Playoff Preview

With the playoffs coming up in March I thought I’d do a playoff preview.  The Champions seem to be the clear favorite – but will they close the deal?  I’ve looked at run differential, the likely pitching rotations, and if there are any part-timers who look to take a bigger role in the postseason…

Chicago Champions (+136) vs. Three Rivers Gamblers (+69)

Probable playoff rotation: A, CZ, CZ, CZ vs. BZ, B, BW, C

The Champs have to be the favorites to take it all this year, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have weaknesses.  This applies especially in Round One, as Lincecum can only pitch twice if the series goes five.  That means the Gamblers have a slight pitching advantage.  Both pens go reasonably deep, but the Champs have got good control all over the place, while the Gamblers are shaky.  Offensively both teams have great hearts of the order (A-Rod, Morneau, Sizemore, Lee and Rollins for the Champs, Pedroia, Jeter, Braun, Fielder, Glaus and Bay for the Gamblers).  Neither really has a "secret weapon" they can trot out in the playoffs.  The Champs should win this one – I’ll say Champs in 5.

Rising Bamm! Beanos (+67) vs. Molly Putts Marauders (+26)

Probable playoff rotation: AW, B, B, B vs. AW, BZ, BZ, BZ

The Marauders only scored 26 more runs than they allowed as they had the second worst offense in the league.  On the other hand, they’ve got a deep rotation, and the luxury of adding a couple of starters to their pen, making it also extremely deep.  The Bamm! Beanos, on the other hand, have an excellent offense with lots of depth; Hanley Ramirez and Mark Teixeira are top-notch while Matt Kemp, Russ Martin, and Dan Uggla are a good supporting cast.  Their pen is not as deep as the Putts but still adequate – they also can add a B starter to their pen.  It could come down to a couple of rookie part-timers; Denard Span for the Beanos and Kung Fu Panda (Pedro Sandoval) for the Marauders.  Neither will be able to play every day but will have a big effect when they are in the game.  In the end though, I think the Marauders have too many holes on offense – Sandoval can only plug one – and the Bamm! Beanos will advance to the World Series in 4 games.

Three Rivers Gamblers- Final 2009

A new year is upon us and that means that it’s the end of another Illowa regular season. The Gamblers finished up with a 9 game set against the Chicago Highlanders. On a blistery Sunday afternoon I hooked up with Rob over Skype to play.

The Gamblers needed to just not get blown out in this series to make the post season. We came in with an 81-71 record and in second place but things were tight. A bad series and we could find ourselves looking in from the outside.

The series got off to a good start as C.C. Sabathia went the distance for his 13^th complete game and 7^th shutout of the season. Glaus and Bay hit solo shots, a two-run triple by Braun and a run scoring single by Jeter accounted for the scoring as Three Rivers won 5-0.

Manager Moore must have said something to his team after game 1 because they came out smacking the ball in the next 4 games scoring 32 runs and winning the remaining games at Iron City Field. Chris Davis is an especially good listener apparently. He had 9 hits – one single, 2 doubles, 2 triples and 4 homers and drove in 13 runs as the Highlanders sprinted to a 4-1 series lead.

The Gamblers had a meeting of their own following game 5 and basically were told it was time to show what they were made of.

In game 6 C.C. put the team on his shoulders again and went out and threw five perfect innings before leaving with a strained something and a 4-0 lead. The Gambler pen preserved the shutout as C.C. finished his season with his 22^nd victory.

In game 160, extra innings are the last thing teams want to see but that’s what we got in Highlanderville. Armando Galarraga went 9 strong innings yielding just 2 runs and Mark Guthrie and the Highlander pen did the same as the game was knotted at 2 after regulation. Julian Tavarez was summoned from the apparently thin Chicago bullpen to pitch the 10^th. A pinch hit single by Mags plated Prince and Craig Breslow shut the door in the bottom half for the 3-2 Gambler victory.

The Highlanders bounced back in game 8 to win 6-5.

In the season finale Scott Kazmir earned his 16^th victory against just 4 loses as Three Rivers ended the season on a high note winning 10-4.

The Highlanders won the series 5-4 but the Gamblers pretty much sewed up a playoff spot. The Hitmen will have to win all 9 games this month to tie Three Rivers. Nothing is impossible that’s for sure.

Some highlights from this season:

· Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder both topped the 40 homer mark and 100 RBI mark with 43/127 and 41/109 respectively.

· Dustin Pedroia got 200 hits and hit 58 doubles while driving in 91 runs and scoring 111.

· Derek Jeter surpassed 2300 hits in his career.

· C.C. Sabathia set career marks for wins, innings, complete games, strikeouts and shutouts.

· Ryan Braun is the first Gambler to hit 30 homers and drive in over 100 RBI’s in his first two seasons.

Later,

Todd

Three Rivers Gamblers – December

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody!

December had the 2 series for the Gamblers – the Kernels and the Hitmen. First up were the Keith Smith and the Kernels.

The Gamblers came out of the gate hitting scoring twice in the first and once in each of the second and third innings to take the early 4-0 lead. The Kernels plated two in the bottom of the 4^th and then the Gamblers put up a five spot in the fifth to make it 9-2. With C.C. on the hill all was looking good. In the bottom of the 6^th Ryan Howard took C.C. deep. Beltran followed with a single and then Wright and Ethier went back to back. Fukodome and Navarro each singled and after Burrell fanned, Robby Cano singled home Fukodome to chase Sabathia. Jensen Lewis put out the fire as the Kernels closed to within two. The Gambler pen shutdown the Kernels over the last 3 innings as Three Rivers went on to win 11-7.

The Gamblers once again struck early in game 2 scoring four times in the first the last two coming on a Prince Fielder blast. Aaron Laffey yielded just 3 runs on 3 hits as the Gamblers won 6-3.

In game 3 Three Rivers drew first blood again scoring 2 in the fourth. The Kernels came back in the bottom half with 3 grab their first lead of the series. But the Gamblers came right back in the top of the 5^th with a three spot to go ahead for good. The Kernels mounted another come back attempt closing to within one but Craig Breslow shut the door in the 9^th as the good guys won 8-7.

Brandon Webb took the hill in game four against his old team. He dominated the Gambler bats through four innings allowing just one hit. However, Webb had a blister issue and had to leave after four. Nobody seemed to notice that Webb was gone as Jarrod Washburn allowed only an unearned run. The Kernels offense put up 10 runs to win 10-1.

The Kernels got another fine pitching performance in game 4 as Joe Blanton allowed just 3 hits and two runs as the Kernels won 6-2.

Larry Walker and Dennis Eckersley Voted Into IAL HoF

Larry Walker played for 3 teams over his 16-year IAL career, hitting .291 with a .377 OBA and .554 SLG.   The only player who played longer and slugged higher was Barry Bonds, and only 4 players played longer and had a better on-base.  He hit 407 homer, drove in 1,343 runs, and scored 1,364 times.  He also stole 233 bases and played Gold Glove caliber defense in the outfield.  Walker’s most impressive year was 1998 with the Aurora Gamblers, when he hit .343 with 52 homer, 157 RBI, 156 runs, and 40 steals; this probably ranks as one of the best overall seasons in IAL history.  He topped 40 HR 3 times, 100 RBI 6 times, and 100 runs scored 6 times.  His struggles with injuries kept him to only 2,044 hits.

Dennis Eckersley pitched for 24 seasons, splitting time between starting and relieving; he won 168 games (versus 183 losses) and saved 208 games as a closer.  He played for 10 different teams (made all the more amazing for the fact that for most of his career in the IAL was an 8-team league) which couldn’t have hurt his voting drive!  Eck was a good but not great starter, winning 16 games twice, but it as a closer that he made his mark, mostly with the Dreamteam.  From 1989 through 1993 he saved 154 games, with ERA’s of 2.13, 2.35, 2.45, 2.49, and, in 1993, 1.12!  That year he saved 35 games in 52 appearances, throwing 80.2 innings with a 6-4 record and allowed only 40 hits and 10 earned runs all year

Three Rivers Gamblers- October

The Gamblers took on the mighty Champions this month and won a tough, hard fought series 5-4.

In game 1, it was C.C. vs. The Freak. The Gamblers struck quick with 2 in the first. A solo homer by Morneau halved the lead in the 4^th. Sabathia went yard in the 5^th to make it 3-1. But the Champions chipped away with one in the 6^th and one in the 7^th to tie it up. With C.C. and The Freak hitting the showers it was up to the bullpens. In the bottom of the ninth, Morneau doubled home Sizemore to end it as the Champs took game 1 4-3.

In game 2 it was all Gamblers as Mark Buehrle was a generous host serving up meatballs to the Gambler hitters. Both teams scored a run in the 1^st but Three Rivers got four in the 4^th and three in the fifth to put the game away as they went on to win 9-3 and even the series.

In game 3 the two teams matched each other run for run over the 1^st three innings with both teams scoring a run in each of the first two innings and each scoring 2 in the third. A Prince Fielder RBI double in the 7^th and a Shane Victorino RBI double in the 8^th gave the Gamblers a two run lead going to the bottom of the 9^th. However, Felipe Lopez hit a two-run shot off of Jose Arredondo to send the game into extra innings. The big man came through again for the Gamblers as Fielder singled home Pedroia and Craig Breslow came on to close it out in the 11^th for the Gambler victory.

It was the Champions turn to strike early and often in game 4. They sent John Lannan to the showers in the 2^nd inning after 7 hits and 6 runs. The Champs went to and easy 9-5 win to even the series at 2 games each.

Josh Beckett and the Champions bullpen shutdown the Gamblers in game 5 allowing just 4 hits and 1 run as the Gamblers wasted a good outing from Aaron Laffey losing 3-1.

After the Champs took 3 of 5 at their home park the series shifted to Iron City Field. It was round 2 for the Freak and C.C. The Champs held a slim 2-1 lead going to the bottom of the 4^th when Bay singled to start the inning and Glaus followed with a double and Zaunie smacked a three run dinger to put Three Rivers up 4-2. In the bottom of the 6^th Zaun doubled to get things going and C.C. followed with his second homer of the series to drive the Freak back to the shower tent. The Champs didn’t give up scoring one in the 7^th and 2 in the 8^th to close within one. But new Gambler closer Craig Breslow pitched a scoreless 9^th to give the Gamblers the 6-5 victory.

Three Rivers came out swinging again against Mark Buehrle scoring 12 times in the first 4 innings. Armando Galarraga earned his 10^th victory as the Gamblers won 12-4 and went up 4-3 in the series.

Matt Cain and Scott Kazmir had their A games going but the Champs had just a bit more ‘O’. Jose Guillen’s pinch single to score Bobby Crosby in the 7^th put the Champs up 2-1 and the Champion bullpen did the job as they evened the series going into game 9.

Two 2-run homers, one by Pedroia and the other by Glaus gave John Lannan all he needed in game 9 as he bounced back from his game 4 shellacking to surrender just 6 hits and 2 runs over 8 innings to earn the victory and give the Gamblers the 5-4 series win.

The Gamblers are now 71-64 with 27 games left to play. There is no rest for the weary as Three Rivers faces the Kernels, Hitmen and Highlanders down the stretch. With the race so tight each series feels like the playoffs. It’s going to be an interesting stretch run!

Later,

Todd

Gambler Starter Webb is More than Just Perfect

originally posted August 2004

To say that Aurora Gambler rookie starter Brandon Webb had a good month in August might be a bit of an understatement.  It would be more accurate to say that Webb did the impossible. 

In game 3 against the State Street Sluggers, Webb was perfect.  Not figuratively speaking, mind you. Just perfect.  No runs, no hits, no walks. Nothing.  It was the first perfect game in recent history of the Illowa League (it is said Orel Hershiser pitched one).

Ironically, opposing pitcher Kerry Wood pitched a 3-hitter for the Sluggers.  Unfortunately for Wood, one of those hits was a 2 run homerun by Derek Jeter and that’s all it took.  The Gamblers won 2-0.

It was the first no-hitter this year in the IAL.  Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez pitched a no-hitter for the State Street Sluggers near the end of the 2003 season.

But that’s only half the story

But Webb wasn’t done yet… far from it.  In game 8 against the Sluggers, Webb again took to the mound.  Webb allowed two baserunners in the game, a pair of walks (both to Omar Vizquel) to pitch his second no-hitter in as many starts!  The Gamblers won the game 4-0.

This is first time in the 30 year history of the IAL that a pitcher has pitched back-to-back no-hitters.  Add to this that one was a perfect game and that the pitcher was a rookie and you have the recipe for an bona fide unique event which will never be duplicated. 

Webb’s Series Stats against the Sluggers in August:

Webb entered the month of August with a 2-5 record and a 3.56 ERA.  He was the first pick of the 2004 IAL rookie draft.

The boxscore for Webb’s perfect  game:

Clemens Notches 300!

originally posted summer 2006

Maddux not far behind with 298

Roger Clemens has reached the pinnacle of pitching domination.  He has won his 300th game.  In seven innings against the Aurora Gamblers, he allowed 2 runs and struck out nine to get the milestone win. 

Unlike most older players who crawl and limp their way to a significant milestone, the Rocket is having the best year of his career.  Some say the best season by an IAL pitcher ever.  In 18 starts, he is 15-1 with a 1.56 ERA.  Not only that, he threw a no-hitter in June.  He is leading his Chicago Highlanders to another playoff bid.

In addition to leading all IAL pitchers in career wins, Clemens has the all-time mark in strikeouts (4220), games started (653) and innings pitched (4607 2/3).  Before the season started, Clemens wasn’t even among the top 15 in career ERA.  Through half the season though, he has lowered it to 3.70, good for 13th on the list.

Not far behind Clemens is Chicago Champions starter Greg Maddux.  The two of them have been neck and neck all season.  Right now, Maddux has 298 career wins.

The Race to 300

(IAL career wins among active pitchers)