[pauwoo]

Los Angeles Leopards (10-9, 4-5 Away) @ Vancouver Mounties (11-7, 9-0 Home)
Back in Vancouver steeling myself up with a jog over the Lions Gate Bridge for what will either be a harrowing and grisly experience in the Great Northwest or the scene of our greatest accomplishment. To get to where we want to be, we’ll need to do the impossible. Unbeaten at home so far this postseason, the Mounties are dispelling the myth that there is no such thing as home field advantage in baseball… 9-0 at home with a +23 RDiff, it’s safe to say that this club and their fans make it difficult on opposing clubs. I think we have the wherewithal to do it, to get it done, to shock British Columbians everywhere… but, that remains to be seen. For now, I’ll enjoy my jog, join the rest of the team here shortly at the park, and look on as the boys put it all on the line in pursuit of immortality.

6 of 7: Stephen Estevez (1-1, 2.92) @ Adam Gunter (1-1, 0.77)
Loss, 1-2. If you take a jog over the Lions Gate Bridge, you’ll have a moment when you reach its peak where you’ll look to your left, then right, to take in the view… you’re on top of the world, above it all… what happens next is either a small-scale panic attack or your ultimate demise. Chest tightens, field of vision narrows, and you do your very best to not pass out as you begin your descent down the other side. With the game knotted up at 1 each, Baron Henry at the plate, our own Major Hansen on the bump, I felt that same feeling, the panic rising like a lump in the back of my throat, the lightheadedness, and, instead of white knuckling my way down the other side I lost consciousness as Henry’s SOLO TANK left the yard… I’m in and out from there - one moment the world is black, the next I see the Mounties players, in a circle, arms around each other’s shoulders, swaying back and forth… jumping up and down. A perfect 10-0 at home during the 2081 postseason and now World Series Champions… fair play to them.

And with that, we close the book on the 2081 campaign… a topsy turvy, up and down season for your La La’s where we both underperformed and reached heights well above our station. That we put ourselves in a position to repeat is something to be celebrated… many have tried, most have failed. We won’t celebrate it, of course, because that’s not what you do, there’s no points for second place and all that… so, instead, like always, we’ll take a short breather and get back after it. Retool, say our goodbyes to some players, bring in some new blood, and, with any luck, fashion this thing back into a winner.