Fallout: New Vegas' Mojave Baseball League

[Tyke]

Have to agree with Nickphillies! Never was a North Vegas fan, of course, but you have to feel for everyone associated with the club. And it must have been a very unsettling development for the Gomorrah boys. Hope it all settles down and Lee manages to calm the situation and get his "normalisation" programme back on track.

[StLee]

7.2.90 – MBL schedule update

The commissioner’s office released the updated schedule to mark the delayed games between North Vegas and Gomorrah.

The Radscorpions and Devils will now play the series over two games on July 21 and 22. They will then travel to Gomorrah the next day to play a “doubleheader.” A doubleheader means that two teams play each other twice in one day. That means the two teams will play each other four times over three days.

To give the teams a rest following the doubleheader, Gomorrah’s series with Nellis AFB has now been delayed from July 24-27 to July 25-28. Likewise, the Radscorpions’ series with Goodsprings will be delayed one day to be played July 25-28.

Even though you couldn't see it, I did in fact change the schedule for the games I posted about. I had never tried changing an in-game schedule nor scheduling a doubleheader before, but I like those as options.

Also, I cheated just a little. I did roll snake eyes for the day and then my RNG and dice rolls gave me a murder in the North Vegas franchise. However, the player murdered turned out to be a nobody who was always going to be a nobody, so I overruled that result by ensuring it was a player on the active roster. Thus Mulvaney ceased to exist. The Mojave can be cruel like that; so can this dynasty writer.

[Tyke]

You're a hard man!

[StLee]

Final Standings



Playoffs

Play-in game

188 Traders 5 at Cottonwood Cove Lakelurks 1
Game MVP: Wilbur Jackson, SP, 188, 8.1 IP, 4 H, ER, 4 BB, 3 K

First Round

Game One: Nipton Phoenix 7 at Red Rock RobCo Robots 3
Game MVP: Greg Reid, CF/LF, Nipton, 1 for 3, GS HR, 4 RBI, R

Game One: Mojave Express Couriers 11 at 188 Traders 4
Game MVP: Matt Nelson, RF, Mojave Express, 4 for 5, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

Game Two: Red Rock RobCo Robots 7 at Nipton Phoenix 4
Game MVP: Claudio Garcia, RF, Red Rock, 1 for 5, GS HR, 3 RBI, R

Game Two: 188 Traders 7 at Mojave Express Couriers 4
Game MVP: Tony Hernandez, LF, 188, 4 for 4, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R

Game Three: Red Rock RobCo Robots 5 at Nipton Phoenix 4
Game MVP: Boy Gunnarson, 3B, Red Rock, 2 for 3, HR, 4 RBI, R, 2 BB

Game Three: 188 Traders 5 at Mojave Express Couriers 3
Game MVP: Jacob Bednar, 1B, 188, 3 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI

Prospects League Championship

Game One: Red Rock RobCo Robots 7 at 188 Traders 5
Game MVP: Boy Gunnarson, 3B, Red Rock, 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB

Game Two: Red Rock RobCo Robots 4 at 188 Traders 5
Game MVP: Tony Todd, DH, 188, 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB

Game Three: 188 Traders 8 at Red Rock RobCo Robots 6
Game MVP: Tony Todd, DH, 188, 4 for 5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R

Game Four: 188 Traders 2 at Red Rock RobCo Robots 3
Game MVP: Hubert Pugh, SP, 188, 7.1 IP, 6 H, ER, 3 BB, 8 K

Game Five: Red Rock RobCo Robots 5 at 188 Traders 4, 10 innings
Game MVP: Steve Joker, SP, Red Rock, 8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

Statistical Leaders

Batting Leaders



Pitching Leaders



Season Awards




Other Awards

Postseason Award – Tony Todd, DH, 188 Traders
8 games, 33 AB, 13 H (.394 average), 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, SF, 2 K

[StLee]

Final Standings



Statistical Leaders

Batting Leaders



Pitching Leaders



News and Transactions

8.3.90 – David Martin news

Whiff-le Ball: Martin Puts Name in Record Book: One of the highlights of the year happened today at Goodsprings Park when David Martin of the Goodsprings Lucky 38s broke the season mark for strikeouts. Martin got his 166th strikeouts to break the old record set by Nate Camp. For his epic achievement he received an extended ovation by the fans that lasted several minutes. "Most of the time I just try to get the batter to hit my pitch. It's more efficient that way and you can go deeper into the game. Strikeouts demand more pitches, more stamina and can take a toll on your arm. I knew I was close to the season record today, so I was really psyched up for Ks. I wanted to get the record chasing over and done with and my name in the record book."

This season Martin has registered 6 wins and 10 losses in 21 starts with a 3.15 ERA.

8.4.90 – Player injury

Nellis Air Force Base catcher Vincent Harvey suffered an undisclosed injury to his knee and will miss the remainder of the season. Harvey suffered a knee injury in May that kept him out for five weeks. Some have reported that a debt collector from the Atomic Wrangler Casino took a lead pipe to his knee this time. I guess we will never kneeow.

8.5.90 – Team accomplishment

Gomorrah has earned its first trip to the Mojave Baseball League playoffs, and they have done it in style. The Devils (53-43) defeated two-time champions Goodsprings (47-49) 2-0 with Clarence Woods throwing a complete-game two-hitter to clinch the Bear Division title. The Lucky 38s were officially eliminated from the playoffs with the loss.

8.6.90 – Team accomplishments

The defending champion North Vegas (62-35) already knew they were in the playoffs. The only question was whether they would represent as the division champs or not. With a 5-2 win over Nellis Air Force Base, the Radscorpions clinched both the Star Division championship and the number one overall seed in the 2290 MBL playoffs.

Division runner-up Westside (57-39) has now officially clinched the wildcard spot, meaning they wil be the fourth seed in the playoffs. The Sarsaparillas will face off in the first round against the second seed since they are in the same division as North Vegas.

8.9.90 – Team accomplishment

Despite losing 3-2 at Tops, Gomorrah (54-45) has clinched second seed in the 2290 MBL playoffs and will face Westside (59-40) in the first round. Ultra Luxe and South Vegas, both 52-47, both lost to give the Devils the second seed. The White Gloves and Vault Boys are battling for the final spot in the playoffs.

8.11.90 – Team accomplishment

Ultra Luxe and South Vegas both finished the regular season 53-47 and in a tie for the Aradesh Division lead. Thus they had to meet in a one-game playoff to determine which team would be the third seed and unfortunate opponent of North Vegas (63-37) in the first round of the 2290 MBL playoffs.

And the result went to Ultra Luxe, who pulled out a 2-1 road victory to clinch the third seed in the playoffs. Jim Crouch gave up one unearned run in six innings, and three relievers combined to shut down the Vault Boys and prevent their return trip to the playoffs.

The 2290 playoffs are now set with first-seed North Vegas being the only return team from a year ago. The Radscorpions are hosting third seed Ultra Luxe in the first round. Westside, the fourth seed will face second-seed Gomorrah in the other playoff matchup.

8.12.90 – Jimmy LaRue news

LaRue Is MBL Swing King: The 2290 baseball season has come to a close. And what a year it has been for Goodsprings's Jimmy LaRue. He finished off an all-star caliber year with the Mojave Baseball League batting title. He topped all comers with a .396 batting average and registered 9 home runs and 55 RBIs in 100 games.

[Tyke]

Oh well, can't win 'em all! And I suppose it will be interesting for the neutral fans to see someone other than the L38s in the play-offs! Good seasons from LaRue and Martinez again, though, so just wait until next year

[StLee]

North Vegas has been to the playoffs in four of the six Mojave Baseball League seasons. This is Ultra Luxe’s first trip. Though the usuals of the MBL playoffs are different this season, the White Gloves will have a tough task getting past the defending champions.

The Radscorpions, of course, are formidable, despite losing two of their players just over a month ago to a violent incident. The pitching staff is a beast. Things start with ace Rich Richmond. Though he had a down year by his standards (12-6, 3.27 ERA), he still led the team to multiple victories. Along with Richmond, Nate Camp has been a driving force for the Radscorpions. He posted team best statistics with a 12-3 record, a 1.87 ERA, and 131 strikeouts. Glenn Brady, a former first round pick of Goodsprings, has finally emerged as a pitching threat. In fact, he emerged well enough to earn the top pitcher award for the month of July. Dave Davis only had 11 starts on the season, but in those 11 starts he went 7-0 with a 2.45 ERA. Of course, all things end with closer Basket Zapp, who notched a league-leading 32 saves.

On offense, catcher Weldon Brown and first baseman George O’Kill are a suffocating one-two punch for the Radscorpions. Both hit over 20 home runs for the second straight year. Ernest Emmons is a great leadoff hitter, skilled at getting on base and then stealing a base or two. He led the league with 57 steals.

Ultra Luxe is led by an overachieving pitching staff. In his first full season as a starting pitcher, Dominic “Brahmin Tit” Dillingham led the Mojave Baseball league in wins with 15. The 19-year-old looks to be a strikeout master, recording 167 in 155.1 innings pitched. He also had an impressive 3.01 ERA. Despite Dillingham’s success, Tower Carlson is considered to be the staff ace and the most talented up-and-comer in the MBL. Carlson did not have as much run support as Dilligham, but he still finished 9-8 with a 2.35 ERA (fourth in the league) while leading the league with 172 innings pitched, five complete games, and two shutouts. Playoff veteran Jim Crouch is not as dominant as he once was, but the former NCR Bear has lots of know-how for helping his team overcome first-year shakes.

The White Gloves’ offense could be their downfall. Left fielder Harris Cazadore is probably the most complete hitter on the team, but he does not have the superstar numbers some of the other teams’ players have. Cazadore led the team in average (.298) and RBI (62) and finished second in home runs (16). First baseman Francisco Riveria led the team in home runs with 17. He also finished with a .296 batting average and 41 RBI.

Because of North Vegas’ experience and superior talent, this series is not expected to be competitive, and we have the Radscorpions beating Ultra Luxe in three games.



For Westside and Gomorrah, there is not much to talk about when it comes to the playoffs. Of the two teams, the Sarsaparillas made a single trip in 2287 when they were run over four games to one in the first round versus eventual champion, Goodsprings. For the Devils, they have never been anywhere near the playoffs. However, Gomorrah has had the number one Prospects League team over the years, the 188 Traders. That means, they were loaded with future talent, which may be coming of age now.

Still, Westside appears to be the better current team, finishing in second place in their division and in the league at 60-40. Gomorrah was 55-45, but lost six of eight games to the Sarsaparillas on the season.

Westside’s main power comes from its number one offense, scoring 476 runs and hitting 133 home runs to lead the Mojave Baseball League. The Sarsaparillas have the five-headed mutant in Edward Simpson, Dave Griffin, Robert Glass, Bob Franklin, and Jeffery Thomason, who combined to hit between 16 and 26 home runs and knock in between 53 and 75 runs each. Franklin, the team’s catcher, is the MBL all-time home run king (172 HR), with teammates Glass (117 HR) and Griffin (112 HR) falling sixth and seventh on that list. Westside does not depend only on power, though, with several of their hitters qualifying for the top five in several hitting categories.

The part of the squad that does not make the Sarsaparillas complete is the pitching staff. As good as their offense is, their pitching and defense keeps them from being a truly dominant team. Starter Brandon Kerr was probably the biggest surprise after arriving via a trade prior to the 2290 season. Kerr racked up a team-best 10-2 record with a 3.69 ERA in 20 starts. Staff ace Will Stewart (10-7, 4.26 ERA) and their other talented starter Angel Polanco (9-9, 3.05 ERA) did not fare well, and they will have to be better in the playoffs. Closer Carlos Colon is probably the second-best closer in the league after North Vegas’ Zapp, and he had another outstanding season with a 1.67 ERA and 32 saves.

Whereas Westside relies on its steady offense to beat teams, the Devils depended on an outstanding pitching performance in 2290. At the top of the staff is Sancho Munoz. Munoz paced the Gomorrah success by going 8-6 with a 3.09 ERA in 21 starts. He also added 154 strikeouts in 128.1 innings while only walking 26. The real hero, though, may be Winston Walker. Last season’s Prospects League Pitcher of the Year and the Postseason Award winner with the 188 Traders made a huge impact in his Mojave Baseball League rookie year. He finished the season at 9-5 with a 2.67 ERA to help turn the Gomorrah franchise from worst to first candidates. Playoff veteran Wilfred Buckley also starts for Gomorrah, giving them a definitive pitching edge over Westside.

On offense, the Devils struggle overall, but not due to the efforts of catcher Frederick Sharpe. Sharpe led the squad in home runs (19) and RBI (65). Left fielder Mike Plasmagun is the only other player on the team with any real power (17 home runs), but Gomorrah is OK overall as a team at getting runners on. They just have to find ways to string multiple hits together against the Sarsaparillas’ pitching.

This series looks to be more competitive than the other first round matchup. We think Westside will take the series in five games to meet their division rival in the finals.

[StLee]

Ultra Luxe Takes 1-0 Lead

Tower Carlson pitched eight shutout innings and George Gray hit a two-run single in the sixth inning to lead Ultra Luxe over top-seed North Vegas, 4-1.

Each team only managed four hits in the game, with the Radscorpions’ only meaningful hit being a ninth-inning home run over closer Merlin Huggins. Huggins earned the save.

Rich Richmond was the losing pitcher, giving up three runs, one earned, on four hits in seven innings of work.

Carlson only allowed two hits and five base runners total in eight innings.

[StLee]

Westside Up 1-0

Will Stewart pitched a gem of a game, allowing just one earned run in 7 1/3 innings, in the Sarsaparillas’ 4-1 Game One victory over Gomorrah.

Robert Glass’ solo home run to lead off the fourth inning proved to be the winning run to give Westside a 2-1 lead at that point. The Sarsaparillas also added two more runs on Devils’ errors.

Sancho Munoz was the losing pitcher for Gomorrah despite pitching well. He allowed four runs, two earned, on six hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

[StLee]

Radscorpions Win in 12, Even Series

Two straight 12th inning errors by Ultra Luxe’s third baseman Jorge Chavez allowed Chris Towns to reach base and then score to give North Vegas a 5-4 victory over Ultra Luxe in Game Two of the First Round Series.

Chavez entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter for Brian Gilbert. He stayed in and played out of position from his more comfortable second base slot. Still, his errors were the direct reason the Radscorpions took Game Two.

With one out in the 12th, Towns hit a routine grounder off reliever Jay Conrad to Chavez, but Chavez bobbled the ball and dropped it as he was trying to throw. After Towns stole second, Arthur Glass hit a ball right at Chavez that bounded off his glove into foul territory beyond third base. Towns easily came around to score on the play before it could be fielded, ending the game in anticlimactic fashion.

Basket Zapp was credited with the victory for his effort in one inning of shutout pitching. Both starters in the game, Dominic Dillingham of the White Gloves and Dave Davis of North Vegas, had no decisions.

[StLee]

Westside Offense Opens Up in Seventh, Takes 2-0 Lead

Westside trailed 3-1 entering the seventh inning before shortstop Dave Griffin stepped up to the plate. With the bases loaded, Griffin went yard, giving the Sarsaparillas a 5-3 lead on their way to an 8-4 Game Two victory and a 2-0 series lead over Gomorrah.

Angel Polanco earned the win for the Sarsaparillas, allowing three earned runs on 12 hits with a walk and a strikeout in six innings. Carlos Colon earned his second straight save.

John Harrison was the losing pitcher for the Devils, allowing three earned runs on two hits with a walk and strikeout in just a third of an inning in relief of starter Winston Walker.

Gomorrah scored only four runs despite getting 18 hits (16 singles) in the game.

[StLee]

Radscorpions Score 19, Soil White Gloves

Backup outfielder Norris Carr got a rare start and exploded with four hits, four RBI, and two runs in pacing North Vegas to a 19-3 victory over Ultra Luxe in Game Three of their first round series.

Ernest Emmons added another four hits and Arthur Glass contributed with four RBI and three runs scored in an offensive explosion by the defending champions.

Nate Camp earned the victory for the Radscorpions. He allowed just two earned runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in seven innings.

The White Gloves’ Ron Heath was the loser, allowing seven earned runs on six hits with three walks and a strikeout in two innings. Heath allowed six runs to score in the third inning before he was pulled for reliever David Bennett. In all, Ultra Luxe used seven pitchers in the game, few of them finding any success.

[StLee]

Devils Burn Westside, Extend Series

Wilfred Buckley pitched a complete game and the Gomorrah offense found the plate in an 11-2 Game Three victory over Westside.

Buckley allowed just two earned runs on seven hits to earn Game MVP honors.

DJ Gas Mask Cartwright went yard in the game and had three RBI to lead the offensive charge. Nick Walters added three hits, knocked in two, and scored two times.

Brandon Kerr suffered the loss for the Sarsaparillas. He allowed six runs, four earned, on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in 2.2 innings.

[StLee]

NV Shuts Out UL, Wins Series 3-1

Rich Richmond pitched seven shutout innings, allowing North Vegas to cruise past Ultra Luxe 8-0 to win their first round series and move on to the Mojave Series for the second straight year.

Richmond allowed only two of the White Gloves’ three hits in the game and struck out five batters, never allowing Ultra Luxe to threaten.

Tower Carlson suffered the loss for the White Gloves. He allowed five earned runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in three innings pitched.

No one player had an outstanding game for North Vegas. Squirrel And was 2 for 3 with a double, two RBI, and a run.

Left fielder Arthur Glass of North Vegas was the series MVP. In four games, he was 5 for 16 (.313) with two doubles, eight RBI, four runs, three walks, a sacrifice fly, a stolen base, and two strikeouts.

[StLee]

Gomorrah, Sharpe Knife the Sarsaparillas

Frederick Sharpe had two extra base hits and drove in three runs to lead Gomorrah to an 8-3 Game Four victory over Westside. The series is now tied at two games apiece.

Sharpe had an RBI double in the first inning and a two-RBI home run in the seventh to lead the Devils in batting. Gomorrah had a total of six extra base hits in the game.

Sancho Munoz was the winning pitcher, allowing two earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts in five innings.

Will Stewart was the losing pitcher for Westside, giving up six runs, five earned, on seven hits with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

[Nickphillies]

Man I was pulling for UL after Game 1

[StLee]

Westside’s Griffin Slams Devils, Sarsaparillas Takes Series

Westside entered the eighth inning trailing 4-2. However, Dave Griffin had his second chance to make his at bat count in the first round series between the Sarsaparillas and Gomorrah. And he did just that.

Griffin’s grand slam, his second of the series, was the difference in the Sarsaparillas’ 7-4 Game Five victory over the Devils. Westside will now move on to face top-seeded North Vegas in the Mojave Series.

Griffin also homered in the fourth inning, giving him six RBI in the game. He was also named the series MVP after going 7 for 19 (.368) with two doubles, four home runs, two grand slams, 11 RBI, seven runs, a walk, a hit by pitch, and four strikeouts.

Angel Polanco earned his second victory in the series, allowing four earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in seven innings. Carlos Colon had his third save.

K White was the losing pitcher. He did not record an out in the eighth inning, giving up three earned runs on a hit and two walks and Griffin’s grand slam. Winston Walker was the starter for Gomorrah. In 7.1 innings, he gave up three earned runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.

[StLee]

Defending-champion North Vegas looked to be the class of the league. Wild card finisher Westside, however, has not been intimidated.

When the two teams face off in the 2290 Mojave Series, you can bet the teams know they are the bosses of the Mojave. The Radscorpions (63-37) and Sarsaparillas (60-40) were the definitive two best teams in the league, and they also matched up well on the field, splitting their 12 season games, six games apiece.

Their first matchup was in Westside from May 9 to May 11. There North Vegas took two of three: 6-1, 9-5, 4-6. Rich Richmond struck first, giving up one earned run on seven hits with nine strikeouts in eight innings for the first victory. In the second game, the Radscorpions’ Nate Camp was injured in the first inning, but the offense picked up the pace. Nelson Kirby singled, doubled, and homered in the game to lead the offensive charge. Westside was able to salvage a win in the Sunday game thanks to Dave Griffin’s five RBI through a two-RBI double and two-run home run.

The second meeting came in North Vegas from June 2-4. North Vegas again took the series in three: 3-0, 2-5, 4-3. In the first game, John Mulvaney dominated the Sarsaparillas by pitching eight shutout innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while also striking out nine. Westside won the second game thanks to solid pitching by Will Stewart (two earned runs on four hits with two walks in eight innings) and three runs in the top of the ninth. In the third game of the set, the Radscorpions’ Arthur Glass knocked in three runs, including a walkoff two-RBI double to seal the comeback victory.

From July 4-6, the teams again played in North Vegas. There the Sarsaparillas finally took a series two games to one: 4-1, 1-4, 11-6. Jeffery Thomason led the charge for Westside in the first game, hitting a two-run home run in the second inning that proved to be the game winner. Camp finally pitched his masterpiece against Westside in the second game, allowing just one earned run on three hits with nine strikeouts in eight innings. In the final game, the Sarsaparillas’ bats woke up big. Five players had multiple hits, including starting pitcher Rhyme Killer King, who doubled twice and drove in two runs.

The final series came in the season finale when seeds were already set. There Westside took the last two games of three to even the season series: 2-4, 5-0, 1-0. In the first game, the Radscorpions scored two runs in the top of the eighth to complement Dave Davis’ two-run, five-hit effort. The Sarsaparillas then held North Vegas to 19 straight scoreless innings, shutting them out in the final two games. Griffin hit a three-run blast and King pitched six scoreless innings to lead the charge in the second game. In the final game of the season, Angel Polanco outdueled Glenn Brady by pitching seven scoreless innings before giving way to the bullpen.

On the season, Westside had a few players who stood out against the Radscorpions. Griffin and Thomason hit four homers apiece in the 12-game set, with Griffin driving in 13 runs. King went 3-0 with a 3.71 ERA in his three starts. Will Stewart was 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

The best players for North Vegas were Kirby with his four homers and nine RBI, Camp with a 1-0 record and a 2.76 ERA, and Richmond with a 1-1 record and a 1.69 ERA.

Both teams match up well, and this should be an exciting Mojave Series. We are going to give a slight edge to the defending champions and predict the Radscorpions to take the series in seven games.

[Tyke]

On paper, the Radscorpions should be too strong - but, as we know, the games are won on the field, not on paper! Let's hope it's a good series.

[StLee]

Radscorpions Edge Sarsaparillas, Take 1-0 Series Lead

Westside rallied to tie the game in the top of the eighth, but Rob Mathis’ two-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning sealed the victory for North Vegas, 5-4. The Radscorpions now lead the Mojave Series, 1-0.

Edward Simpson of the Sarsaparillas was named the MVP in the losing effort. He was 2 for 4 on the day with three RBI. Westside managed to outhit North Vegas 13-8, but could not find many extra base hits.

The Radscorpions’ Ernest Emmons had the biggest hit of the day, leading off the eighth with a triple off reliever Michael Smith. Nelson Kirby popped out to shortstop, George O’Kill was intentionally walked, and Weldon Brown struck out, making it look like the leadoff triple might be wasted. However, Mathis slammed a 1-1 pitch between first and second base to give the Radscorpions the lead going into the final inning.

Gary Clark was the winning pitcher for North Vegas despite giving up the lead in the eighth. In just 1/3 of an inning, he allowed an earned run on three singles. Basket Zapp came into the ninth inning, striking out two, to earn the save. Rich Richmond was the starter.

Smith was the losing pitcher for the Sarsaparillas. Will Stewart was the starter in the no decision.