Orcin's Story

[yougo1000]

Looking like a series for history is happening.

[Orcin]

2008 Federal League Championship Series
San Diego Stallions (92-70) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 7 @ Louisville: Russ Skiffington vs. Robert Westaway

Key Moment #1: It was a 1-0 game with two out in the third. Sanchez walked and Morgan hit a two-run homer. We began to feel that Skiffington could be beaten.

Key Moment #2: Robert Westaway was sailing along with a one-hitter and a 6-0 lead in the sixth when he left the game with an undisclosed injury.

Key Moment #3: The Stallions scored four in the seventh and we used three different pitchers trying to get out of the inning. Jake Mullett led off the eighth with a single off Nat Jones, and Garza came on to face a series of right-handed batters. Garza was sharp, allowing only one base runner and recording a rare (for us) two-inning save.

Final score: Louisville 7, San Diego 4
Louisville wins the series 4-3.

WP: Westaway, LP: Skiffington, SV: Garza
HR: LOU – Morgan, Guy
Star of the Game: Westaway 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K

The Louisville Colonels are going to their fifth consecutive World Series!

[Jabez54]

Well the Stallions came to play ... Great come from behind, mate ... now come the sweep from the Colonels to claim their 5th!!!

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by Jabez54

Well the Stallions came to play

They must really hate the Colonels.

[phairphunk]

After this postseason ends, I'd love if you posted your GM History card.

[Orcin]

The 2008 World Series: Boston Bombers vs. Louisville Colonels.

We are finally beginning to recycle opponents. This is a rematch of the 2004 World Series, won by the Colonels in seven games. Henry Cooper dropped by to remind me of the event, which came twenty years after his previous World Series. He told me that he never believed that he would see four more in a row. He also said that he was very glad Gordon spoke up so forcefully that night at dinner so long ago, and that Gordon had the vision to give a young man with no experience a chance to run the baseball operations.

It made me feel pretty good for a little while, until I returned to worrying about the health of Robert “Workhorse” Westaway. If he is still undiagnosed tomorrow, I have to leave him on the roster anyway. What if he is able to pitch but inactive? I can’t chance that. If Westaway cannot go, Edgardo Ordonez will move into the rotation.

Mooney is available to be activated but who would he replace on the roster? Mooney could be valuable as a pinch-runner, defensive replacement, and utility player, but I don’t really want to start him in a World Series after two months of inactivity. He will remain inactive. By the way, he is now classified as “fragile”. You know how I hate that.

Boston is a balanced team featuring the #3 offense and #2 pitching staff in the Patriot League. The pitching was led by another solid year from veteran Bill Robertson (2008 15-9, 2.98; career 154-101, 2.84). Young SP Nick Smith (12-7, 3.87) has suddenly become a star in the post-season, throwing a string of scoreless innings at Charlotte. The offense relies on a pair of 24-year-olds: 1B John Wright (.315/.403/.631, 52 HR, 134 RBI) and 2B Chuck Wilkerson (.324/.364/.489).

Bombers owner Vic Cooper (no relation to our Coopers) had some leadership problems early in the decade. Since he settled on long-time CBA GM Rudy Morris to run the club in 2003, the team has been a consistent contender in the Patriot Atlantic Division. The team has the #3 payroll in the CBA, but at least Morris has spent it wisely for the most part. They are saddled for one more year with the mega-contract of wrecked infielder Orlando Rodriguez. Morris hired former Stallions Hitting Coach Tim Clark to manage the team in 2006, and he has been given credit for grooming their fine group of young hitters.

[Orcin]

2008 Continental Baseball Association World Series
Boston Bombers (90-72) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 1 @ Louisville: Nick Smith (12-7) vs. Antonio Luna (19-7)

Key Moment: Luna struggled with his control early and was fortunate to have a 3-2 lead in the third inning. With two out, Mike Guy singled and Bland homered to give Luna some breathing room. He settled down after that and went all the way for the win.

Final score: Louisville 5, Boston 3
Louisville leads the series 1-0.

WP: Luna, LP: Smith
HR: BOS – Brown; LOU – Sanchez, Guy, Bland
Star of the Game: Guy 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 RS
Luna’s line: 9 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 114 pitches

Now the bad news: Robert Westaway was diagnosed with a partially torn labrum. The injury was repaired with arthroscopic surgery today. The doctors are optimistic that Westaway will be able to resume workouts in time for spring training.

[Orcin]

2008 Continental Baseball Association World Series
Boston Bombers (90-72) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 2 @ Louisville: Tommy Harris (14-11) vs. Edgardo Ordonez (5-9)

Key Moment: The less said about this extremely frustrating affair, the better. The bullpen (Merced and Quinones) really let Ordonez down in this one. Both teams used every position player and most of their bullpens by playing almost two complete games. The teams combined for 31 hits and between them left a total of 29 runners on base.

Final score: Boston 8, Louisville 6 (15)
The series is tied at 1.

WP: Carrasco, LP: Guthrie
HR: BOS – Hernandez, Bannatyne, Torres (GWRBI); LOU – Sweeney
Star of the Game: Simon 4-6, 2 DBL, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB, RS

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Orcin

Now the bad news: Robert Westaway was diagnosed with a partially torn labrum. The injury was repaired with arthroscopic surgery today. The doctors are optimistic that Westaway will be able to resume workouts in time for spring training.

H-NOOOOOOO!!!!

Not Westy!!

(Didn't I say the Bombers would make the World Series? How did I know that? Contact me before the next draft! (Have the cheque book ready...))

[Orcin]

2008 Continental Baseball Association World Series
Boston Bombers (90-72) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 3 @ Boston: Ray Alexander (15-9) vs. Bill Robertson (15-9)

Key Moment: Louisville opened the game with a classic Colonels rally. Simon reached on an error and stole second. Sanchez doubled him home and then scored on two ground outs. That was all the run support that Alexander would need. He was in command from the beginning, not allowing a hit until the fifth. The game only took two hours and twenty-one minutes, making up for the length of game two.

Final score: Louisville 3, Boston 0
Louisville leads the series 2-1.

WP: Alexander, LP: Robertson
HR: none
Star of the Game: Alexander 9 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 94 pitches (66 strikes)

[Orcin]

2008 Continental Baseball Association World Series
Boston Bombers (90-72) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 4 @ Boston: Wallace Trauttmann (15-8) vs. Sam Wells (8-3)

Key Moment: Trauttmann had a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the eighth and he was around 90 pitches. Catcher Ed Brown led off with a single. Carlos Torres pinch-hit for the pitcher and slammed a two-run homer to right. The game was tied just like that. Nat Jones came on and surrendered a double to left-handed batter John Wright. Jorge Merced was called in to face right-handed cleanup hitter Pedro Hernandez. The result was another two-run homer and that was the ball game.

Final score: Boston 4, Louisville 2
The series is tied at 2.

WP: G. Rodriguez, LP: Jones, SV: Thompson
HR: BOS – Torres, Hernandez
Star of the Game: Hernandez 2-4, HR, 2 RBI (GWRBI)

[beachbomer]

The dreaded bullpen shows its real colors again.

[Orcin]

2008 Continental Baseball Association World Series
Boston Bombers (90-72) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 5 @ Boston: Antonio Luna vs. Nick Smith

Key Moment: Both starting pitchers were unable to continue after a rain delay of 44 minutes in the fourth inning. Louisville had Aaron Wilkerson available and he did a nice job for four innings. On the other hand, four Boston relievers combined to give up six home runs, including back-to-back-to-back homers in the seventh.

Final score: Louisville 13, Boston 1
Louisville leads the series 3-2.

WP: Wilkerson, LP: Smith
HR: LOU – Sanchez, Morgan (2), Simon, Dominguez (2)
Star of the Game: Dominguez 4-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, BB, 4 RS

[Orcin]

2008 Continental Baseball Association World Series
Boston Bombers (90-72) vs. Louisville Colonels (102-60)

GAME 6 @ Louisville: Tommy Harris vs. Edgardo Ordonez

Key Moment: Quinones escaped a sixth-inning jam and then dominated the seventh and eighth innings in relief of Ordonez. He was due to lead off the bottom of the eighth in a 2-2 game. Hartman pinch-hit for Quinones and singled up the middle. Predictably, Hartman stole second. Sanchez doubled off the wall in left-center to give the Colonels a precarious one-run lead. Garza pitched a perfect ninth to make the lead stand up.

Final score: Louisville 3, Boston 2
Louisville wins the series 4-2.

WP: Quinones, LP: Harris, SV: Garza
HR: LOU – Guy, Simon
Star of the Game: Quinones 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K, W

IT’S A THREE-PEAT!

[Orcin]

November 1, 2008 (BNN Evening Edition)

Subject: Colonels Triumph in 2008 World Series

How does it feel to win the World Series?

"It's strange. Weird," is the way Louisville manager Chad Byrne put it. "It’s like it was supposed to happen. Whenever something did happen, it didn't surprise us. We truly believed we would win."

Today at Colonels Field, Louisville completed its magical run to the World Series title with a 3-2 triumph over the Boston Bombers. It was the 3rd straight time they have won it all and 4th championship overall. In the regular season, Louisville notched a 102-60 mark and took first place in the Federal League Midwest Division standings for the 9th consecutive season.

And how does it feel to lose the World Series?

"Your heart is heavy and your stomach is empty" is the way the dejected Boston skipper described it. "It's the lowest of lows, when you lose... and the highest of highs, when you win."

[Jabez54]

Sound like 2011 collapse from the Red Sox Nation ... Anyway Congrats ... took the wind out of them in Game 5 ... Good job, mate ...

[Westheim]

Like I said, those Stars, Stallions and Bombers had no clue.

Next year: Miners, Eagles, Warriors. You'll see.

I have an honest question here: does winning ever get repetitive and/or boring? I know losing does. But winning?

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by Westheim

I have an honest question here: does winning ever get repetitive and/or boring? I know losing does. But winning?

LOL, good question. I am working on an answer for you, so please be patient.

[Orcin]

THE FOUR-RING CLUB

The following players now have four World Series rings:

SP Ray Alexander
SP Robert Westaway
MR Edgardo Garza
MR Bruce Brooks
MR Nathaniel Jones
C Duncan Bland
2B Tom John
3B Lucio Martinez
3B Pierre-Louis Simon
LF Dennis Morgan

Congratulations to all of these players.

[Orcin]

2008 Game Score = 100

The Colonels were fourth in CBA attendance and set an all-time franchise record with 3,353,580 fans going through the turnstiles. Total revenues for 2008 were $140 million including $10 million of playoff revenue. The Louisville Colonels thank you very much! For the record, the Louisville franchise turned a very nice profit of $20 million this year.

And finally, by request: