[Westheim]

2047 FLCS

At 86-76, the Pittsburgh Miners were by far the “worst” team to make the postseason this year. They had done so by squeaking through a tight FL East, beating both the Rebels and Buffaloes by a single game while nobody was further out than 13 games. On the way, they scored the third-most runs, and occupied the same spot in runs allowed, for a +114 run differential. They got to the FLCS without a batter hitting 20 home runs – Ed Soberanes led the team with 18 while batting .334 – and without a starting pitcher grabbing more than 13 wins; good old Joe Feltman (13-13, 3.54 ERA) took that honor. They were hard to grab and pin down as a team though, leading the FL in OBP and – by far – stolen bases, swiping an impressive 208 bags over the last six months.

Opposite them were the 100-62 Dallas Stars, that had put an end to the Gold Sox’ 3-year reign in the FL West. The Stars led all of the ABL in runs scored and tied the Miners for third place in runs allowed, coming out to a +144 run differential. They ended up second in OBP and stolen bases, but actually added a semblance of power to that, although the main source of voltage was Tylor Cecil (.331, 38 HR, 148 RBI), who smashed his own single-season RBI mark (144) from two years ago in decimating pitchers. Jamie King (.312, 22 HR, 98 RBI) was no country bumpkin, but even compared to him, Cecil looked like he was from another planet. Pitching-wise they had a middling rotation with a strong pen that save one game or another, but the 3.97 starters’ ERA looked like trouble unless they could out-swat that. Chances were promising, with six .300 hitters in their lineup, ALL of whom were qualifiers.

Interestingly, neither team carted up a left-handed starter for the FLCS. Both lineups leaned to lefty hitting, though, so it could become a scorefest FLCS.

This was the 12th postseason for the Stars and only their second October appearance in the last 39 years. They had three championships, none after 2006. The Miners reached the postseason for the 13th time and first time since 2038 this year. But they were one of three ABL teams to never have won a championship at this point, and their prior 12 FLCS appearances had also resulted in only three pennants. One of those had come in 2036 when they beat the Stars in six games, the only prior FLCS meeting between these two teams.

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PIT @ DAL … 3-5 … (Stars lead 1-0) … PIT Ivan Lugo 3-4, RBI; DAL Jose Rivas 2-4, 2B, RBI;

PIT @ DAL … 9-10 … (Stars lead 2-0) … PIT Giampaolo Petroni 3-4, BB, HR, RBI; PIT Jayden Ward 2-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; DAL Jose Rivas 3-5; DAL Tylor Cecil 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; DAL Juan del Toro 3-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; DAL Leo Villacorta 3-4, 3 RBI; DAL Joreao Porfirio (PH) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI;

In a game with six home runs – evenly split – the Stars rally for six runs in the last two innings to pull off a surprise comeback win. Cecil, the brunette terror, ends the game with a 2-run shot off Rico Sanchez (0-1, undef. ERA)

DAL @ PIT … 1-3 … (Stars lead 2-1) … DAL Omar Gonzalez 2-4, 2B, RBI; PIT Joe Feltman 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, W (1-0);

The Miners are out-hit in Game 3, but can make two home runs count to stay in the series.

DAL @ PIT … 5-7 … (series tied 2-2) … DAL Tylor Cecil 4-5, RBI; DAL Juan del Toro 2-5, 2 RBI; PIT Alex Vasquez 2-3, 2 BB, 3B; PIT Ed Soberanes 3-5, 2 RBI; PIT Victor Vazquez 2-3, BB, RBI;

DAL @ PIT … 3-0 … (Stars lead 3-2) … DAL Tylor Cecil 3-4, HR, RBI; DAL Daniel Hernandez 6.0 IP, 9 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, W (1-0); Marcos Nabo 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Both teams have ten hits, but this time the Stars unpack the pair of home runs to grab the pivotal Game 5.

PIT @ DAL … 0-2 … (Stars win 4-2) … DAL Jose Rivas 3-4, 2B; DAL Raul Castaneda 2-4, 2 RBI; DAL Roberto Pruneda 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, W (1-0);

Two separate RBI singles by Castaneda and strong pitching by Pruneda put the series away for the Stars.

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Service announcement: I am currently not sure whether I can even deliver the World Series today. I have major roster problems. I want to add Jackson (who served his suspension now), Pellicano, and Manny, yet keep a long man, and Hitchcock, too, and we have to keep Van Hoy, the bum, because otherwise nobody but Maldo has first base experience, and I am being told, no, we can’t have 46 players on the roster just because I can’t make up my lilly mind.