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Westheim · 02-22-2016, 05:28 AM

2009 ABL PLAYOFFS

After identical playoff fields in 2007 and 2008, only two of the teams that made the postseason back then also return in 2009, the Crusaders and Cyclones. The Knights and Pacifics replace the Falcons and Stars, respectively, after finishing in the second division in 2008 (and regularly for the last 20 years). The Continental League has won the World Series nine out of the last 11 years. Overall, the leagues are even (after the Federal League’s dominance in the 1980s) at 16-16.

The 100-62 Crusaders are three-time total, and twice-defending World Series champions and are going to face the 82-80 Knights, who are one of seven teams to never hoist the trophy at season’s end.

While the Crusaders had a hairy entry into the postseason, not locking up their berth in the CL North until the day after the end of the regular season, they seem to be in a good spot. They have no injuries and can bring a devastating lineup into play that scored 815 runs, clearly the most in the CL, in 2009. They do everything, batting for average, power, and also stole the most bases, with leadoff man Roberto Pena ripping 42 bags alone. The fearsome duo of Martin Ortíz (.330, 26 HR, 104 RBI) and Stanton Martin (.306, 22 HR, 95 RBI) in the middle can club its way through every pitching staff, and the lineup is dangerous all the way down to the #8 slot with Daryl Anderson still hitting 15 home runs. Their bullpen has three closers fighting for position, with Iemitsu Rin, Scott Hood, and Robbie Wills all pitching for ERA’s of 1.44 or better. If there’s ANY weakness to the team, it’s the latter half of the rotation, where 4+ ERA pitchers Elwood Spurrell and Ken Maddox are not quite maintaining a frantic pace of excellence. The team also starts 2008 POTY Greg Connor (14-16, 3.68 ERA) and the winningest pitcher in the league, Pancho Trevino (20-10, 3.29 ERA).

How exactly the Knights want to stink up to the best offense and second-best pitching staff will be interesting to see. The CL South continued to be just run over by everybody as a whole, and consequently a 82-80 team made the playoffs. The Knights would have finished fifth in the CL North… Well, they had a potent offense, their 792 runs scored ranking second to the Crusaders in this regard, but oh boy, the pitching. They allowed almost as many runs, 761, ninth in the league. The rotation is led by sophomore southpaw Dave Butler (16-6, 3.35 ERA), who was their only pitcher not frequently getting clubbed. While the Crusaders have five relievers with a 2.50 ERA or better, the Knights don’t have ANY. Their bullpen consists of failed starters, seventh inning relievers in prominent roles, and a few guys that wouldn’t be allowed to carry the bag of baseballs on the Crusaders. It speaks volumes that they have four guys with eight saves or more on the year, but not because they could pick between different shades of excellence. The door just kept revolving on them. But they do have a middle of the order that can crack some scoreboards, led by Jose Morales (.334, 33 HR, 114 RBI) and Gonzalo Munoz (.259, 26 HR, 90 RBI), who was a key part of the dominant Titans in the first half of the 2000s. But their lineup gets soft at the bottom of the order, with three of the four infield spots being held by barely average players, who aren’t even flashing the glove. They also have 2B Carlos Martinez (.258, 21 HR, 98 RBI) out for the postseason with a strained hamstring, and one of their closers du jour, Paco Leoniedas (4.59 ERA, 11 SV) on the DL with a back strain for at least the CLCS.

In the Federal League, the 1977 champions 94-68 Cyclones come off a season and are also going to face a team without championship honors, the 104-58 Pacifics. In fact, the Pacifics have never even made the World Series, being eliminated in the FLCS by the Buffaloes in ’81, the Miners in ’82, and the Capitals in ‘91. Only the Capitals went on to win the World Series.

The Pacifics and their long history of futility nevertheless enter the postseason with the best overall record, rising from the ashes of the last two decades, which where entirely a lost cause for the team. They had the best pitching staff, allowing the least runs in the Federal League at 616 markers, while scoring 857 runs, third in the league. Their rotation was little short of awesome with Brad Smith (18-4, 2.34 ERA) and Ernest Green (17-6, 2.54 ERA) both vying for POTY honors, and where did rookie Bruce Mark (9-0, 2.39 ERA) come from?? They are complemented by old warhorse Curt Powell (10-17, 4.05 ERA). The pen is top-heavy, with the sixth/seventh inning somewhat of a problem for them. They have three batters with a clip of around .300 and 18+ homers in their lineup, with Jimmy Roberts (.309, 26 HR, 93 RBI), Stanley Murphy (.287, 21 HR, 112 RBI) and Errol Spears (.326, 18 HR, 106 RBI) contributing. But there are issues for them. They have a huge list of injuries. SP J.J. Wirth (11-9, 3.18 ERA) is out with shoulder inflammation, INF Victor Flores (.290, 5 HR, 79 RBI) has a forearm strain and will miss the FLCS, and they also have their #3 and #4 outfielders, Eddie Jackson and Tom Wilson on the shelf for the entire playoffs, giving a starter’s job to 31-year old Blair Harris, who has never had more than 223 AB in any season of his career.

The Cyclones aren’t any healthier, which is bad for them since they aren’t any better in the first place. The team scored a few more runs than the Pacifics, 874 (2nd in FL), but we will get to their decimated lineup in a second. Their pitching ranked fourth, perhaps not by their own inability, but rather because of one of the worst fielding teams in the league around them. Not only that, but while the Cyclones hit for power, they stole a mere 32 bases, mostly by accident. The best ERA in the rotation is 18-11 Jack Berry’s 3.94, but everybody lingers around the four mark for them, except the old Titan Jason O’Halloran (12-12, 4.90 ERA). The bullpen is led by ace closer Ian Johnson (36 SV, 1.95 ERA), but lacks a great deal of star talent in the supporting roles, and even if they have the names, like Lawrence Bentley, Iván Lopez, and Bill Corkum, those guys are a combined 114 years old and posted sub-par seasons (in fact, Bentley and Lopez are the two active players with the most ABL service time accumulated). And yeah, their DL. With C Felix Hernandez (.255, 5 HR, 50 in an injury-riddled season), 1B Will Bailey (.389, 27 HR, 108 RBI), INF Bob Hall (.292, 4 HR, 52 RBI), CF Jose Silva (.334, 6 HR, 43 RBI), and utility man Alfredo Banda all out for the playoffs (except for Hall, who might return in a World Series for them), their lineup has been severely reduced. They have Ray Gilbert (304, 21 HR, 79 RBI), but are trying to get juice from a pair of 36-year olds, Georg Spinu (.335, 8 HR, 59 RBI) and César Gonzalez (.290, 22 HR, 102 RBI). Around them, the land is mostly barren.

Predictions: Crusaders in five at most, Pacifics in six.

***

2009 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Cyclones @ Pacifics … 9-1 … (CIN lead 1-0) … CIN Georg Spinu 3-4, BB, 2B; CIN Cesar Gonzalez 4-4, BB, 2B, RBI; CIN Artie Barnes 3-4; CIN Nathan O’Herlihy 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, W and 2-4, 2 RBI; LAP Errol Spears 2-3, HR, RBI;

Cyclones @ Pacifics … 7-2 … (CIN lead 2-0) … CIN Simon Morbidelli 3-6, HR, RBI; CIN Pedro Estrada 3-4, RBI; CIN Jack Berry 8.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W; the Cyclones lose Cesar Gonzalez to a back injury
Knights @ Crusaders … 13-4 … (ATL lead 1-0) … ATL Jorge Garcia 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI; ATL Carlos Delgado 2-5, HR, 5 RBI; NYC Francesco Caraballo 3-4, 2 2B;

Knights @ Crusaders … 2-6 … (series tied 1-1) … ATL Jose Morales 2-4, 3B; NYC Martin Ortíz 2-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; NYC Stanton Martin 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI; NYC Elwood Spurrell 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, W;

Pacifics @ Cyclones … 5-6 (11) … (CIN lead 3-0) … CIN Pedro Estrada 3-6, RBI; CIN Max Nixon 4-4, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; CIN Iván Lopez 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K; the Pacifics score all their runs in the third inning before Cincy with the aid of 39-year old Iván Lopez on the mound rallies back

Pacifics @ Cyclones … 5-6 … (CIN wins 4-0) … LAP Jens Carroll 3-5, RBI; LAP Stanley Murphy 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; CIN Pedro Estrada 1-4, HR, 4 RBI; CIN Roy Newman 3-4, RBI; Estrada’s slam off Bruce Mark caps a 6-run rally in the bottom 7th and wins the Cyclones their ticket into the World Series; Roy Newman, 27, was an 11th-rounder in ’02 and has never started a regular season game in the majors!
Crusaders @ Knights … 2-11 … (ATL lead 2-1) …

Crusaders @ Knights … 14-5 … (series tied 2-2) … NYC Roberto Pena 4-4, 2 BB, 2B, 3 RBI; NYC Julio Hernandez 4-6, RBI; NYC Stanton Martin 3-5, 3 2B, RBI; ATL Gonzalo Munoz 3-5, RBI; ATL Kevin Bond 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI; that is some gruesome pitching in this series!

Crusaders @ Knights … 5-8 … (ATL lead 3-2) … NYC Stanton Martin 3-4, BB, 2 RBI; NYC Francisco Caraballo 4-5, 2B; ATL John Kelsey 2-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI; ATL Julio Garcia 3-5; ATL Gonzalo Munoz 3-5; ATL Kenneth Younger (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Crusaders blow a 5-2 lead in the sixth

Knights @ Crusaders … 1-7 … (series tied 3-3) … NYC Francisco Caraballo 3-4; NYC Elwood Spurrell 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, W; Spurrell’s outing is still the best pitched game of the series …

Knights @ Crusaders … 8-10 … (NYC win 4-3) … ATL Jose Morales 4-4, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; ATL Gonzalo Munoz 3-5, 3 2B, 2 RBI; NYC Francisco Caraballo 3-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; NYC Sonny Reece 3-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; ATL blows leads of 5-0 and 7-3 and gets turned inside out in a 6-run bottom 7th; Sonny Reece has a the game-winning hit once more

***

2009 WORLD SERIES

Ya gotta love those Cyclones!! But boy, is it gonna be tough for them. They looked outmatched before the FLCS, which they swept, but how are they going to fare against the Crusaders? Losing César Gonzalez to injury in the FLCS isn’t going to aid their efforts, since their lineup is now almost completely bereft of sluggers outside of Ray Gilbert and his 21 home runs, who didn’t do a whole lot in the FLCS. The Crusaders remain injury-free, and their lineup might have more feast days against the Cyclones beleaguered pitching staff.

These teams have never faced another in the World Series, mainly because the Cyclones didn’t get back there after their 1977 triumph over the Bayhawks. Yes, it has been 32 years.

Predictions aren’t my thing exactly here, but I’m going to have to assume that the Crusaders will complete their 3-peat in six games at most.

***

Cyclones @ Crusaders … 3-4 (12) … (NYC lead 1-0) … NYC Francisco Caraballo 3-5, 2B, RBI; NYC Melvin Dunn (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI (walkoff hit); NYC Robbie Wills 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, W; Hood/Rin/Wills pitch five hitless innings after Greg Connor departs

Cyclones @ Crusaders … 4-5 (12) … (NYC lead 2-0) … NYC Stanton Martin 3-6, HR, 2B, RBI; NYC Robbie Wills 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, W and 1-1, RBI (walkoff hit); Wills’ double to Jose Silva is the only hit allowed by the closing trifecta in four innings, and, oh, yeah, he singles in Stanton Martin to win the game for himself, too

Crusaders @ Cyclones … 1-4 … (NYC lead 2-1) … NYC Julio Hernandez 2-4; CIN Juan Garcia 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W and 1-3, RBI;

Crusaders @ Cyclones … 3-1 … (NYC lead 3-1) … NYC Ken Maddox 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W and 3-3, 2 RBI;

Crusaders @ Cyclones … 8-1 … (NYC win 4-1) … NYC Martin Ortíz 3-4, BB, 3B, 2 RBI; NYC Paco Battle 1-3, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI; NYC Greg Connor 9.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, W;

So, yeah, the Cyclones didn’t have an extra base hit after game 2, became the fourth team after the 1995 Thunder, 1996 Raccoons, and 2008 Stars to sweep their LCS to lose the World Series, the Crusaders’ pitching staff is a Swiss Army knife, and their bullpen should be forbidden outright, but this doesn’t change the following, and that I’m bleeding inside, and that they tie the Titans with most championships now:

2009 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
New York Crusaders
(4th title)

02-22-2016, 05:28 AM	#1719
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 13,818	2009 ABL PLAYOFFS After identical playoff fields in 2007 and 2008, only two of the teams that made the postseason back then also return in 2009, the Crusaders and Cyclones. The Knights and Pacifics replace the Falcons and Stars, respectively, after finishing in the second division in 2008 (and regularly for the last 20 years). The Continental League has won the World Series nine out of the last 11 years. Overall, the leagues are even (after the Federal League’s dominance in the 1980s) at 16-16. The 100-62 Crusaders are three-time total, and twice-defending World Series champions and are going to face the 82-80 Knights, who are one of seven teams to never hoist the trophy at season’s end. While the Crusaders had a hairy entry into the postseason, not locking up their berth in the CL North until the day after the end of the regular season, they seem to be in a good spot. They have no injuries and can bring a devastating lineup into play that scored 815 runs, clearly the most in the CL, in 2009. They do everything, batting for average, power, and also stole the most bases, with leadoff man Roberto Pena ripping 42 bags alone. The fearsome duo of Martin Ortíz (.330, 26 HR, 104 RBI) and Stanton Martin (.306, 22 HR, 95 RBI) in the middle can club its way through every pitching staff, and the lineup is dangerous all the way down to the #8 slot with Daryl Anderson still hitting 15 home runs. Their bullpen has three closers fighting for position, with Iemitsu Rin, Scott Hood, and Robbie Wills all pitching for ERA’s of 1.44 or better. If there’s ANY weakness to the team, it’s the latter half of the rotation, where 4+ ERA pitchers Elwood Spurrell and Ken Maddox are not quite maintaining a frantic pace of excellence. The team also starts 2008 POTY Greg Connor (14-16, 3.68 ERA) and the winningest pitcher in the league, Pancho Trevino (20-10, 3.29 ERA). How exactly the Knights want to stink up to the best offense and second-best pitching staff will be interesting to see. The CL South continued to be just run over by everybody as a whole, and consequently a 82-80 team made the playoffs. The Knights would have finished fifth in the CL North… Well, they had a potent offense, their 792 runs scored ranking second to the Crusaders in this regard, but oh boy, the pitching. They allowed almost as many runs, 761, ninth in the league. The rotation is led by sophomore southpaw Dave Butler (16-6, 3.35 ERA), who was their only pitcher not frequently getting clubbed. While the Crusaders have five relievers with a 2.50 ERA or better, the Knights don’t have ANY. Their bullpen consists of failed starters, seventh inning relievers in prominent roles, and a few guys that wouldn’t be allowed to carry the bag of baseballs on the Crusaders. It speaks volumes that they have four guys with eight saves or more on the year, but not because they could pick between different shades of excellence. The door just kept revolving on them. But they do have a middle of the order that can crack some scoreboards, led by Jose Morales (.334, 33 HR, 114 RBI) and Gonzalo Munoz (.259, 26 HR, 90 RBI), who was a key part of the dominant Titans in the first half of the 2000s. But their lineup gets soft at the bottom of the order, with three of the four infield spots being held by barely average players, who aren’t even flashing the glove. They also have 2B Carlos Martinez (.258, 21 HR, 98 RBI) out for the postseason with a strained hamstring, and one of their closers du jour, Paco Leoniedas (4.59 ERA, 11 SV) on the DL with a back strain for at least the CLCS. In the Federal League, the 1977 champions 94-68 Cyclones come off a season and are also going to face a team without championship honors, the 104-58 Pacifics. In fact, the Pacifics have never even made the World Series, being eliminated in the FLCS by the Buffaloes in ’81, the Miners in ’82, and the Capitals in ‘91. Only the Capitals went on to win the World Series. The Pacifics and their long history of futility nevertheless enter the postseason with the best overall record, rising from the ashes of the last two decades, which where entirely a lost cause for the team. They had the best pitching staff, allowing the least runs in the Federal League at 616 markers, while scoring 857 runs, third in the league. Their rotation was little short of awesome with Brad Smith (18-4, 2.34 ERA) and Ernest Green (17-6, 2.54 ERA) both vying for POTY honors, and where did rookie Bruce Mark (9-0, 2.39 ERA) come from?? They are complemented by old warhorse Curt Powell (10-17, 4.05 ERA). The pen is top-heavy, with the sixth/seventh inning somewhat of a problem for them. They have three batters with a clip of around .300 and 18+ homers in their lineup, with Jimmy Roberts (.309, 26 HR, 93 RBI), Stanley Murphy (.287, 21 HR, 112 RBI) and Errol Spears (.326, 18 HR, 106 RBI) contributing. But there are issues for them. They have a huge list of injuries. SP J.J. Wirth (11-9, 3.18 ERA) is out with shoulder inflammation, INF Victor Flores (.290, 5 HR, 79 RBI) has a forearm strain and will miss the FLCS, and they also have their #3 and #4 outfielders, Eddie Jackson and Tom Wilson on the shelf for the entire playoffs, giving a starter’s job to 31-year old Blair Harris, who has never had more than 223 AB in any season of his career. The Cyclones aren’t any healthier, which is bad for them since they aren’t any better in the first place. The team scored a few more runs than the Pacifics, 874 (2nd in FL), but we will get to their decimated lineup in a second. Their pitching ranked fourth, perhaps not by their own inability, but rather because of one of the worst fielding teams in the league around them. Not only that, but while the Cyclones hit for power, they stole a mere 32 bases, mostly by accident. The best ERA in the rotation is 18-11 Jack Berry’s 3.94, but everybody lingers around the four mark for them, except the old Titan Jason O’Halloran (12-12, 4.90 ERA). The bullpen is led by ace closer Ian Johnson (36 SV, 1.95 ERA), but lacks a great deal of star talent in the supporting roles, and even if they have the names, like Lawrence Bentley, Iván Lopez, and Bill Corkum, those guys are a combined 114 years old and posted sub-par seasons (in fact, Bentley and Lopez are the two active players with the most ABL service time accumulated). And yeah, their DL. With C Felix Hernandez (.255, 5 HR, 50 in an injury-riddled season), 1B Will Bailey (.389, 27 HR, 108 RBI), INF Bob Hall (.292, 4 HR, 52 RBI), CF Jose Silva (.334, 6 HR, 43 RBI), and utility man Alfredo Banda all out for the playoffs (except for Hall, who might return in a World Series for them), their lineup has been severely reduced. They have Ray Gilbert (304, 21 HR, 79 RBI), but are trying to get juice from a pair of 36-year olds, Georg Spinu (.335, 8 HR, 59 RBI) and César Gonzalez (.290, 22 HR, 102 RBI). Around them, the land is mostly barren. Predictions: Crusaders in five at most, Pacifics in six. * 2009 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Cyclones @ Pacifics … 9-1 … (CIN lead 1-0) … CIN Georg Spinu 3-4, BB, 2B; CIN Cesar Gonzalez 4-4, BB, 2B, RBI; CIN Artie Barnes 3-4; CIN Nathan O’Herlihy 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, W and 2-4, 2 RBI; LAP Errol Spears 2-3, HR, RBI; Cyclones @ Pacifics … 7-2 … (CIN lead 2-0) … CIN Simon Morbidelli 3-6, HR, RBI; CIN Pedro Estrada 3-4, RBI; CIN Jack Berry 8.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W; the Cyclones lose Cesar Gonzalez to a back injury Knights @ Crusaders … 13-4 … (ATL lead 1-0) … ATL Jorge Garcia 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI; ATL Carlos Delgado 2-5, HR, 5 RBI; NYC Francesco Caraballo 3-4, 2 2B; Knights @ Crusaders … 2-6 … (series tied 1-1) … ATL Jose Morales 2-4, 3B; NYC Martin Ortíz 2-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; NYC Stanton Martin 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI; NYC Elwood Spurrell 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, W; Pacifics @ Cyclones … 5-6 (11) … (CIN lead 3-0) … CIN Pedro Estrada 3-6, RBI; CIN Max Nixon 4-4, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; CIN Iván Lopez 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K; the Pacifics score all their runs in the third inning before Cincy with the aid of 39-year old Iván Lopez on the mound rallies back Pacifics @ Cyclones … 5-6 … (CIN wins 4-0) … LAP Jens Carroll 3-5, RBI; LAP Stanley Murphy 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; CIN Pedro Estrada 1-4, HR, 4 RBI; CIN Roy Newman 3-4, RBI; Estrada’s slam off Bruce Mark caps a 6-run rally in the bottom 7th and wins the Cyclones their ticket into the World Series; Roy Newman, 27, was an 11th-rounder in ’02 and has never started a regular season game in the majors! Crusaders @ Knights … 2-11 … (ATL lead 2-1) … Crusaders @ Knights … 14-5 … (series tied 2-2) … NYC Roberto Pena 4-4, 2 BB, 2B, 3 RBI; NYC Julio Hernandez 4-6, RBI; NYC Stanton Martin 3-5, 3 2B, RBI; ATL Gonzalo Munoz 3-5, RBI; ATL Kevin Bond 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI; that is some gruesome pitching in this series! Crusaders @ Knights … 5-8 … (ATL lead 3-2) … NYC Stanton Martin 3-4, BB, 2 RBI; NYC Francisco Caraballo 4-5, 2B; ATL John Kelsey 2-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI; ATL Julio Garcia 3-5; ATL Gonzalo Munoz 3-5; ATL Kenneth Younger (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Crusaders blow a 5-2 lead in the sixth Knights @ Crusaders … 1-7 … (series tied 3-3) … NYC Francisco Caraballo 3-4; NYC Elwood Spurrell 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, W; Spurrell’s outing is still the best pitched game of the series … Knights @ Crusaders … 8-10 … (NYC win 4-3) … ATL Jose Morales 4-4, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; ATL Gonzalo Munoz 3-5, 3 2B, 2 RBI; NYC Francisco Caraballo 3-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; NYC Sonny Reece 3-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; ATL blows leads of 5-0 and 7-3 and gets turned inside out in a 6-run bottom 7th; Sonny Reece has a the game-winning hit once more * 2009 WORLD SERIES Ya gotta love those Cyclones!! But boy, is it gonna be tough for them. They looked outmatched before the FLCS, which they swept, but how are they going to fare against the Crusaders? Losing César Gonzalez to injury in the FLCS isn’t going to aid their efforts, since their lineup is now almost completely bereft of sluggers outside of Ray Gilbert and his 21 home runs, who didn’t do a whole lot in the FLCS. The Crusaders remain injury-free, and their lineup might have more feast days against the Cyclones beleaguered pitching staff. These teams have never faced another in the World Series, mainly because the Cyclones didn’t get back there after their 1977 triumph over the Bayhawks. Yes, it has been 32 years. Predictions aren’t my thing exactly here, but I’m going to have to assume that the Crusaders will complete their 3-peat in six games at most. *** Cyclones @ Crusaders … 3-4 (12) … (NYC lead 1-0) … NYC Francisco Caraballo 3-5, 2B, RBI; NYC Melvin Dunn (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI (walkoff hit); NYC Robbie Wills 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, W; Hood/Rin/Wills pitch five hitless innings after Greg Connor departs Cyclones @ Crusaders … 4-5 (12) … (NYC lead 2-0) … NYC Stanton Martin 3-6, HR, 2B, RBI; NYC Robbie Wills 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, W and 1-1, RBI (walkoff hit); Wills’ double to Jose Silva is the only hit allowed by the closing trifecta in four innings, and, oh, yeah, he singles in Stanton Martin to win the game for himself, too Crusaders @ Cyclones … 1-4 … (NYC lead 2-1) … NYC Julio Hernandez 2-4; CIN Juan Garcia 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W and 1-3, RBI; Crusaders @ Cyclones … 3-1 … (NYC lead 3-1) … NYC Ken Maddox 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W and 3-3, 2 RBI; Crusaders @ Cyclones … 8-1 … (NYC win 4-1) … NYC Martin Ortíz 3-4, BB, 3B, 2 RBI; NYC Paco Battle 1-3, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI; NYC Greg Connor 9.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, W; So, yeah, the Cyclones didn’t have an extra base hit after game 2, became the fourth team after the 1995 Thunder, 1996 Raccoons, and 2008 Stars to sweep their LCS to lose the World Series, the Crusaders’ pitching staff is a Swiss Army knife, and their bullpen should be forbidden outright, but this doesn’t change the following, and that I’m bleeding inside, and that they tie the Titans with most championships now: 2009 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS New York Crusaders (4th title) Attached Images __________________ Portland Raccoons, 92 years of excell-.... of baseball: Furballs here! 1983 * 1989 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1995 * 1996 * 2010 * 2017 * 2018 * 2019 * 2026 * 2028 * 2035 * 2037 * 2044 * 2045 * 2046 * 2047 * 2048 * 2051 * 2054 * 2055 * 2061 1 OSANAI : 2 POWELL : 7 NOMURA \| RAMOS : 8 REECE : 10 BROWN : 15 HALL : 27 FERNANDEZ : 28 CASAS : 31 CARMONA : 32 WEST : 39 TONER : 46 SAITO Resident Mets Cynic - The Mets from 1962 onwards, here.