, pulling the Mobsters within 3. Dallas Manager Jarl Jackson went to his “Sugar” Edwin Diaz who got J.D. Martinez to ground out for out number one, moving Freeman to third. A second ground ball from “Sugar” got Justin Turner an RBI scoring Freeman, but putting the Cougars one out away from taking game #1. Buster Posey faced Diaz, who got his third ground ball of the inning a weak dribbler to Josh Harrison who threw to first for the final out of the game. Final Score: Dallas 6 – Chicago 4 Win: Chase Anderson 1-0 (3.38) Loss: Noah Syndergaard 0-1 (9.82) Save: Edwin Diaz #1 Home Runs: A.J. Pollock (1), Justin Smoak (1)
GAME #2 – Rich Hill (13-3 2.98) vs. Andrew Cashner (18-6 3.01) After a scoreless 1st Inning Chicago got a 2 Out Double off the bat of Buster Posey before long time Mobsters Andrew McCutchen took Andrew Cashner deep to left for a 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a 2-0 lead after 1.5 Innings of play. The starting pitchers settled in after that. Rich Hill went 5 Innings allowing 4 Hits, 1 Walk, Striking Out 5 for the Mobsters. Cashner went 5.2 Innings allowing only the 2 Runs off the bat of McCutchen. In the bottom of the 8th the Cougars with Dellin Betances on the mound for Chicago a lead off Double from A.J. Pollock gave Dallas some hope. Josh Harrison then got plunked (Second time this series) by Betances, putting runners at 1st & 2nd. Dallas Manager Jarl Jackson went to his bench & replaced Jose Pirela with Alexander Presley. Chicago manager Stray Corrado countered with Andrew Miller who got Presley to pop foul to 3rd. Jose Abreu fanned on a 1-2 Fastball from Miller for the 2nd out. Justin Smoak & Miller matched up in a battle, but Smoak eventually drew the walk, loading the bases with two outs. Right handed batter Jed Gyorko came up, Chicago went to the pen for Anthony Swarzak. Swarzak uncorked one. Wild Pitch, scoring A.J. Pollock & cutting the Mobsters lead to 2-1. Gyorko had runners on 2nd and 3rd and could put the Cougars up by 1 with a single. Gyorko smacked a clothesline straight away center, but Dexter Fowler found the ball, gather it in and put the threat to rest. Top of the 9th Neil Walker facing Juan Nicasio with 2 Outs & Walker lofted a fly ball that Presley tracked to the wall, jumped & came down empty handed, putting the Mobsters back up by 2 runs with a score of 3-2. Swarzak faced the 1st two hitters in the line up, but Chicago wanted there closer Aroldis Chapmanin to shut the door & get in a game since Chapman had not pitched in 6 days. Kelby Tomlinson was called upon to pinch hit for Jaycob Brugman. Down by 2, 2 Outs in the 9th, Tomlinson delivered a Double down the line in right field, putting the tying run on 2nd. A.J. Pollock connected on the 2nd straight hit off Chapman, lacing a hot grounder down the line past Bregman at 3rd. Chicago was lucky to hold Pollock to a Double, but the Cougars didn’t want to make the last out at 3rd base. So down by 1, man at 2B, Josh Harrison up for the Cougars facing Aroldis Chapman who had yet to retire a batter. Harrison hit a frozen rope straight away center, Dexter Fowler was right there & gloved it for the Final out of the game. Final Score: Chicago 3 – Dallas 2 Win: Rich Hill 1-0 (0.00) Loss: Andrew Cashner 0-1 (3.18) Save: Aroldis Chapman #1 Home Runs: Andrew McCutchen (1), Neil Walker (1)
Chicago was headed home for 3 games with a split in Dallas. Both teams were feeling good about the series being tied & looking forward to some good playoff baseball.
GAME #3 – Dallas Keuchel (14-3 1.73) vs. Carlos Matias Martinez (11-9 3.47) Chicago started banging things around in the bottom of the first & before you knew it this game was over. Actually, Dallas had gotten 2 Outs & no one was on for Chicago when the wheels for the Cougars fell off Freddie Freeman laced a Double to start things off. J.D. Martinez followed up with a 2-Run Home Run to the opposite field. Justin Turner then walked on 4 straight pitches from Dallas Keuchel (who you could tell was shaken). Buster Posey stepped in & on wrapped a clean hit & run Single to right field moving Turner to 3rd base. Andrew McCutchen who had been hot recently strolled up, lined a Single to left, scoring Turner & moving Posey up to 2nd base. Andrelton Simmons then blooped one down the line in right field, Posey scored, McCutchen flew around 3rd & scored as well, putting the Mobsters up 5-0. Simmons ended up on 2nd base. The 9th man to bat in the inning was Neil Walker who walked. Dexter Fowler lined a base hit over 2nd Base, scoring Simmons, Walker costed into 3rd. The bleeding stopped for Dallas when Alex Bregman popped out to end the inning. Chicago scored 6 Runs, all earned, all with 2 Outs & the bases empty. Chicago was feeling good after one Inning of play. Dallas, not so much. Freddie Freeman Doubled to lead off the 2nd Inning & scored on a Buster Posey single to right field, putting the Mobsters up 7-0 after 2 Innings of play. The game settled down for a while through innings three, four & five, but in the sixth Dallas had Yangervis Solarte on 2nd Base when Carlos Gomez took a Carlos Matias Martinez fastball deep to left center for a long Home Run. Dallas inched back cutting the lead to 7-2 after 6 Innings of play. In the bottom of the 8th the Mobsters struck again. Neil Walker lead off with a single & after Mikie Mathtook walked. Alex Bregman was facing Matt Albers & Bregman took fat Albers deep to left for a big fly 3 run Baltimore special. Chicago now had a 10-3 lead after 8 Innings of play. Chicago had brought in their big left-hander on the mound C.C. Sabathia for 2 Outs in the 8th and besides a Single to Justin Smoak in the 9th, Sabathia was clean, and closed down game number three for a big lopsided 10-3 victory at home. Final Score: Chicago 10 – Dallas 3 Win: Carlos Matias Martinez 1-0 (2.57) Loss: Dallas Keuchel 0-1 (15.75) Home Runs: Carlos Gomez (1), Alex Bregman (1), J.D. Martinez (1),
GAME #4 – Brent Suter (8-3 1.95) vs. Marcus Stroman (15-8 3.95) Playoff baseball returned to Chicago for game #4. The high scorring affair that was game #3 was in the past. Both starters Suter for Dallas & Stroman for Chicago were stellar. Dallas touched up Stroman in the 4th on a Josh Harrison solo Home Run. Chicago responded in the 5th the same way off a solo Home Run from Freddie Freeman. It was deadlocked at 1-Run each after 5 Inings of play. Chicago pulled Stroman in the top of the 6th after a lead off Double by Miguel Rojas & a walk to Andrew Toles. Chicago went to their big right hander in Dellin Betances. The announcer made a funny remark when Betances entered the game & announced his ERA at “ummm, infinity” as he was knocked out of game #2 before getting an out. Betances made up for it here in game #4. A sacrifice bunt attempt was spoiled when Freddie Freeman rusing in from 1B fired a strike to 3B getting Rojas at 3B for the first out. After and Alexander Presley Strike Out Betances was one out a way from getting out of a big jam. Jose Abreu stepped up, the one man Chicago Manager Stray Corrado wanted to keep off the board. Betances got Abreu on a change piece to chop one back to the mound, Betances took his time, threw over to Freeman at 1B & the threat was extinguished. Dallas pulled Suter after 6.1 Innings of work allowing 1 Run, (Earned, Solo Home Run from Freddie Freeman) 9 Hits, 1 Walk & 6 Strike Outs. All in all in great game for Suter. Adam Warren came on & shut the Mobsters down through the end of 9 Innings. Chicago had Betances go a second Inning of work, followed by Chad Green who worked 3 Innings allowing only 1 Hit & into the top of the 10th with the score tied at 1 run apiece. Neither team scored in the 10th. In the top of the 11th Chicago went to left hander Andrew Miller who got the Cougars 1-2-3. Juan Nicasio had started the 10th for Dallas & was now facing the lead off hitter Neil Walker in the top of the 11th. Walker a late season acqustion from the Virginia Sluggers had played some years before in Chicago & knew the crowd was primed for a win here in game #4. Walker delievered as he was waiting for Nicasio first pitch fastball & Walker took him deep into right center, for a Walk Off Home Run, giving the Mobsters the victory with a 2-1 win! Final Score: Chicago 2 – Dallas 1 Win: Andrew Miller (0.00) Loss: Juan Nicasio 0-1 (6.75) Home Runs: Josh Harrison (1), Neil Walker (2), Freddie Freeman (1)
GAME #5 – Chase Anderson (15-10 2.64) vs. Rich Hill (13-3 2.98) This was the best game of the series. What a pitchers duel between two starters that both had won games already this series. Chase Anderson didn’t allow a hit until the bottom of the 6th with two outs when Dexter Fowler gapped one between A.J. Pollock & Carlos Gomez. A pop out by Bregman ended the inning for the Mobsters. Anderson was crusing. Chicago starter Rich Hill was even better. He had walked 2 in the game, but starting off the 9th inning Hill hadn’t let up a hit. The 9th started with a Strike Out of Carlos Gomez – one down, two outs away from a No-Hitter. A.J. Pollock took Hill to a 3-2 count where Hill tried to get Pollock to chase a high fastball, but Pollock didn’t offer. So Hill had walked his 3rd batter of the game, still hadn’t given up a hit & was still in control. The only bad thing for Hill here was that Chicago hadn’t put up a run yet off Chase Anderson. It was deadlocked in the 9th at 0-0. What a pitchers duel this was. Josh Harrison stepped in to face Hill for the Cougars. Chicago had interest in Harrision late in the year, but Dallas owner Jarl Jackson, quickly shot down any talks of moving Harrison. Jackson’s response was “No. Not at this time”. So Hill who had already plunked Harrison in game #2 stepped back on the mound after the 1 out walk to Pollack & let go a beautiful looking curveball. But it hung – hung right in Harrison’s wheel house. BOOM! Harrisson connected, deep to center, Dexter Fowler raced back to the wall, looked up & there was nothing Fowler could do, it was long gone! A two-run shot putting the Cougars in the lead by a 2-0 score. Hill shrugged his shoulders, smiled as Harrison crossed the plate & was ready to get back to work, hoping his Mobsters could muster something up in the 9th. An Error by J.D. Martinez allowed Jose Pirela to reach 1B, Hill was pulled by Manager Stray Corrado, but not before a thunderous roar from the crowd for the great work he did on the mound. Hill handed the Ball to the manager, walked toward the home 3rd base dugout, tipped his hat to the croud (for another thunderous roar) & headed down the tunnel for the evening. Anthony Swarzak was called upon & got Jose Abreu to go down on strikes & Justin Smoak to scorch a line out to Neil Walker for the 3rd out. Chicago was down to thier last 3 outs. Andrelton Simmons struck out on a check swing for out number one. Dexter Fowler came up & Chase Anderson walked him on four straight pitches. Jarl Jackson headed out from the 1B dugout & asked Anderson for the ball. Chicago’s great baseball crowd responded with cheering for the great job that Anderson did. Anderson pitched 8.1 Inings, 1 hit, 2 walks & struck out 9 Mobsters along the way. The cheering turned to boos when “Sugar” was called upon from the Cougars bullpen. Edwin Diaz had the Save in game #2 & was two outs away from locking this one down for Dallas. Alex Bregman stepped in the first batter to face “Sugar”. Chicago manager Stray Corrado put the Hit-N-Run on & Bregman grounded one to the right side, Josh Harrison was moving toward second base and Bregman hit it right through the hole. Fowler moved easily to third & Bregman perfectly placed that Hit-N-Run through the hole left by the Cougars infield for his 7th hit of the series. The tying run was now on 1B. Bregman went on the first pitch to Freddie Freeman, but Manny Pina threw the ball down to third as Fowler had wandered a little too far down the line. Jed Gyorko ran Fowler towards home, threw the ball to Pina – Pina threw back to 3rd, but Fowler got in with a head first dive. So now the tying run was on 2nd, the winning run was Freddie Freeman standing in the batters box with a 1-0 count. The count went 3-2, Freddie was ready. Diaz rocked & fired and Freeman with a half swing, he held up – but home plate umpire Jordan Baker went up with his right hand & called Freeman out for extensive window shopping. Two outs, two on, Chicago down by two. Jarl Jackson headed to the mound again & pointed at “Sugar”, telling his infielders & catcher that he only wanted to speak with Diaz. After a quick chat, smile & a pat on the ass for “Sugar”, Jackson was done & the whole crowd figured that Jackson had instructed Diaz to walk the number four hitter J.D. Martinez in the Chicago line up. “Diaz waited for Martinez to step in, pointed at his catcher Manny Pina to sit down & was ready not to walk Martinez, but to face him. J.D. Martinez stepped out, gather his thoughts on what was about to happen. Jordan Baker pointed for Martinez to get in the box, J.D. stepped in. Diaz set, pitched & Martinez hit what looked like a blooper over the shortstop Miguel Rojas head, but Rojas leaped, backhanded it & caught the ball for the final out of game #5. Final Score: Dallas 2 – Chicago 0 Win: Chase Anderson 2-0 (1.65) Loss: Rich Hill 1-1 (1.35) Save: Edwin Diaz #2 Home Runs: Josh Harrison (2)
The 2018 American League Championship was shaping up to be a dog fight. Dallas was down 3 games to 1 in Chicago, but managed to win game 5 & brought the series back home to Dallas for at least a game 6 and hopefully a game 7. The Cougars faithful were buying tickets on the street for as high as $750.00 a piece for good box seats. Even the low end bleacher seats were tripled in price & going for more than $125.00. Chicago was not looking forward to being back in Dallas & were disappointed they didn’t win game 5, take a few extra days of rest. The plane ride to Dallas was quiet, however the captain did come on the loudspeaker and asked the players to look out the left side of the planes windows, stating over the intercom “If you look real close about & were about 12,000 feet up you can see the ball that Josh Harrison hit off Rich Hill starting it’s decline”. The Mobsters team erupted in laughter & Rich Hill‘s smile was from ear to ear. It was a good laugh for the Mobsters team & that seemed to relax them as they headed into Dallas still up 3 games to 2.
GAME #6 – Carlos Matias Martinez (11-9 3.47) vs. Andrew Cashner (18-6 3.01) Dexter Fowler lead off the game back in Dallas. Fowler told on deck batter Alex Bregman “If Cash throws me a first pitch fastball, I am talking him downtown”. Bregman smiled as Dexter, & said “You go Homie – You go get it”. Surer than s#it, that’s exactly what Andrew Cashner threw first pitch to Dexter & surer than S#it, Dexter did just as he said & started a trend of long balls for Chicago. In the top of the 2nd Ining it was Justin Turner‘s turn. He socked a Cashener fastball deep to left & gone to make it 2-0 Chicago after 1.5 Innings of play. Dallas had a hot bat as well with Justin Smoak who wasn’t hitting much for average, but in the bottom of the 2nd Smoak took a Carlos Matias Martinez pitch down the line in right field for a Home Run. At the end of 2 Innings of play, Chicago held a 2-1 lead not only in Home Runs, but the overall score too. Chicago must have seen something in Game 2 as Cashner seemed to be tipping his pitches. In the top of the 3rd Alex Bregman spotted a Cashner fastball (meatball) & took it for a ride over the left field wall, putting Chicago up 3-1. But that wasn’t it in the 3rd. After a Freddie Freeman single, J.D. Martinez stepped in. Martinez saw a 2-0 fastball from Cashner & went the opposite way, deep to right, Josh Harrison got a good jump & went back to the wall, but he ran out of room as J.D. Martinez deposited a 2-Run Home Run over the right field wall. Andrew Cashner was pulled after 2.1 Innings of play, his line was 7 Hits, 5 Runs (all earned) 0 Walks, 2 K’s but the thing that hurt Cashner was the 4 long balls. Chicago had a 5-1 lead at the end of 2.5 Innings of play. In the 5th Brock Stewart hit Justin Turner in the helmet. Turner got up slowly walked vaguely down to 1B & after getting the concussion protocol cleared stood at 1B with one out. Andrew McCutchen stepped in & uncorked one for a 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a sizable 7-1 lead. Meanwhile Carlos Matias Martinez rolled through 5.1 Inings of work before Chad Green took over. Green allowed only a solo Home Run in his 2.1 Innings of work to Justin Smoak his 2nd of the game (Smaok also had a Double giving him 10 bases on the day). Chicago went with Anthony Swarzak for 1/3 of an Inning & brought in Andrew Miller in to face Carlos Gomez (Struck Out), A.J. Pollock (Struck Out), Josh Harrison (Walk) & Alexander Presley (Struck Out) to close out the game & the series for Chicago. Final Score: Chicago 7 – Dallas 2 Win: Carlos Matias Martinez 2-0 (2.19) Loss: Andrew Cashner 0-2 (7.88) Home Runs: Dexter Fowler (1), Alex Bregman (2), J.D. Martinez (2), Justin Turner (1), Andrew McCutchen (2) & Justin Smoak 2 (3)
Chicago & Dallas played a great series. Dallas scared Chicago quite a bit, & there 2-0 win in game #5 felt like a down turn for the Mobsters. However in the end the Mobsters prevailed winning the series 4 games to 2. Congratulations to Dallas on a great season. Chicago now awaits the winner of the Sacramento Capitals & Columbus Explorers National League Championship – before they head off to the 2018 Mid-West Baseball League World Series.

Chicago Mobsters @ Dallas Cougars

The American League Wild Card Chicago Mobsters (105- 57) were headed to face the beast in the east the Dallas Cougars (101-61).

The series started with the Mobsters having five days of rest coming off a 4-0 American League Division Series #1 win over the Bottle Rockets of Tijuana.

The Cougars were coming off a 4-2 American League Division Series #2 win over the Hollywood Werewolves & the Dallas squad had two days of rest themselves.

In what should be a very tight American League Championship Series the Dallas team had the home field advantage & were looking to eliminate the Wild Card Mobsters of Chicago.

GAME #1 – Marcus Stroman (15-8 3.95) vs. Chase Anderson (15-10 2.64)

Through 2.5 innings the game was scoreless. In the bottom of the 3rd A.J. Pollock took a Marcus Stroman fastball deep to left, this one had a passport to Mexico &
it was Adios Amigos giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead after 3 Innings of play.
After a Andrelton Simmons infield Single that Jed Gyorko tried to let roll foul, Neil Walker hits a line drive down into the corner in left, Simmons was on the move at
first base, Simmons scored & the game was tied at 1 run apiece on Walkers Double.
Lead off hitter Daniel Nava then lines a shot paste Yangervis Solarte into left scoring Neil Walker & giving the Mobsters a 2-1 lead after 4.5 Innings of play.
After getting one out in the bottom of the 5th, with two runners on base (1st & 2nd) manager Stray Corrado replaced Marcus Stroman with Noah Syndergaard.
Josh Harrison cracks a Double over the head of Nava in left, two runs come across & the Cougars go back on top 3-2.
Alexander Presley then lines a Single into centerfield scoring Harrison & putting the Cougars up 4-2. Things only got worse for the Mobsters and Syndergaard. Justin Smoak took Syndergaard deep to left for a 2-Run Home Run & putting the Cougars in the drivers seat for Game #1.
Chicago put up 2 in the 9th with Alex Bregman at third, Freddie Freeman Doubled, pulling the Mobsters within 3.
Dallas Manager Jarl Jackson went to his “Sugar” Edwin Diaz who got J.D. Martinez to ground out for out number one, moving Freeman to third.
A second ground ball from “Sugar” got Justin Turner an RBI scoring Freeman, but putting the Cougars one out away from taking game #1.
Buster Posey faced Diaz, who got his third ground ball of the inning a weak dribbler to Josh Harrison who threw to first for the final out of the game.

Final Score: Dallas 6 – Chicago 4
Win: Chase Anderson 1-0 (3.38)
Loss: Noah Syndergaard 0-1 (9.82)
Save: Edwin Diaz #1
Home Runs: A.J. Pollock (1), Justin Smoak (1)

GAME #2 – Rich Hill (13-3 2.98) vs. Andrew Cashner (18-6 3.01)

After a scoreless 1st Inning Chicago got a 2 Out Double off the bat of Buster Posey before long time Mobsters Andrew McCutchen took Andrew Cashner deep to left for a 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a 2-0 lead after 1.5 Innings of play.
The starting pitchers settled in after that. Rich Hill went 5 Innings allowing 4 Hits, 1 Walk, Striking Out 5 for the Mobsters.
Cashner went 5.2 Innings allowing only the 2 Runs off the bat of McCutchen.
In the bottom of the 8th the Cougars with Dellin Betances on the mound for Chicago a lead off Double from A.J. Pollock gave Dallas some hope. Josh Harrison then got plunked (Second time this series) by Betances, putting runners at 1st & 2nd. Dallas Manager Jarl Jackson went to his bench & replaced Jose Pirela with Alexander Presley. Chicago manager Stray Corrado countered with Andrew Miller who got Presley to pop foul to 3rd. Jose Abreu fanned on a 1-2 Fastball from Miller for the 2nd out. Justin Smoak & Miller matched up in a battle, but Smoak eventually drew the walk, loading the bases with two outs. Right handed batter Jed Gyorko came up, Chicago went to the pen for Anthony Swarzak. Swarzak uncorked one. Wild Pitch, scoring A.J. Pollock & cutting the Mobsters lead to 2-1.
Gyorko had runners on 2nd and 3rd and could put the Cougars up by 1 with a single. Gyorko smacked a clothesline straight away center, but Dexter Fowler found the ball, gather it in and put the threat to rest.
Top of the 9th Neil Walker facing Juan Nicasio with 2 Outs & Walker lofted a fly ball that Presley tracked to the wall, jumped & came down empty handed, putting the Mobsters back up by 2 runs with a score of 3-2.
Swarzak faced the 1st two hitters in the line up, but Chicago wanted there closer Aroldis Chapmanin to shut the door & get in a game since Chapman had not pitched in 6 days. Kelby Tomlinson was called upon to pinch hit for Jaycob Brugman. Down by 2, 2 Outs in the 9th, Tomlinson delivered a Double down the line in right field, putting the tying run on 2nd. A.J. Pollock connected on the 2nd straight hit off Chapman, lacing a hot grounder down the line past Bregman at 3rd. Chicago was lucky to hold Pollock to a Double, but the Cougars didn’t want to make the last out at 3rd base. So down by 1, man at 2B, Josh Harrison up for the Cougars facing Aroldis Chapman who had yet to retire a batter. Harrison hit a frozen rope straight away center, Dexter Fowler was right there & gloved it for the Final out of the game.

Final Score: Chicago 3 – Dallas 2
Win: Rich Hill 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Andrew Cashner 0-1 (3.18)
Save: Aroldis Chapman #1
Home Runs: Andrew McCutchen (1), Neil Walker (1)

Chicago was headed home for 3 games with a split in Dallas. Both teams were feeling good about the series being tied & looking forward to some good playoff baseball.

GAME #3 – Dallas Keuchel (14-3 1.73) vs. Carlos Matias Martinez (11-9 3.47)

Chicago started banging things around in the bottom of the first & before you knew it this game was over. Actually, Dallas had gotten 2 Outs & no one was on for Chicago when the wheels for the Cougars fell off Freddie Freeman laced a Double to start things off. J.D. Martinez followed up with a 2-Run Home Run to the opposite field. Justin Turner then walked on 4 straight pitches from Dallas Keuchel (who you could tell was shaken). Buster Posey stepped in & on wrapped a clean hit & run Single to right field moving Turner to 3rd base. Andrew McCutchen who had been hot recently strolled up, lined a Single to left, scoring Turner & moving Posey up to 2nd base. Andrelton Simmons then blooped one down the line in right field, Posey scored, McCutchen flew around 3rd & scored as well, putting the Mobsters up 5-0. Simmons ended up on 2nd base. The 9th man to bat in the inning was Neil Walker who walked. Dexter Fowler lined a base hit over 2nd Base, scoring Simmons, Walker costed into 3rd. The bleeding stopped for Dallas when Alex Bregman popped out to end the inning. Chicago scored 6 Runs, all earned, all with 2 Outs & the bases empty. Chicago was feeling good after one Inning of play. Dallas, not so much.
Freddie Freeman Doubled to lead off the 2nd Inning & scored on a Buster Posey single to right field, putting the Mobsters up 7-0 after 2 Innings of play.
The game settled down for a while through innings three, four & five, but in the sixth Dallas had Yangervis Solarte on 2nd Base when Carlos Gomez took a Carlos Matias Martinez fastball deep to left center for a long Home Run. Dallas inched back cutting the lead to 7-2 after 6 Innings of play.
In the bottom of the 8th the Mobsters struck again. Neil Walker lead off with a single & after Mikie Mathtook walked. Alex Bregman was facing Matt Albers & Bregman took fat Albers deep to left for a big fly 3 run Baltimore special. Chicago now had a 10-3 lead after 8 Innings of play.
Chicago had brought in their big left-hander on the mound C.C. Sabathia for 2 Outs in the 8th and besides a Single to Justin Smoak in the 9th, Sabathia was clean, and closed down game number three for a big lopsided 10-3 victory at home.

Final Score: Chicago 10 – Dallas 3
Win: Carlos Matias Martinez 1-0 (2.57)
Loss: Dallas Keuchel 0-1 (15.75)
Home Runs: Carlos Gomez (1), Alex Bregman (1), J.D. Martinez (1),

GAME #4 – Brent Suter (8-3 1.95) vs. Marcus Stroman (15-8 3.95)

Playoff baseball returned to Chicago for game #4. The high scorring affair that was game #3 was in the past. Both starters Suter for Dallas & Stroman for Chicago were stellar.
Dallas touched up Stroman in the 4th on a Josh Harrison solo Home Run. Chicago responded in the 5th the same way off a solo Home Run from Freddie Freeman.
It was deadlocked at 1-Run each after 5 Inings of play. Chicago pulled Stroman in the top of the 6th after a lead off Double by Miguel Rojas & a walk to Andrew Toles. Chicago went to their big right hander in Dellin Betances. The announcer made a funny remark when Betances entered the game & announced his ERA at “ummm, infinity” as he was knocked out of game #2 before getting an out. Betances made up for it here in game #4. A sacrifice bunt attempt was spoiled when Freddie Freeman rusing in from 1B fired a strike to 3B getting Rojas at 3B for the first out. After and Alexander Presley Strike Out Betances was one out a way from getting out of a big jam. Jose Abreu stepped up, the
one man Chicago Manager Stray Corrado wanted to keep off the board. Betances got Abreu on a change piece to chop one back to the mound, Betances took his time, threw over to Freeman at 1B & the threat was extinguished.
Dallas pulled Suter after 6.1 Innings of work allowing 1 Run, (Earned, Solo Home Run from Freddie Freeman) 9 Hits, 1 Walk & 6 Strike Outs. All in all in great game for Suter. Adam Warren came on & shut the Mobsters down through the end of 9 Innings. Chicago had Betances go a second Inning of work, followed by Chad Green who worked 3 Innings allowing only 1 Hit & into the top of the 10th with the score tied at 1 run apiece. Neither team scored in the 10th.
In the top of the 11th Chicago went to left hander Andrew Miller who got the Cougars 1-2-3. Juan Nicasio had started the 10th for Dallas & was now facing the lead off hitter Neil Walker in the top of the 11th. Walker a late season acqustion from the Virginia Sluggers had played some years before in Chicago & knew the crowd was primed for a win here in game #4. Walker delievered as he was waiting for Nicasio first pitch fastball & Walker took him deep into right center, for a Walk Off Home Run, giving the Mobsters the victory with a 2-1 win!

Final Score: Chicago 2 – Dallas 1
Win: Andrew Miller (0.00)
Loss: Juan Nicasio 0-1 (6.75)
Home Runs: Josh Harrison (1), Neil Walker (2), Freddie Freeman (1)

GAME #5 – Chase Anderson (15-10 2.64) vs. Rich Hill (13-3 2.98)

This was the best game of the series. What a pitchers duel between two starters that both had won games already this series. Chase Anderson didn’t allow a hit until the bottom of the 6th with two outs when Dexter Fowler gapped one between A.J. Pollock & Carlos Gomez. A pop out by Bregman ended the inning for the Mobsters. Anderson was crusing. Chicago starter Rich Hill was even better. He had walked 2 in the game, but starting off the 9th inning Hill hadn’t let up a hit. The 9th started with a Strike Out of Carlos Gomez – one down, two outs away from a No-Hitter. A.J. Pollock took Hill to a 3-2 count where Hill tried to get Pollock to chase a high fastball, but Pollock didn’t offer. So Hill had walked his 3rd batter of the game, still hadn’t given up a hit & was still in control. The only bad thing for Hill here was that Chicago hadn’t put up a run yet off Chase Anderson. It was deadlocked in the 9th at 0-0. What a pitchers duel this was. Josh Harrison stepped in to face Hill for the Cougars. Chicago had interest in Harrision late in the year, but Dallas owner Jarl Jackson, quickly shot down any talks of moving Harrison. Jackson’s response was “No. Not at this time”. So Hill who had already plunked Harrison in game #2 stepped back on the mound after the 1 out walk to Pollack & let go a beautiful looking curveball. But it hung – hung right in Harrison’s wheel house. BOOM! Harrisson connected, deep to center, Dexter Fowler raced back to the wall, looked up & there was nothing Fowler could do, it was long gone! A two-run shot putting the Cougars in the lead by a 2-0 score. Hill shrugged his shoulders, smiled as Harrison crossed the plate & was ready to get back to work, hoping his Mobsters could muster something up in the 9th. An Error by J.D. Martinez allowed Jose Pirela to reach 1B, Hill was pulled by Manager Stray Corrado, but not before a thunderous roar from the crowd for the great work he did on the mound. Hill handed the Ball to the manager, walked toward the home 3rd base dugout, tipped his hat to the croud (for another thunderous roar) & headed down the tunnel for the evening. Anthony Swarzak was called upon & got Jose Abreu to go down on strikes & Justin Smoak to scorch a line out to Neil Walker for the 3rd out. Chicago was down to thier last 3 outs. Andrelton Simmons struck out on a check swing for out number one. Dexter Fowler came up & Chase Anderson walked him on four straight pitches. Jarl Jackson headed out from the 1B dugout & asked Anderson for the ball. Chicago’s great baseball crowd responded with cheering for the great job that Anderson did. Anderson pitched 8.1 Inings, 1 hit, 2 walks & struck out 9 Mobsters along the way. The cheering turned to boos when “Sugar” was called upon from the Cougars bullpen. Edwin Diaz had the Save in game #2 & was two outs away from locking this one down for Dallas. Alex Bregman stepped in the first batter to face “Sugar”. Chicago manager Stray Corrado put the Hit-N-Run on & Bregman grounded one to the right side, Josh Harrison was moving toward second base and Bregman hit it right through the hole. Fowler moved easily to third & Bregman perfectly placed that Hit-N-Run through the hole left by the Cougars infield for his 7th hit of the series. The tying run was now on 1B. Bregman went on the first pitch to Freddie Freeman, but Manny Pina threw the ball down to third as Fowler had wandered a little too far down the line. Jed Gyorko ran Fowler towards home, threw the ball to Pina – Pina threw back to 3rd, but Fowler got in with a head first dive. So now the tying run was on 2nd, the winning run was Freddie Freeman standing in the batters box with a 1-0 count. The count went 3-2, Freddie was ready. Diaz rocked & fired and Freeman with a half swing, he held up – but home plate umpire Jordan Baker went up with his right hand & called Freeman out for extensive window shopping. Two outs, two on, Chicago down by two. Jarl Jackson headed to the mound again & pointed at “Sugar”, telling his infielders & catcher that he only wanted to speak with Diaz. After a quick chat, smile & a pat on the ass for “Sugar”, Jackson was
done & the whole crowd figured that Jackson had instructed Diaz to walk the number four hitter J.D. Martinez in the Chicago line up. “Diaz waited for Martinez to step in, pointed at his catcher Manny Pina to sit down & was ready not to walk Martinez, but to face him. J.D. Martinez stepped out, gather his thoughts on what was about to happen. Jordan Baker pointed for Martinez to get in the box, J.D. stepped in. Diaz set, pitched & Martinez hit what looked like a blooper over the shortstop Miguel Rojas head, but Rojas leaped, backhanded it & caught the ball for the final out of game #5.

Final Score: Dallas 2 – Chicago 0
Win: Chase Anderson 2-0 (1.65)
Loss: Rich Hill 1-1 (1.35)
Save: Edwin Diaz #2
Home Runs: Josh Harrison (2)

The 2018 American League Championship was shaping up to be a dog fight. Dallas was down 3 games to 1 in Chicago, but managed to win game 5 & brought the series back home to Dallas for at least a game 6 and hopefully a game 7. The Cougars faithful were buying tickets on the street for as high as $750.00 a piece for good box seats. Even the low end bleacher seats were tripled in price & going for more than $125.00. Chicago was not looking forward to being back in Dallas & were disappointed they didn’t win game 5, take a few extra days of rest. The plane ride to Dallas was quiet, however the captain did come on the loudspeaker and asked the players to look out the left side of the planes windows, stating over the intercom “If you look real close about & were about 12,000 feet up you can see the ball that Josh Harrison hit off Rich Hill starting it’s decline”. The Mobsters team erupted in laughter & Rich Hill‘s smile was from ear to ear. It was a good laugh for the Mobsters team & that seemed to relax them as they headed into Dallas still up 3 games to 2.

GAME #6 – Carlos Matias Martinez (11-9 3.47) vs. Andrew Cashner (18-6 3.01)

Dexter Fowler lead off the game back in Dallas. Fowler told on deck batter Alex Bregman “If Cash throws me a first pitch fastball, I am talking him downtown”. Bregman smiled as Dexter, & said “You go Homie – You go get it”. Surer than s#it, that’s exactly what Andrew Cashner threw first pitch to Dexter & surer than S#it, Dexter did just as he said & started a trend of long balls for Chicago.
In the top of the 2nd Ining it was Justin Turner‘s turn. He socked a Cashener fastball deep to left & gone to make it 2-0 Chicago after 1.5 Innings of play.
Dallas had a hot bat as well with Justin Smoak who wasn’t hitting much for average, but in the bottom of the 2nd Smoak took a Carlos Matias Martinez pitch down the line in right field for a Home Run. At the end of 2 Innings of play, Chicago held a 2-1 lead not only in Home Runs, but the overall score too. Chicago must have seen something in Game 2 as Cashner seemed to be tipping his pitches. In the top of the 3rd Alex Bregman spotted a Cashner fastball (meatball) & took it for a ride over the left field wall, putting Chicago up 3-1. But that wasn’t it in the 3rd. After a Freddie Freeman single, J.D. Martinez stepped in. Martinez saw a 2-0 fastball from Cashner & went the opposite way, deep to right, Josh Harrison got a good jump & went back to the wall, but he ran out of room as J.D. Martinez deposited a 2-Run Home Run over the right field wall. Andrew Cashner was pulled after 2.1 Innings of play, his line was 7 Hits, 5 Runs (all earned) 0 Walks, 2 K’s but the thing that hurt Cashner was the 4 long balls. Chicago had a 5-1 lead at the end of 2.5 Innings of play.
In the 5th Brock Stewart hit Justin Turner in the helmet. Turner got up slowly walked vaguely down to 1B & after getting the concussion protocol cleared stood at 1B with one out. Andrew McCutchen stepped in & uncorked one for a 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a sizable 7-1 lead.
Meanwhile Carlos Matias Martinez rolled through 5.1 Inings of work before Chad Green took over. Green allowed only a solo Home Run in his 2.1 Innings of work to Justin Smoak his 2nd of the game (Smaok also had a Double giving him 10 bases on the day).
Chicago went with Anthony Swarzak for 1/3 of an Inning & brought in Andrew Miller in to face Carlos Gomez (Struck Out), A.J. Pollock (Struck Out), Josh Harrison (Walk) & Alexander Presley (Struck Out) to close out the game & the series for Chicago.

Final Score: Chicago 7 – Dallas 2
Win: Carlos Matias Martinez 2-0 (2.19)
Loss: Andrew Cashner 0-2 (7.88)
Home Runs: Dexter Fowler (1), Alex Bregman (2), J.D. Martinez (2), Justin Turner (1), Andrew McCutchen (2) & Justin Smoak 2 (3)

Chicago & Dallas played a great series. Dallas scared Chicago quite a bit, & there 2-0 win in game #5 felt like a down turn for the Mobsters. However in the end the Mobsters prevailed winning the series 4 games to 2. Congratulations to Dallas on a great season. Chicago now awaits the winner of the Sacramento Capitals & Columbus Explorers National League Championship – before they head off to the 2018 Mid-West Baseball League World Series.

2018 – NATIONAL DIVISION SERIES #2

Bethesda Bandicoots @ Sacramento Capitals
Sacramento and Bethesda face each other for the third straight year in the NLDS. In 2016, Bethesda beat Sacramento 4 games to 3 in a very close series and, in 2017, swept Sacramento in a not-so-close series. In both cases, Bethesda stood in the way of a Sacramento team that had high hopes of an extended playoff run since its 2014-2015 rebuild following a five-year run reaching the NLCS (2009-2013) in which Sacramento reached and won the World Series twice (2011-2012). Bethesda hopes to continue the streak and make the NLCS for the third straight year, and Sacramento walks into the series with something to prove.
GAME #1 – Jake Arrieta (17-10 2.44) vs. Max Scherzer (23-4 1.71) Sacramento hit the scoreboard first with a Flores 2-run HR in the bottom of the 2nd inning and never looked back. Bethesda cut the 2-0 lead in half in the top of the 3rd with a Schoop solo HR, but that’s as close as Bethesda would get. Sacramento proceeded to hit another 4 home runs, a 1-run lead-off home run by DeShields followed by a 2-run shot by Stanton in the 3rd, and solo home runs by Scherzer (yes, Scherzer) and Dickerson in the 7th and 8th innings. Bethesda managed another solo home run in the top of the 6th, making that 7 home runs between Bethesda and Sacramento. Scherzer goes 7 strong, giving up only 3 hits, including 2 home runs. Arrieta didn’t make it through the 5th inning, giving up 8 hits and five runs in 4.1 innings. Bethesda – 2 Sacramento – 7 W – Scherzer (1-0) L – Arrieta (0-1)
GAME #2 – Alex Cobb (16-2 2.65) vs. Chris Sale (22-6 2.50) First on the scoreboard again is Sacramento, this time in the bottom of the 4th. DeShields walks and immediately attempts to steal second only to get gunned down by the elite arm of AJ Ellis. He’d immediately regret the decision, as Reddick followed up with a single, Mancini with a walk, and Stanton with another walk to load the bases. Lindo strokes a single to left-center, scoring Reddick and Mancini. But, that’s all Sacramento could put together, with Flores grounding into a double play to end the rally. Unfortunately, that’s all the offense Sacramento could afford in Game 2. DeShields’ CS turns out to cost a much-needed run in a close game. Lucky for the Caps, Sale was on his way to a perfect game … until 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th when Sale walked pinch hitter Brad Miller. With Sale being on a pitch-count, he handed the ball to newly-acquired closer Tyler Olson. Olson immediately gives up a double to Jon Jay, giving Bethesda it’s only hope of the night. Runners on 2nd and 3rd with Lorenzo Cain at the plate. Olson shakes it off, and induces a fly-out to end the game. Sale is nearly perfect, pitching 8.2 innings giving up no hits and striking out 10, while Cobb is a tough-luck loser going 5 IP while giving up a respectable 4 hits and 2 runs. Bethesda – 0 Sacramento – 2 W – Sale (1-0) L – Cobb (0-1) S – Olson (1)
GAME #3 – Zack Grienke (14-10 2.66) vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu (10-4 3,20) This time it would be Bethesda to make its mark on the board first. Scoreless in the bottom of the 5th, Trevor Story blasts a 2-run home run off Greinke to give Bethesda its first lead of the series. Mancini followed up with a solo HR in the top of the 6th to cut the lead in half, only to have Rendon stroke a RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to maintain a 2-run lead. But, Bethesda wasn’t done. A walk to Ruiz, pinch hit single by Brad Miller, a two-RBI triple by Cain, and a RBI single by Morrison in the bottom half of the 7th effectively put the game away for Bethesda. Down 6-1 in the 8th, Giancarlo Stanton stroked a solo shot to straight away center to close the lead 6-2, but that would be all Sacramento could do. Ryu injects some life into the Bandicoots, pitching 7 strong, giving up only 5 hits and 1 ER on a solo HR to Mancini. Greinke didn’t fare so well, going 6 IP while giving up 5 H and 3 ER. Sacramento – 2 Bethesda – 6 W – Ryu (1-0) L – Greinke (0-1) S – Morrow (1)
GAME #4 – Sonny Gray (8-10 3.93) vs. Max Scherzer (23-4 1.71) Solo home runs by Mancini in the 1st and Stanton in the 4th would be all the offense in a game dominated by solid pitching. Max Scherzer pitches 8 shutout innings, giving up only 3 hits including 1 2B, striking out 9, and lowering his series ERA to 1.20; while Sonny Gray pitches 6 solid innings giving up 5 hits including 2 HRs. Bethesda – 0 Sacramento – 2 W – Scherzer (2-0) L – Gray (0-1) S – Olson (2)
GAME #5 – Chris Sale (22-6 2.50) vs. Jake Arrieta (17-10 2.44) The Bandicoots jump out to an early lead in the bottom of the 3rd with a Lorenzo Cain RBI single scoring a speedy Jarrod Dyson. Bethesda would hold the lead until the top of the 7th when Giancarlo Stanton would tie it up on an infield single. Just kidding. On a towering solo home run to left field. Sale and Arrieta both pitch gems, with Sale pitching 7 IP giving up only 2 hits and giving up 1 run, while Arrieta goes 9 and gives up 4 hits and only 1 run. This one would be left to the bullpen. Tied 1-1 with 2 outs in the top of the 12th, Stanton walks to the plate, Brandon Morrow’s working on his 2nd inning in relief, and Stanton does what he does. Well, he strikes out a lot too, but this time he hit a go-ahead solo home run. Up 2-1, the Caps turn to an itchy Pedro Strop for a 1-2-3 bottom half to shut the door on Bethesda and the NLDS. Bethesda – 1 Sacramento – 2 W – Busenitz (1-0) L – Morrow (0-1) S – Strop (1)
Sacramento takes the series 4-1 against a very good Bethesda team. Bethesda batted .130 with a .181 OBP, scored 9 runs, hit 3 HRs, and stole 1 base; while Sacramento batted .206 BA with a .268 OBP, scored 15 runs, hit 11 HRs, and stole 3 bases. But, the story of the series was pitching. Pitching, pitching, pitching. Both Sacramento and Bethesda scored 2 or less runs in 4 of the 5 games. Overall, the Caps held a 1.72 ERA and didn’t allow a single unearned run. Sale and Scherzer were the stars, with Sale pitching 15.2 IP, giving up only 2 hits and a .57 ERA, and Scherzer pitching 15 IP, giving up only 6 hits and a 1.20 ERA. The ‘Coots held a 2.93 ERA and also didn’t allow an unearned run. Ryu was the start, pitching 7 IP with a 1.29 ERA. Giancarlo Stanton was the series MVP, batting .412 with a .500 OBP, 4 HRs, 4 runs, and 5 RBI.