This series featured the CL South champion New Monmouth against CL Central champion Shiner, who came up just short in last year's World Series against the accursed Santa Fe Gecko Lizards. How would the ever-capricious Strat playoffs treat them this year?
Game 1: Fister vs. Hamels. NMO walked Pujols with a runner on 2nd and 1 out in the 1st. Willingham tried to make them pay with a single, but Weeks stumbled coming around 3rd and was thrown out at home. It was that kind of series. NMO scored first on a solo HR by the immortal Andy Dirks, then made it 2-0 when Barajas scored on a Walker 2-out DO. In the 4th, Barajas delivered a 2-out RBI SI, and the allegedly mighty Blondes trailed 3-0. SHI finally put some hits together in the 4th, first scoring on a WP, then on RBI hits by Roberts and Ryan. However, Cabrera and PH Thome stranded a pair. Fister and Hamels mostly dominated after that, although there were scoring chances. It remained tied at 9 into the 10th. O'Flaherty did his job in the 10th and Markakis hit a 2-run HR to win it for SHI, 5-3. Yeah, too much detail in this writeup. As if anyone really reads these things anyway. Tomlinson smells of elderberries.
Game 2: Latos vs. Bedard. NMO struck quickly in the 1st with 4 hits, but only scored 2 runs thanks to a CS. Bedard settled down to pitch rather well after that, although the bullpen coughed up a couple more runs in the 7th. That really wasn't necessary because Latos totally owned SHI. Okay, he did walk a few guys and hit one, but allowed no hits whatsoever. Yes, you read that right, lonely guy with nothing better to do. Latos threw a no-hitter in the playoffs. NMO 4-0.
Game 3: Ogando vs. Collmenter. Moving the series to another location didn't break the trend of NMO scoring first. Their top 3 batters reached base in the 1st again, but this time a DP limited the damage to 1 run. The change in venue also didn't wake the SHI bats. They did finally break their hitless streak in the 2nd, but the scoreless streak dragged on. NMO added a 2nd run with this sequence: BB, E-2 on bunt attempt, sac bunt, and squeeze bunt. Awesome. Then Cuddyer put it even further out of reach with a 3-run HR. SHI rallied with their 2nd hit in the 9th, but lost to NMO again, 5-0.
So yeah, there's that very familiar stench of playoff disappointment. Breathe it in!
Really? You're back for more? Okay, if you're that desperate for entertainment, I'll play along.
Game 4: Hamels vs. Fister. With their backs against the wall, Shiner started the game hot with 2 singles, including one by Pujols! However, they still failed to score. turned to their ace. NMO showed them how it's done with another 1st inning run and made it 2-0 with help from an E-5 and a balk. SHI finally stumbled on a winning strategy in the 3rd, when back-to-back HBP loaded the bases with 2 outs. Then Molina hit a fly ball to Cuddyer...who absolutely butchered the play into a DO+E that scored 4 runs! SHI added the crucial 5th run when Willingham followed a Pujols DP with a HR. Hamels got into a jam in the 6th, but only allowed 1 run, leaving the bases loaded. SHI turned to their pen after a HBP in the 7th. That worked out well until the 9th, which NMO started with 2 singles, then another bunt. However, the well-rested Axford blew away the last 2 hitters to preserve a desperately needed 5-3 SHI win.
Game 5: Lilly vs. Huff. Yes, really. It should be noted at this point that Warren really didn't expect this team to make the playoffs and only made it through the season with help from several unlimited batters. That lack of depth became a big factor as the series extended. Of course, I made it worse by starting a bunch of LHP. So this game featured NMO starting a few LH batters anyway, Latos at DH, and an unlimited batter. Plus, you know, David Huff. So yeah, it sure would be embarrassing to lose this one, even with the hated Lilly on the mound. The good news for SHI is that they finally broke the streak of early scoring by NMO. However, they also failed to score through 3 innings. Finally, old man Thome crushed a 2-run HR in the 4th, but Thames answered with a HR of his own after a costly CS. Jansen took over for NMO in the 5th and Molina greeted him with another HR. On to the 6th, when NMO chased Lilly and closed the gap to 3-2, but stranded a pair. Then in the 7th, Bogusevic drew a highly improbable walk vs. a LHP and scored on a 2-out Andrus single. Tie game! It stayed that way until the 9th, when Walden came onto the scene. Pujols briefly awoke from his slumber with a double, then Molina singled, then Little Nicky Punto singled to give SHI the lead and tire the awesome Walden. However, Lindstrom allowed another single to load the bases before retiring the next 2 batters. Schierholtz remembered that Game 4 strategy and drew an RBI HBP, injuring himself for the upcoming travel day. Trailing 5-3, NMO kinda sorta but not really tried to rally with unlimited batter Mesoraco, pitcher Fister, and unlimited batter Rodriguez...who doubled with 2 outs. However, Axford coaxed a popout from Barajas to preserve the 5-3 SHI win.
With SHI up 3-2, things are starting to fall into place, but no-hit Latos awaited in Game 6 and in a Game 7, anything can happen...
Oh yeah, Tomlinson has an extensive collection of Easter bonnets that he wears year round. Don't ask why.
Okay, we're back in Shiner for the epic conclusion! Or something. Is anyone still out there? Was anyone ever out there? Except Travis of course. We know he has no life. The only thing more pathetic than Tomlinson's odor issue is asking questions about its onset. What's next? Buying his book of bonnets? Oh yeah, this was supposed to be about baseball...
Game 6: Latos vs. Bedard. Well, I'd like to say that SHI avenged the Game 2 no-hitter by pounding Latos and sent the fans home happy. But this is the ARBA playoffs and Strat doesn't roll that way. Instead, we returned to the theme of NMO scoring 1st and in the 1st. First of all, Cabrera added to his mostly pathetic performance with the bat by misplaying a fly ball into a double. With 2 outs and a runner on 2nd, SHI couldn't resist the IBB of Cuddyer to set up the LH-LH matchup with Thames. Naturally, he defied the odds with a 2-run triple! Like 1-4 odds, to be exact. Ugh. In the 4th, NMO doubled their lead after a 2-out error by smooth fielding SS Brendan Ryan. The SHI bullpen totally dominated after that, striking out 10 in 5 scoreless innings. Meanwhile, Latos continued to not allow any hits, until Young finally got a lucky single in the 5th. Huzzah! He even stole 2nd, but failed to score. SHI rallied in the 6th with their 2nd hit and 2 more walks, tiring Latos. In came Jansen and SHI totally blew the game open! Oh, sorry, what I meant to say is that they totallly blew it with 2 strikeouts. On to the 8th, when Pujols hit a deep fly ball...caught. Willingham followed it with another deep fly...just over the leaping Saunders. Hey, SHI can't lose if they score, right? Yeah, whatever. Jansen finished off the 4-1 NMO victory.
On to Game 7! Just like all those prescient prognosticators predicted!
Hey, did you know that Tomlinson has such an unhealthy obsession with tween pop stars that they've started filing the inevitable restraining orders before he's even heard of them?
En route to Game 7, SHI won 3, all by a score of 5-3, which is more odd. Even more odd, they were totally shut down in the 3 NMO wins, by a combined score of 13-1, with a total of 6 hits. At this point, NMO was almost out of PA for their non-unlimited batters. However, almost all the SHI batters were under .200 for the series, so it didn't seem like they really had an advantage there. With their season on the line, SHI went with Hamels again and NMO countered with Collmenter, who shut out SHI in Game 3.
Game 7: Collmenter vs. Hamels. NMO got a pair of hits in the 1st, but failed to score. In the bottom half, Pujols inched his BA over .200 with a single, then old man Giambi crushed one into the seats! 2-0 SHI! Do you believe? SHI kept the rally going, loading the bases and ending Collmenter's night very early, burning a couple PH, but Roberts failed to deliver. SHI stranded a couple more runners in the 3rd. With 2 outs in the 4th and a runner on 2nd, Barajas stepped up for his last PA of the series and took a mighty swing. Long fly ball...could it be? No way, but's it's still going...gone! Another 1-4 chance goes the NMO way. Tie game. In the bottom of the 5th, Giambi drew a BB and SHI sent in the less slothful Willingham to pinch run. He failed to get the jump, but with 2 outs, Markakis drilled one into the gap! Will it be another 2-run homer? No! It's off the wall and Willingham is heading home for a huge play at the plate...out! The crowd groans in unison. NMO put a pair runners on in the 6th and again in the 7th, but failed to score. Other than that, there were a lot of outs for a while. SHI did get a nice single, steal, error combo from Roberts, but he was stranded. Still tied at 2 after 9, we're going to extra innings! Not much happened in the 10th, so we'll skip to the bottom of the 11th. Molina led off with a single, then Markakis hit a fly ball to CF, which dropped in front of Saunders! Runners at the corners with no outs. A weak grounder made it 2nd and 3rd, then a walk loaded the bases for Roberts. Could he be the hero or would SHI blow it again and force us to play all night? With the OF in, he drilled a single to win the game for Shiner! The crowd was too exhausted to go wild, but they celebrated weakly. 3-2 SHI
Whew! That was a tense series! Congratulations to Warren on taking that NMO team a lot farther than they should have been able to go. SHI looked like the far superior team on paper, but very narrowly escaped to limp into the CLCS. It very easily could have gone the other way as all 4 SHI victories were close, including 2 in extra innings.
SHI scored 81 more runs than any other CL team this season, averaging 5.64 runs per game and hit .280 with 245 HR. However, their offense looked totally inept in this series, "hitting" ony .186 and scoring 19 runs in 7 games. 9 of those runs came on their 6 HR. Everyone hit .200 or worse except clear offensive MVP Molina (.393, 4 RBI), Willingham (.250, 2 HR), and Schierholtz (2-5). Cabrera (4-27) and Pujols (3-23) were particularly disappointing. The pitching was mostly good enough to win (2.77 ERA), but Bedard lost both his matchups with Latos. Hamels had a 2.95 ERA in 3 starts, but only 1 win, although SHI won the other 2 in extra innings for O'Flaherty, who led a mostly dominant SHI bullpen.
As for NMO, they managed to hit .213 and score 24 runs, including at least 3 in every game until the finale. Andrus sparked the offense with a .355 BA and 3 SB, but somehow didn't score a single run, although he drove in 4. Cuddyer also hit well with 6 RBI, but hurt the team with his defense. Part-timers Morgan, Barajas and Thames also had some big hits. Walker and Santana didn't really do their part, hitting .200 and .192, stranding Andrus many times. The 3 unlimited batters forced into action combined for a 4-29 line and the other part-timers didn't help much.
NMO also had better pitching numbers for the series with a 2.38 ERA, including 2 shutouts. Latos led the way with 2 wins and 14.1 scoreless IP, including a no-hitter. Collmenter pitched a shutout, but didn't make it out of the 1st in game 7. Fister pitched pretty well in his 2 starts, but wasn't quite good enough to beat Hamels. The bullpen was effective overall, led by Jansen's ridiculous 21 Ks in 12.1 innings. However, he also allowed 3 HR and took a loss. Walden lost twice and would really like to forget his 13.5 ERA performance.
Okay, enough of this nonsense. I'm in no rush to play the CLCS after that marathon, so take your time, HAR/WAD.
(1) Elderberries are delicious. It's not my fault if you don't like their delicious juicy taste or unique odor.
(2) Those aren't Easter Bonnets, they are traditional Canadian headdresses, worn by my ancestors. I would be dishonoring my family if I didn't wear them from time to time.
(3) Yeah, it's a fair cop about the pop stars. Although Britney dropped her restraining order - I think she wants more attention.
(4) As I've explained to you time and time again, the paste is just used to keep the elderberry slurry together, otherwise they would dribble all over evertything and make a mess.
(5) No, I did not read your recaps. I was just googling my name and writing responses to each mention thereof like I do every morning.
