2006 PLAYOFFS
This year’s FLCS put the 103-59 Dallas Stars, who had clinched home field advantage throughout the postseason, against the come-from-behind 87-75 Cincinnati Cyclones.
On paper, this was a no-brainer. The Stars were doing everything right. They had the highest batting average, the most home runs, and the most stolen bases in the league. They had – far and away – the most runs scored with 857. Their rotation ranked third, and the bullpen was competent enough not to blow things up. If it just wasn’t for injuries claiming outfielders John Alexander and Logan Taylor, both with OPS numbers well north of .800, and reliever Dane Sanders, AND closer Leonardo Sosa, who had merely saved 51 games, you could bet your life on them. Sosa was DTD with a stiff neck and would be hampered for the early games in the series. The other three were really out, but they still fielded a lineup in which only two guys were not batting .305 or better. Two!
By contrast, the Cyclones – how had they even made it!? They had the WORST rotation in the Federal League! They were t-2nd in runs scored, but … the worst rotation! And the bullpen really was not any better. Apart from closer Ian Johnson (1.67 ERA, 40 SV) and reliever Ray Cobb (6-3, 3.84 ERA) you could get their whole pitching staff at Major Dollar. Their ace was Nathan O’Herlihy, with an ERA a shade under five. Yes, really. They had their bright sides, like the 3-4-5 batters Dan Morris (.321, 30 HR, 100 RBI), Will Bailey (.344, 25 HR, 106 RBI), and Ray Gilbert (.350, 14 HR, 98 RBI), but they also had the most terrible fielding in the league – no. You had to be insane (or already stinking rich) to bet on the Cyclones.
The Continental League race was less lop-sided, but the CL North champions Indians still had glaring issues. They had only one starting pitcher with a winning record in Curtis Tobitt (23-4, 1.94 ERA), the to-be-announced Pitcher of the Year, and while they had three beasts in their lineup with Ron Alston (.286, 32 HR, 86 RBI), David Lopez (.278, 32 HR, 110 RBI), and Jose Paraz (.277, 23 HR, 90 RBI), the rest of their batting order looked shockingly terrible. They had given 300+ PA to three different sub-.600 OPS batters, and two more who just inflated their OPS through walks, but weren’t productive otherwise. Despite that awesome middle of the order, they were 7th in run scored. They could not steal bases, either. They did have a decent rotation south of Tobitt, and a very strong bullpen, though.
The Falcons entered down one capable starting pitcher (Tommy Wilson), and the rest of their staff was decidedly unpretty. Their whole rotation was no better than the Indians’ #2-#4 guys, and they had nobody to stink up to Tobitt. Larry Cutts led them with a 16-7 record and 3.49 ERA. Their bullpen was weaker by a long margin than the Indians’. In turn, they had scored the most runs in the Continental League with a balanced lineup anchored by second baseman Jose Lopez (.277, 34 HR, 121 RBI), who was surrounded by four more 12+ HR batters with averages of .282 or better. Even their #8 guy was better than the Indians’ #2.
Experts wouldn’t be surprised by the Cyclones getting swept by the Stars. The CLCS is more open, with Curtis Tobitt being close to impregnable. Despite the Indians’ lineup relying on three guys exclusively, they still had the nose up on the Falcons and might win in six.
In total, five World Series titles are held by the teams, which each holding at least one (Cyclones 1977; Stars 1983 + 1988; Indians 1981; Falcons 2005).
2006 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Indians @ Falcons … 4-1 … (Indians lead 1-0) … IND Curtis Tobitt 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W;
Cyclones @ Stars … 2-4 … (Stars lead 1-0) … DAL Christian Greenman 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI;
Indians @ Falcons … 5-3 … (Indians lead 2-0) … Falcons fall behind 2-0 in the first, never catch up
Cyclones @ Stars … 13-10 … (series tied 1-1) … the Cyclones break through Edgar Amador and Kevin Wanless for TWELVE runs in the third inning, and still almost lose; CIN Dennis Berman 3-5, BB, 2B, RBI; CIN Will Bailey 3-5, HR, 7 RBI; DAL Cesar Morán 4-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI;
Falcons @ Indians … 0-2 (18) … (Indians lead 3-0) … in 18 innings, the teams combined for 19 hits, before a relieving walkoff homer off Lewis Donaldson; CIN Angel Solís 2-7, HR, 2 RBI; CHA Alfredo Collazo 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 K; CHA Jerry Paul 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K; IND Ramiro Gonzalez 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K; IND Lawrence Bentley 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K;
Stars @ Cyclones … 5-4 (10) … (Stars lead 2-1) … DAL Robinson Perez 2-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; DAL Kevin Wanless 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K; CIN Jose Silva 3-5, HR, RBI;
Falcons @ Indians … 6-1 … (Indians lead 3-1) … CHA Mun-wah Tsung 2-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI; CHA Dylan Jones 8.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, W;
Stars @ Cyclones … 6-3 … (Stars lead 3-1) … DAL Luis Soto 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; CIN Dennis Berman 3-4, BB, HR, RBI;
Falcons @ Indians … 5-4 (10) … (Indians lead 3-2) … CHA Mun-wah Tsung 3-5, RBI; CHA Pedro Estrada (PH) 2-2, RBI; IND Ron Alston 3-5, 2 2B; IND David Lopez 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; IND Ron Brantley (PH) 1-1, HR, RBI;
Stars @ Cyclones … 1-8 … (Stars lead 3-2) … CIN Nathan O’Herlihy 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, W; CIN Dennis Berman 3-5, 2 RBI;
Indians @ Falcons … 1-5 … (series tied 3-3) … IND Cesar Aguilar 3-4; CHA Mun-wah Tsung 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; CHA David Rincón 3-4, 2 2B;
Cyclones @ Stars … 7-14 … (Stars win 4-2) … CIN Will Bailey 2-4, 2 RBI; CIN Felix Hernandez 2-3, BB, 2 RBI; DAL Hector Garcia 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI; DAL Christian Greenman 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI; DAL Robinson Perez 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; DAL Eduard Januczek 2-3, 2B;
Indians @ Falcons … 4-1 … (Indians win 4-3) … IND Ramiro Gonzalez 7.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W;
So close, but no cigar for the Falcons, rallying from an 0-3 deficit only to get buzzed by Ramiro Gonzalez in game 7. The Cyclones were in fact caught out by their abysmal pitching. They held a 4-0 lead after romping Edgar Amador in the first inning of game 6.
2006 WORLD SERIES
With almost comparable pitching staffs, the Indians holding the Tobitt Advantage, the Stars outscored the Indians by 187 runs, and took the interleague series 2-1. That vastly better lineup should give a distinct advantage to the Stars. Don’t expect to get value from those game 6 tickets.
Indians @ Stars … 1-4 … (Stars lead 1-0) … IND Curtis Tobitt gets bombed in the third; DAL Paul Miller 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W; DAL Christian Greenman 2-4, HR, 3 RBI;
Indians @ Stars … 3-4 … (Stars lead 2-0) … DAL Armando Rodriguez 2-3, RBI; DAL Cesar Morán 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI;
Stars @ Indians … 1-2 (10) … (Stars lead 2-1) … Leonardo Sosa blows the save in the ninth and loses in the tenth; DAL Edgar Amador 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K;
Stars @ Indians … 6-0 … (Stars lead 3-1) … DAL Paul Miller 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W; DAL Hector Garcia 2-3, 2 BB, 2B; DAL Robinson Perez 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI;
Stars @ Indians … 5-3 … (Stars win 4-1) … Curtis Tobitt gets stuck in the sixth; Hector Garcia’s 1-out double off Iemitsu Rin in the ninth is the series-winning hit; DAL Luis Soto 2-4, BB, RBI; IND Bill Miller 2-4, 2 RBI;
The Stars join the Capitals with three titles, tying them for second place behind the four-time champion Titans. Six teams have won two titles: Canadiens, Gold Sox, Blue Sox, Thunder, Scorpions, and Raccoons.
2006 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
DALLAS STARS
(3rd title)