Worst to First - The Sequel

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by rjl518

lets end this GM of the Knights and move on to the next team!!

It's definitely long overdue! I'm hoping that this is our year!

[HerbertMcHoover]

Still not saying anything about the Series, but I really hope you can just move on.

[ShagVT]

It was inbreeding looking at the manner history though and tremendous the four world series losses with the Browns so long ago. Carolina is not the first team who resisted winning.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by HerbertMcHoover

Still not saying anything about the Series, but I really hope you can just move on.

I don't think I've ever been as nervous to play a game...

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by ShagVT

It was inbreeding looking at the manner history though and tremendous the four world series losses with the Browns so long ago. Carolina is not the first team who resisted winning.

Yeah, the Browns were definitely an adventure. I went back and looked at the Browns not too long ago, and it brought back memories. Different kind of frustration though. Getting there and losing in some ways is almost worse, especially four times. I don't even want to think about that with the Knights!

[NYY #23]

I talked last year about how good Joe Jackson is for the Nationals, and that hasn't changed. He's definitely one of the best pitchers in baseball (*when healthy).

Jackson was healthy tonight though, and in 7 shutout innings allowed just 1 hit and struck out 8. He even beat us with the bat today, laying down the perfect sacrifice bunt which led to the only run of the game.

It was one of those nights for the Knights, and Mark Olsen, who takes the hard luck loss after allowing just 1 run in 6 innings.

There isn't much else to say about being one hit in the World Series, except that I'm looking forward to heading back home after an off day, and hopefully closing out the series. I'm going to strongly consider retiring if we lose Game 6.

[NYY #23]

Jose Ruiz was making the start for the Knights, and it was an ugly one. After just two innings the Knights were down 5-0, and I was starting to panic, and wonder how this could be happening again.

But we only made three outs at the plate despite trailing by five runs, and the bottom of the second started with a single by Pete Woolford, Ron Barker being hit by a pitch, and a single by Jose Turcios. The bases were loaded for Ramon Galindo with nobody out, and he cut our deficit to 1 with one swing of the bat. In addition to his grand slam we got a solo home run from Justin Lewis to tie the game at 5 after 2 innings.

Jose Ruiz did pitch a scoreless third and fourth, but Brandon Patton came into the game in the fifth, and gave up 2 runs to give the Nationals the 7-5 lead.

The Knights would send 12 men to the plate in the bottom of the fifth, and despite not hitting any home runs we scored 7 runs and took a 12-7 lead.

At this point I expected my bullpen to implode, but Ron Bush came out of the pen to pitch two hitless innings, and Bob Kirby pitched the final two frames, allowing a run, but preserving our 15-8 win.

After eleven seasons in Carolina the Knights have finally won the World Series, defeating the Nationals 4 games to 2.

Justin Lewis was named World Series MVP after hitting .423 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI. As a team the Knights hit 14 home runs in the World Series, 6 in the LCS, and 9 in the Division Series. I'll be back to wrap up my time with the Knights, and then it's time to move on.

[rjl518]

Yes!!!!!

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by rjl518

Yes!!!!!

This one felt good!!!

[illeracula]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

At this point I expected my bullpen to implode, but Ron Bush came out of the pen to pitch two hitless innings, and Bob Kirby pitched the final two frames, allowing a run, but preserving our 15-8 win.

What a way to end it... Had to be tough falling behind 5-0, but you have to give it up to the Knights. I think they wanted you out of there as much as you wanted to get out!

Congrats...

[HerbertMcHoover]

You scared me after Game 5. With all the potential jinxes out of the way, I must say for your sake and everyone here watching this: a huge YES! and a huge congratulations for getting out of Carolina before you had to be put into a mental hospital.

[Orcin]

Excellent! Great job, now get on to the next one.

[mirrf]

Nice! Glad it didn't come down to a game 7.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by illeracula

What a way to end it... Had to be tough falling behind 5-0, but you have to give it up to the Knights. I think they wanted you out of there as much as you wanted to get out!

Congrats...

I was pretty frustrated getting down 5-0, I didn't think that we'd come back the way that we hit in game 5. They must have really wanted me out of there, but that's ok, the feeling was mutual!

Thank you!

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by HerbertMcHoover

You scared me after Game 5. With all the potential jinxes out of the way, I must say for your sake and everyone here watching this: a huge YES! and a huge congratulations for getting out of Carolina before you had to be put into a mental hospital.

Thank you! I scared myself after Game 5, and really was worried at the start of Game 6. I kept flashing back to last year's collapse. I definitely don't think I could have handled a game 7. I didn't even want to think about who we'd have pitching, or anything. I'm relieved!

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by Orcin

Excellent! Great job, now get on to the next one.

Thank you! It's funny but I didn't even look to see who the next team was. I was so relieved I saved, exited, and then went back in to really make sure it saved. Not that I've ever had a problem with it not saving, but I figured that'd be my luck in Carolina.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by mirrf

Nice! Glad it didn't come down to a game 7.

Thanks, you and me both!

[NYY #23]

What a long strange trip it's been in Carolina. From expansion to playoffs in one season, then a slow and steady decline until we hit rock bottom in 2029. It took 11 years, 2 nicknames, 1772 regular season games, and another 44 playoff games before we could escape. 93 batters played for Carolina during my tenure, and 82 pitchers. Our batters WAR ranged from Emiel Abeele -2.9 to Ricardo Martinez 12.2. I must have blocked out Abeele completely, because that name doesn't even ring a bell. On the mound it went from Jason Walker -1.9 to Vicente Cano's 14.5.

Cano still holds the franchise records for just about every pitching category with a Martinez leading virtually every batting category (either Ricardo or Mario). Although Pete Woolford is the career leader in home runs, and RBI. For a career .219 hitter, I could really divide my time in Carolina into two eras - before Woolford and after Woolford.

He certainly didn't do it alone though, and to be perfectly honest I really lost in the Woolford deal, because Manny Rodriguez turned into a solid big league catcher, and Shawn Anderson a solid third baseman. Combined they've doubled the WAR of Woolford since the trade (18.3 to 9.1).

But I don't have any regrets about the trade, and I genuinely like the Knights now. The past few years have made the first eight a little bit easier, or technically years 2-8 easier, since the first year was a surprise trip to the playoffs. But while I'll miss guys like Pete Woolford, Ricardo Martinez, Justin Lewis, and Ferri Boere, I do think our window was closing.

It least it could be short if our owner doesn't increase their budget. Those young cost controlled guys are about to get expensive. This year alone Ricardo Martinez is estimated to get a raise from $492K to $5.8 million, and Ferri Boere from $492K to $4.0 million. They'll be fine in 2035, but 2036 is when some difficult decisions are going to need to be made, or payroll is going to need to grow.

That's really not my problem anymore though, although I'm glad I don't have to deal with it. I'll definitely miss Carolina though, along with a lot of the players, but our paths may cross again. I also have a feeling I'm really going to miss them once I'm on to the next team…



Carolina Breakers - Expansion
2024 - Carolina Breakers - 94-68 (.580) - GB (Defeated Seattle Mariners 3-1 in Division Series, Lost to Boston Red Sox 4-2 in LCS, Season Score - 99)
2025 - Carolina Breakers - 81-81 (.500) 4 1/2 GB (Season Score - 18)
2026 - Carolina Breakers - 86-76 (.531) 10 GB (Season Score - 38)
2027 - Carolina Breakers - 79-83 (.488) 18 GB (Season Score - 1)
2028 - Carolina Breakers - 73-89 (.451) 13 GB (Season Score - 3)
2029 - Carolina Breakers - 57-105 (.352) 46 GB (Season Score - 1)
2030 - Carolina Knights - 65-97 (.401) 32 GB (Season Score - 1)
2031 - Carolina Knights - 68-94 (.420) 28 GB (Season Score - 12)
2032 - Carolina Knights - 90-72 (.556) 2 GB (Lost Wild Card 3-2 to Cleveland Indians, Season Score - 40)
2033 - Carolina Knights - 101-61 (.623) - GB, Defeated Seattle Marines 4-0 in Division Series, Defeated New York Yankees 4-3 in LCS, and Lost to Washington National 4-3 in World Series (Season Score - 83)
2034 - Carolina Knights - 105-57 (.648) - GB (Defeated Detroit Tigers 4-1 in Division Series, Defeated Chicago White Sox 4-0 in LCS, and Defeated Washington Nations 4-2 in World Series (Season Score - 126)

[NYY #23]

Currently there are seven teams remaining on my Worst to First journey, although I did talk about another round of expansion. That's still not off the table, although I'm not ready to say anything yet, except that two teams will be added to the American League in 1940, and two teams to the National League in 1945.

As the number of teams dwindle, I imagine I'm going to get to a point where I'm not taking over the worst team. My next team finished one game ahead of the worst team in baseball, although they were worst in their league. Let's take a look at the other teams first though:

7) San Francisco Giants 85-77, last playoff appearance 2033

6) Los Angeles Dodgers 84-78, last playoff appearance 2033

5) Tampa Bay Rays 81-81, last playoff appearance 2033

4) Houston Astros 74-88, last playoff appearance 2032

3) Los Angeles Angels 71-91, last playoff appearance 2028

2) Texas Rangers 71-91, last playoff appearance 2028

And with that the winner is the Montreal Expos. Although I did play and win in Montreal once, that was part of the now Washington Nationals franchise. I spent a lot of time in Montreal during the late 70's and early 80's, ten years in fact, from expansion to World Series winner.

These Expos entered the league the same time as the Carolina Breakers as an expansion team, and history hasn't been too kind to Montreal though. Let's take a look at some of the highlights:

• Won a franchise best 85 games in 2025, their only year above .500
• Career record of 761-1021
• Lost money for four straight seasons
• 31st in league in budget
• 31st in league in attendance
• Finished 16th in National League in runs scored
• Finished 6th in runs allowed
• Defense was ranked 12th

[rjl518]

go 'SPOS!!!