The Story of the QPBA

[QMJHL_GUY]

The Québec Pro Baseball Alliance is just a little provincial baseball league that features eight teams from around the region. It is just starting up and I was lucky enough to have been named the GM of the Sherbrooke Arsenal. Here is the setup of the league:



Metro Division:
Montréal Warriors
Victoriaville Lions
Laval Vultures
Trois-Rivières Gems

Provincial Division:
Québec City Patriots
Sherbrooke Arsenal
Gatineau Attack
Chicoutimi Cardinals

Spring training is right around the corner and there is plenty of interesting stories developping as we speak. I will introduce my team in the next few posts.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Sherbrooke Arsenal 2013 Pitching Staff:

SP Pierre Serre -R- 27 yrs old
SP Nicolas Garnier -R- 29 yrs old
SP Terry Coture -R- 27 yrs old
SP Clyde Woodford -R- 36 yrs old
SP Alexandre Vigneron -R- 34 yrs old

CL Wayne Fleury -R- 29 yrs old

MR Don Henningar -R- 31 yrs old
MR Alphonse Viel -R- 29 yrs old
MR Dennis Nolan -R- 27 yrs old
MR Chris Shiplack -R- 27 yrs old
MR Herb Acker -R- 23 yrs old
MR Ludwig Jeannin -R- 34 yrs old

From what I see, Fleury should be an outstanding closer for us. I am not quite sure he will have a ton of work this season because aside from him, our pitching staff pool is quite shallow. I see two of our starters in Serre and Garnier as being dominant, but aside from that, nothing to write home about. Our middle relievers are quite average.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Sherbrooke Arsenal 2013 Field Players:

C Jonathan McGrath (31 yrs old)
1B John Lannigan (33 yrs old)
2B Larry Hudson (31 yrs old)
3B Bor-zeng Zhuan (32 yrs old)
SS Ming-an Tieh (37 yrs old)
LF Tom Rattray (26 yrs old)
CF Marvin Rivet (35 yrs old)
RF Chris Fullerton (28 yrs old)

The field players are decent. I am looking for big seasons from Lannigan, Tieh and Fullerton.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Big news: after a meeting with the owner, we are expected to win it all this year. Big expectations ! I am not sure we have the pitching staff for this.

We have also learned that Maxwell Coulter of the Pats is the league's top prospect.

The top SP's around the league are:

Bill Jefferson (Chicoutimi)
Phil Atherton (Laval)
David Barnaby (Montréal)
Heath O'Connor (Québec City)
Pierre Serre (Sherbrooke)
Carl Field (Trois-Rivières)
Ray Thorpe (Victoriaville)

They are all expected to contribute greatly to their teams' success.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 1: Sherbrooke @ Gatineau
Pierre Serre vs Sam Mills

We got absolutely rocked by the Attack, 6-0. Fricking Sam Mills pitched up until the end, shutting us out in the process. We got 6 hits. Serre really started off badly, giving up 3 runs in the opening inning. Anyhow, we'll get em next game.

Game 2: Sherbrooke @ Gatineau
Nicolas Garnier vs Marc Cavalho

They beat us again, 6-3. A disastrous game by Garnier who let them get 13 hits in 5.2 IP. Our very own LF Tom Rattray did it for .500 and had two RBIs but it wasn't enough at all.

During the game, a brawl happened and relief pitcher Alphonse Viel will be suspended 6 games as a result. He literally kicked Vincent Gentil's butt effectively starting a full-blown brawl, the first of many on the QPBA (maybe). We called up Jean-Claude Boivin to replace him.

Game 3: Sherbrooke (0-2) @ Victoriaville (2-0)
Terry Coture vs Martin Downie

We lose to the Lions, 9-3. A very bad outing for Coture, who allowed 7 runs in just 4 innings of work. Hudson and Lannigan hit homers, but it wasn't enough yet again.

Game 4: Sherbrooke (0-3) @ Victoriaville (3-0)
Alexandre Vigneron vs Wen Gou

WE LOSE AGAIN! 5-2. Now I am mad. This team is going nowhere. Things will get interesting and fast here. Vigneron did alright, pitching 6.2 innings and only allowing 6 hits. But the offense is going nowhere.

Game 5: Montréal (3-1) @ Sherbrooke (0-4)
Jim Calder vs Herb Acker

Well it was our hope opener so we had no choice but to win it, especially with me giving a speech to the guys prior to the game. 7-3 we took it, with 4 homers including Rattray who got 3 RBIs. Acker got 8 innings of work done and Fleury closes that thing down like a champ. Here we go, baby! Interesting. Samson Burry hit three HRs in this game for the Warriors... three solo shots. Boohoo!

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 6: Montréal (3-2) @ Sherbrooke (1-4)
David Barnaby vs Pierre Serre

A commanding game by our ace pitcher Pierre Serre leads us to our secondary victory in Sherbrooke! Serre pitched 7 innings while only allowing 3 hits. Fleury closed the work and preserved the 3-0 shutout. PH Michel Cottin had one AB and managed to bring two runs in the 7th.

Game 7: Chicoutimi (1-5) @ Sherbrooke (2-4)
Jimmy Vivian vs Nicolas Garnier

We get absolutely destroyed by a weak Chicoutimi team 13-3. Garnier with another less-than-cheerful performance. We did take the 3-0 lead, but they exploded with points in every innings starting from the 5th up until the 9th. Garnier completely faltered allowing 6 runs in the 5th and 6th before being chased off.

Well Viel's suspension is over therefore Boivin is going back down to AAA Granby.

Well it didn't take long. After negotiating with Laval I dealt Garnier over there for SP Rick Snow and a 2nd round pick. Snow is 25 and should be able to hold onto that #2 spot on the rotation for now. Hopefully he does a better job than Garnier.

Game 8: Chicoutimi (2-5) @ Sherbrooke (2-5)
Alexander Lund vs Terry Coture

The Cards beat us again but this time it was closer, 3-2. Still, this is not the start we wanted. We're already in danger of missing the post-season. This is atrocious. Coture allowed 10 hits in 7 IP, unacceptable.

Game 9: Sherbrooke (2-6) @ Laval (4-4)
Alexandre Vigneron vs Cyrille Chevalier

We take it 10-4. Vigneron did good and Henningar finished off the Vultures. Great game by Fullerton with 4 RBIs.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Metro Division Standings:
1 Victoriaville Lions 5-4
2 Montréal Warriors 5-4
3 Laval Vultures 4-5
4 Trois-Rivières Gems 3-6

Provincial Division:
1 Gatineau Attack 7-2
2 Québec City Patriots 5-4
3 Chicoutimi Cardinals 4-5
4 Sherbrooke Arsenal 3-6

Sherbrooke overview through nine games:

Well we suck. Serre and Vigneron have had decent second games on the mound but overall our pitching has been very bad, as expected. But I did not think it would be this bad. Our field players should be the ones winning us games but they havn't been.

We're dead last in pretty much every defensive category and among the worst for most batting stats. At least, we're on top of the league for something - 5 stolen bases !

Our main guys havn't been hitting. Tieh is only getting .108 average at the plate and Rattray .206. Lannigan has been striked out 9 times in 9 games, but he's got four homers so that's good. Anyhow. Some guys will need to pick it up soon or they will be gone.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 10: Sherbrooke (3-6) @ Laval (4-5)
Herb Acker vs Martin Burrell

Well Acker gets his second win this season already, congrats ! We should always be playing the Vults. A nice little 8-3 win with Hennigar closing. Molina started at 2B and got 4 RBIs! We also hit three home runs in this one. Team is responding well to my criticism!

Game 11: Sherbrooke (4-6) @ Québec City (6-4)
Rick Snow vs Heath O'Connor

Well Snow was playing his first game with us facing us against one of the league's top pitcher in O'Connor but he did well, pitching six full innings and allowing only one run. We got the 5-4 victory in a close one, which went all the way to the 12th inning. Fullerton got the walk-off solo home run, his second of the night!

Game 12: Sherbrooke (5-6) @ Québec City (6-5)
Pierre Serre vs Keng-chi Zou

AND we cluster them ! 11-4. Serre with the strong 7 IP performance, allowing only one run. Lannigan and Fullerton both with 3 RBIs. Things are looking up as we are now playing .500 ball and have an off day.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 13: Sherbrooke (6-6) @ Trois-Rivières (5-7)
Terry Coture vs Brandon Dowell

Well after our nice string of victories, we lose to T-R, the worst team in the Alliance. Coture was decent but nothing out of the ordinary, as we lose 5-4 in a tight affair which went 12 rounds. Unfortunately Fleury couldn't close this thing out and Viel lost it for us.

Game 14: Sherbrooke (6-7) @ Trois-Rivières (6-7)
Alexandre Vigneron vs Tim Gamble

And we got thrown out of the field by the Gems, who are absolutely on fire now. They delivered a 11-1 easy win to their fans. We are back to square one. We lost the game in the 8th where they scored 7 runs on Hennigar and Nolan. Our offense couldn't fight back at all.

After the game we sent struggling CF Marvin Rivet to the Gatineau Attack for 18 years old catcher Ken Marion, who has very nice potential. Are we rebuilding ? Not really. We have other guys who can step in at center field. Let's see how they do.

Game 15: Gatineau (8-6) @ Sherbrooke (6-8)
Ward Larocque vs Rick Snow

We fight off a 4-point come back attempt by GAT in the 9th to win it 11-8. Exciting game ! Snow was good and earned the victory, whereas Shiplack got the Hold. Fullerton managed 5 RBIs in this one.

And Fullerton is the player of the week !

Game 16: Gatineau (8-7) @ Sherbrooke (7-8)
Sam Mills vs Pierre Serre

Well, a pitching rematch from that dreadful opening game. Mills comes out on top again with the 5-1 victory. We allowed 14 hits to Gatineau in this one. A very average performance, again. Serre isn't pitching up to standards.

Game 17: Victoriaville (9-7) @ Sherbrooke (7-9)
Martin Downie vs Herb Acker

Victo takes this one, 5-2. Our season is quickly going down the drain. Both Acker and Downie pitched more than 8 innings, but Downie got the better of Ack (who's been pitching well this year, though).

Absolute all-star Samson Burry was hurt for Montreal today and will miss three weeks of action.

Game 18: Victoriaville (10-7) @ Sherbrooke (7-10)
Wen Gou vs Terry Coture

The Lions get three runs in the 8th and escape with the 10-9 victory. Well we're done like dinner. Coture only got 4 IP, I think this guy is a goner. Fed up with his performances so far this season.

Well Coture is sent to Trois-Rivières for CF Kevin Richer (he will replace Rivet, traded earlier) and a 2nd round pick.

We then turn around and deal the two 2nd round picks we had acquired in previous deals as well as ours, plus prospect Cal Klockow to Montreal for SP Clement Kieffer. Kieffer will definitely help us on the mound, he is 33 and a veteran solid pitching veteran.

Game 19: Sherbrooke (7-11) @ Montréal (10-8)
Rick Snow vs Francois Garcia

Snow has been bumped down to 3rd on the rotation after the recent Kieffer acquisition. He responds to that by having a great game, pitching all the way to the 7th, allowing only three hits. We win this low-scoring affair 2-1, getting our 8th win of the season.

We're already at the midway point of the season !

[QMJHL_GUY]

PITCHING STATS - AROUND THE QPBA, MIDWAY POINT, 2013 SEASON

Chicoutimi (9-10) - Ace pitchers Bill Jefferson is doing decent with a 1-1 record and a 3.42 ERA so far this season. Young Jimmy Vivian (only 23) has already recorded 3 Ws.

Gatineau (9-10) - Sam Mills is having quite the year with already more than 28 IP, a perfect 2-0 record and an ERA of 1.57. It is surprising considering he wasn't thought of being such an amazing pitcher during pre-season analysis.

Laval (7-12) - Phil Atherton is having a good season despite his team's poor record. He has a perfect 3-0 record and an ERA of 1.75 with 23 strikeouts.

Montréal (10-9) - Barnaby and Garcia are the leaders of this squad but their season has been okay so far, and nothing more. Garcia has three wins but an ERA of 3.96 whereas Barnaby has 2 wins with 26 strikeouts through 27 IP.

Québec City (11-8) - The Pats likely have the best pitching rotation in the league right now on their roster. Richard Chartrand already has pitched 32 innings and is a perfect 4-0 with an impressive 1.41 ERA. Brian Lannigan has a 3-0 record with a 1.88 ERA. Fortunately those two are doing great because acer Heath O'Connor is struggling with a 6.33 ERA and no wins so far this season.

Sherbrooke (8-11) - Well the recent Kieffer addition will certainly help but most of SHE's rotation has been struggling so far this season. Serre is 2-2 with a respectable 2.60 ERA while Snow has 3 wins and a 3.77 ERA.

Trois-Rivières (10-9) - Carl Field is their main guy but still hasn't won a decision so far this season for the Gems. Tim Gamble is doing good with a 2-0 record and an ERA of 1.90.

Victoriaville (12-7) - Ray Thorpe has pitched well for the Lions and has already a 3-0 record with 32 strikeouts. Kyle Gillepsie is a good surprise with a 1.37 ERA in 19.2 IP and a perfect 2-0 record.

ERA LEADERS:
1 Kyle Gillepsie (VIC) - 1.37
2 Richard Chartrand (QC) - 1.41
3 Sam Mills (GAT) - 1.57

SV LEADERS:
1 Tim Weeks (MTL) - 7
2 Wilton Lupkoski (QC) - 6
3 Larry Sceviour (CHI) - 6

WIN LEADERS:
1 Richard Chartrand (QC) - 4
2 Phil Atherton (GAT) - 3
3 Loic Da Silva (TR) - 3

[QMJHL_GUY]

2013 BATTING LEADERS - MIDWAY POINT

BATTING AVG LEADERS:
1 Charly Rodrigues (VIC) - .357%
2 Jean-Claude Leclerc (CHI) - .348%
3 Scott Iddiols (GAT) - .348%
4 Samson Burry (MTL) - .345%
5 Bor-zeng Zhuan (SHE) - .338%

ON-BASE % LEADERS:
1 Georges Landais (VIC) - .471%
2 Greg Picard (CHI) - .426%
3 Scott Iddiols (GAT) - .425%
4 Charly Rodrigues (VIC) - .423%
5 RJ Valcour (TR) - .411%

RBI LEADERS:
1 Zi-cheng Lum (VIC) - 22
2 Chris Fullerton (SHE) - 20
3 Michael Faure (QC) - 17
4 Scott Iddiols (GAT) - 17
5 Jeffrey Riley (MTL) - 14

HR RACE:
1 Chris Fullerton (SHE) - 9
2 Zi-cheng Lum (VIC) - 7
3 John Lannigan (SHE) - 6
4 Jean-Claude Leclerc (CHI) - 6
5 Tom Rattray (SHE) - 6

Damn! We're hitting those HR like they're nothing. Unfortunately, I'd rather have a superior record than winning the HR slugging contest.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Metro division leaders: Victoriaville Lions (12-7)
Provincial division leaders: Québec City Patriots (11-8)

WILDCARD RACE:
Trois-Rivières Gems (10-9)
Montréal Warriors (10-9)
-----
Gatineau Attack (9-10)
Chicoutimi Cardinals (9-10)
Sherbrooke Arsenal (8-11)
Laval Vultures (7-12)

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 20: Sherbrooke (8-11) @ Montréal (10-9)
Alexandre Vigneron vs Bill Sulis

We each had two runs in the 10th inning but Montréal came up big in the 11th and won this context 9-8. This season is going down the sewers for us right now. Lannigan got his 7th HR - at this point, that's all the joy we can have... right?

Game 21: Chicoutimi (9-11) @ Sherbrooke (8-12)
Bill Jefferson vs Pierre Serre

A big time pitching duel ends up in our favor as we beat the Cards 3-2. Their two runs came in the 9th but Nolan did hold them off. Serre was good, not allowing a run in 6.1 IP.

Game 22: Chicoutimi (9-12) @ Sherbrooke (9-12)
Jimmy Vivian vs Clement Kieffer

Kieffer pitches his first game for the Arsenal and he does just decent enough to allow us to win the ballgame 8-4. A very succesfull series picking up two wins against Chicoutimi. Henningar had his first SV of the year and Lannigan produced 4 RBIs.

Game 23: Laval (9-12) @ Sherbrooke (10-12)
Martin Burrell vs Herb Acker

We get rocked by the worst team in the league, 9 to 1. OUCH! That one hurts. They got six runs in the opening inning effectively chasing Acker off, and we could never recover. Jeannin did pitch well for three innings, but our offense couldn't solve Burrell and Burrill, who got the save.

Game 24: Laval (10-12) @ Sherbrooke (10-13)
Jean-Marc Durand vs Rick Snow

And Sherbrooke with the shutout ! Snow pitched 7.2 innings, allowing only 3 hits as we got our revenge against the Vultures. Fleury with his third save. McGrath hit a solo homer in the 8th to give us the W.

And now we have an off day.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Metro leaders - Montréal (15-9)
Provincial leaders - Québec City (15-9)

WILDCARD RACE:
Victoriaville (13-11)
Trois-Rivières (13-11)
Sherbrooke (11-13)
Gatineau (10-14)
Chicoutimi (10-14)
Laval (9-15)

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 25: Sherbrooke (11-13) @ Québec City (15-9)
Pierre Serre vs Heath O'Connor

Two top pitchers who have been struggling this season are facing off. It was a low scoring affaire that the Patriots take 2-1. Serre was in deep after two outs in the 4th, allowing 4 straight hits and getting thus getting the hook for Shiplack. O'Connor did better with 7 IP and 5 K.

Game 26: Sherbrooke (11-14) @ Québec City (16-9)
Clement Kieffer vs Dylan Guerin

We take our revenge big time, winning it 11-3., with 14 hits. Fullerton had 6 RBI, this guy is really having one heck of a year ! Kieffer improves to 4-1.

Game 27: Trois-Rivières (14-12) @ Sherbrooke (12-14)
Brendan Dowell vs Herb Acker

We get shut down by the Gems, five-zero. Dowell was incredible, getting in 8.1 innings of work and over 100 pitches. We did get 8 hits, but could never manage to get a run to cross home plate. And our playoff hopes are drifting away....

Game 28: Trois-Rivières (15-12) @ Sherbrooke (12-15)
Tim Gamble vs Alexandre Vigneron

T-R is one of the club we need to beat to get that second wildcard spot available, and we did just that today by a score of 5-4. Zhuan had a great game producing 4 RBIs and a slew of relievers hold on for the W and the save by Wayne Fleury. Good game, gotta build off it.

Game 29: Gatineau (13-15) @ Sherbrooke (13-15)
Boris Raimbault vs Rick Snow

And we win a second game in a row! 5-1. A very important win indeed. Snow was almost perfect, pitching 8.2 rounds and only allowing 3 hits. Marvelous ! Rattray hit his 8th homer of the year in this one.

Well what had to happen, happened. With the Laval Vultures' fading playoff hopes, they had no choice but to replace the manager, at least for next season. Therefore Jude Duder now is without a job, no replacement has been named yet.

Game 30: Sherbrooke (14-15) @ Gatineau (13-16)
Pierre Serre vs Thierry Renard

We win again ! Now back to a .500 record. Team is coming together at just the right time. Renard and Serre both went 8 innings, but Serre was unbelieveable, only allowing one hit against eight for Renard. We win 5-0, Fullerton got 3 RBIs.

Game 31: Sherbrooke (15-15) @ Victoriaville (15-15)
Clement Kieffer vs Kevin Tippett

We let a very important match slip away, getting shutout 3-0. The offense wasn't all that bad, getting 5 hits against 6 for the Lions, but it just wasn't enough. They got two runs in the 8th after Hennigar had come in to try and hold the tie.

Well this is the trade deadline and we decided against making any more moves. Otherwise, we have signed young SP Artie Camp from Illinois, U.S.A.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Game 32: Sherbrooke (15-16) @ Victoriaville (16-15)
Herb Acker vs Martin Downie

We crunch them 8-4, including a 5-pts 7th inning. Acker continues his solid season. We are now ties with those very same Lions for the 2nd wildcard spot.

Game 33: Montréal (19-13) @ Sherbrooke (16-16)
Francois Garcia vs Alexandre Vigneron

We JUST couldn't pull it from under them. Lost 3-2 in the 11th. Such an important game too. The Warriors hit a walk-off homer off Woodford, who's 0-3 now this season...

Game 34: Montréal (20-13) @ Sherbrooke (16-17)
Tom Durand vs Rick Snow

We worked hard and got the W! 3-2 as we stay alive. We scored all of our runs in the opening inning. Snow was very good, again. Now 5-1 record for him.

I will now switch to ''wildcard race'' mode.

[QMJHL_GUY]

Metro Division:
1 Montréal (20-14)
2 Trois-Rivières (19-15)
3 Victoriaville (18-16)
4 Laval (10-24)

Provincial Division:
1 Québec City (21-13)
2 Sherbrooke (17-17)
3 Chicoutimi (16-18)
4 Gatineau (15-19)

As you can see, it is very tight, except for Laval, who the Metro division teams beat up on all year it seems, thus improving their record. Because of that, it seems I will have to beat either Trois-Rivières or Victoriaville for that 2nd wildcard spot. While not forgetting about Chicoutimi and even Gatineau breathing down my neck.

The next games will crucial for us. We play Chicoutimi twice and Laval twice, so we have our destiny in our own hands. Plus, we have an off day in between those series. So let's do it!

[QMJHL_GUY]

July 7th 2013:
Laval surprises Trois-Rivières with a 5-1 win.

Montréal beats Victoriaville ! That's good for us.

Québec City beats Gatineau effectively eliminating them from the playoffs.

Serre starts for us in a must-win match. And we WIN in Chicoutimi ! 4-1.

We tie Victoriaville for that 2nd wildcard spot and move within one point of Trois-Rivières.

July 8th 2013:
Victoriaville wins a big one in Montreal, 8-3.

QC beats Gatineau, again.

Trois-Rivières beats up on Laval. We have no choice but to win our game. Kieffer gets the start.

Aaaaand we get shutout, 3-0. Still, we're not dead yet. Two more games to go.

July 10th 2013:
Montréal beats up on Gatineau but that doesn't effect us.

Chicoutimi can't help us as they lose in extra innings to Victoriaville 2-1...

QC doesn't help us either and lose in Trois-Rivières.

At least, we win our game, 3-1. Snow was the starter, he's had a great season. Serre will start tomorrow in a do-or-die... we need LUCK.

July 11th 2013:
Well we're done like dinner. Victoriaville beats Chicoutimi 6-3 and now we can't reach them. What a letdown. What a disastrous season for the Arsenal.

We still make some kind of statement, winning 12-2. Perhaps with a couple more games in the season, we would have managed to get past Victo in the standings. But the blame falls on us with the pitiful 1st half we had.

[QMJHL_GUY]

I have decided to add some backstory and graphics to the story after the playoffs. I realize the current story is kinda blend.

[QMJHL_GUY]

The Wildcard Round starts up at the same time the owner is yelling at me for not making the playoffs. He was expecting the club to win the championship outright. Hopefully I still have a job.

The top-ranked Québec City Patriots were upset by the Victoriaville Lions in game one. Final score: 6-3. Heath O'Connor continues his sub-par season.

The Trois-Rivières Gems also upset the Montréal Warriors in game uno. This is getting interesting !

=====

Victoriaville does the unthinkable and blanks the top team in the Province 7-0 en route to winning their Wildcard playoff round, 2-0. They advance to the finals. Gillepsie with the W.

And they will be facing Trois-Rivières, who also shutout the Montréal Warriors today, scoring only one run, but it was enough for the 1-0 win.

Well, it didn't take much to knock out the top two teams. Now, Trois-Rivières and Victoriaville will battle it out for baseball's supremacy in Québec.