Worst to First - The Sequel

[NYY #23]

Reading the recap for Game 4 has a quote from Shawn Spears, "We're a bit surprised it's over in a sweep, to be honest with you." I'm with Spears, except maybe very surprised. The Gators finished off the White Sox 4-3 to advance to the ALCS.

Hector Lopez and Spears would each hit solo homers, while Willard Burton would pick up the win after 7 innings of 4 hit ball. I almost feel bad for the White Sox, who won 118 games last year and 102 this year, and have no title to show for it. The key word is almost though, as we're headed to the ALCS.

[NYY #23]

Our opponent in the ALCS will be the Miami Marlins who we beat 4 out of 6 games during the regular season. It will be a battle between our highest scoring offense in the AL versus the team that allowed the fewest runs.

We'll also face off against former Gator Ben Morgan, and former Monk Lawrence Sutton. The Marlins also have former Gator Preston Walls in their rotation.

[NYY #23]

For seven innings Andres Martir would dominate, not allowing a run and only surrender two hits. With a 4-0 lead he was cruising along until a three-run homer put the Marlins within one run. Closer Harold Parker came on to save the game in the ninth, but Parker gave up the tieing run that would send the game to extras.

Our offense would come alive in the tenth though with a leadoff triple by Shawn Spears, an intentional walk to Randy Luckwell, and a two-RBI single by Terry Johnson to give the Gators a 6-4 lead. A single by Andy Jordan and double by Robert Shoemaker gave the Gators an 8-4 lead, and we'd go on to win Game 1 of the ALCS.

[NYY #23]

For the second straight game Harold Parker blew a save, but today we couldn't recover as we fell 4-3 to lose to the Marlins and even up the series.

We wasted a solid start by Douglas King (6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 6 K) and two home runs by Shawn Spears. What a postseason by Spears, who now has hit 9 home runs and is hitting .452 with 14 home runs.

[mirrf]

Bump. I can't let this be on page 2.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by mirrf

Bump. I can't let this be on page 2.

Thanks for bumping! It's hard to believe how busy life has been lately. But I was coming back for a couple updates tonight. And hopefully, things will slow down enough that I can get back to regular updates.

[NYY #23]

Every start could be his last, but today Enrique Contreras lowered his postseason ERA to 8.56 after 7 innings of 1 run ball. That just shows how bad his previous postseason starts have been, but hopefully we'll give Contreras another chance to end his Gators' career in style. He did pick up his first postseason win today while striking out 9 as the Gators took a 2-1 series lead in our 5-1 win over the Marlins.

Shawn Spears had a homerless day, but did drive in one run with a single and we got home runs by Robert Shoemaker and Tom Montgomery in our win.

Harold Parker pitched a third of an inning to earn the save, and more importantly, ended his blown saves streak.

[NYY #23]

With Willard Burton on the mound the Gators blew open the game with a 6 run sixth as the Gators moved within one win of the World Series with a 9-3 win over the Marlins. Willard Burton picked up the win with 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits.

Shawn Spears hit his 10th home run of the postseason, while Keith Hudson added a solo home run and Hector Lopez drove in 4 runs with a pair of doubles.

[NYY #23]

The Gators are heading to the World Series after beating the Marlins 5-3 in Game 5. Shawn Spears captured MVP of the Series after hitting .400 with 4 home runs, 5 RBI, and 6 runs scored, although he was just 1-4 tonight.

Hunter Briggs picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Andres Martir was the starter today and pitched 6 2/3 innings while allowing 3 hits, but got the no-decision.

Keith Hudson and Gonzalo Gomez each went deep for the Gators, who inexplicably are just four wins away from winning it all. We'll keep our expectations low though, but we have nothing to lose.

[NYY #23]

For 13 years the Gators struggled in virtually every way possible. Discounting our fluky year 2 success we suffered through a lot of losing in New Orleans, a lot of forced trades, and a lot of aggravation. So it's hard to believe we're now heading to the World Series and we'll be facing off against 89 win Seattle Mariners.

Both teams are pretty similar, high scoring offenses and imperfect pitching staffs. Both teams are also pretty subpar on the road, so with home field advantage maybe we can squeak out a seven game series win.

[NYY #23]

The Gators struck first in the World Series with a 4-3 win over the Mariners. The Gators got a first inning three-run homer from Keith Hudson and an RBI single by Jerry Crane in the bottom of the seventh to score our final run. Crane was only in the game because Shawn Spears left with an injury earlier in the game. We'll miss Spears, who hit .356 with 10 home runs and 17 RBI with 18 runs scored this postseason.

While Andres Martir pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits John Guan picked up the win with a third of an inning. Harold Parker picked up his seventh save of the postseason.

[NYY #23]

Game 2 was a wild one, but the Gators pulled off a 10-9 win to go up two games to none in the World Series. Hector Lopez went deep twice and drove in 5 runs while Gonzalo Gomez also went deep with a pinch-hit two-run homer in our win.

Steven Wade picked up the win after retiring the final batter of the game after Harold Parker allowed 3 runs in the top of the ninth to put us in a 9-8 hole.

[NYY #23]

My prediction of the home team winning every game of the World Series is still alive after the Mariners knocked off the Gators 6-2.

Enrique Contreras picked up the loss after surrendering 5 runs in 3 2/3 innings and his postseason ERA is now 9.35.

[NYY #23]

With six runs in the eighth and two runs in the ninth the Gators broke the cycle and won Game 4 by a score of 10-6. Randy Luckwell hit a three-run homer, while Hector Lopez added a solo shot.

Ron Hall picked up the win in relief after allowing 1 run on 3 hits in 2 1/3 innings. Harold Parker saved his eighth game of the postseason for the Gators, who are now remarkedly one win away from winning the World Series.

[NYY #23]

Needing a win to capture the first World Series title in New Orleans history the Gators sent Andres Martir to the mound and he delivered a gem. Martir pitched eight shutout innings while striking out 5 batters and walking two batters. The Gators had a one-run lead, courtesy of a solo homer by Scott Brouhard in the sixth inning.

Steven Wade came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth and allowed a walk and two singles to give up the tieing run and send the game into extra innings.

The Gators would come out swinging in the tenth though with Hector Lopez hitting a solo shot to give us a 2-1 lead. Wade pitched the bottom of the tenth and allowed a walk and double as the Mariners against tied the score.

On to the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth before there was any action. With two outs Terry Johnson picked up a single, moved to second when Randy Luckwell walked, and scored the go-ahead run on a double by Gonzalo Gomez.

In the bottom of the thirteenth Steven Wade went back out to pitch and this time got the job done as the Gators won the game 3-2 and the series. Wade pitched 5 innings while allowing a pair of runs. To pick up his second win of the series.

It's hard to believe the Gators have finally won the World Series. I'll be back to wrap things up, and decide what's next.

[mirrf]

Nice!

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by mirrf

Nice!

Thanks!

[NYY #23]

Fourteen years is a long time to be in a certain place, and I have mixed feelings about my time in New Orleans. On some level I'm anxious to get out of New Orleans, however, things were just starting to get good in New Orleans. I'll miss seeing how Hector Lopez, Shawn Spears, and Scott Brouhard develop. I'll miss seeing whether Andres Martir can be the ace he's capable of, or see his career derailed by injuries.

I'll have to watch from afar. This was the 32 teams I've won a championship with, and I only have four teams left. I've already called it quits once with this dynasty, but there is just four teams left. It's hard to call it quits with just four teams left though. So with this I'm going to submit my resignation to the Gators and head west.

Before I leave I did want to congratulate Scott Brouhard, Shawn Spears, and Hector Lopez on their Silver Slugger Awards, Robert Shoemaker finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting, and Hector Lopez on winning an MVP Award.

New Orleans Gators - 67-95 (.414) 20 1/2 GB
2064 - New Orleans Gators - 61-101 (.377) 50 GB (Season Score - 43)
2065 - New Orleans Gators - 96-66 (.593) - GB, Lost Division Series 4-1 to Cleveland Indians (Season Score - 703)
2066 - New Orleans Gators - 55-107 (.340) 40 GB (Season Score - 1)
2067 - New Orleans Gators - 59-103 (.364) 38 GB (Season Score - 10)
2068 - New Orleans Gators - 51-111 (.315) 48 GB (Season Score - 1)
2069 - New Orleans Gators - 58-104 (.358) 42 GB (Season Score - 1)
2070 - New Orleans Gators - 56-106 (.346) 47 GB (Season Score - 1)
2071 - New Orleans Gators - 66-96 (.407) 31 GB (Season Score - 99
2072 - New Orleans Gators - 77-85 (.475) 17 GB (Season Score - 377)
2073 - New Orleans Gators - 80-82 (.494) 23 GB (Season Score - 408)
2074 - New Orleans Gators - 86-76 (.531) 10 GB (Season Score - 407)
2075 - New Orleans Gators - 78-84 (.481) 28 GB (Season Score - 239)
2076 - New Orleans Gators - 87-75 (.537) 31 GB (Season Score - 449)
2077 - New Orleans Gators - 94-68 (580) 8 GB (Defeated Texas Rangers 3-1 in Wild Card Series, Defeated Chicago White Sox 4-0 in Division Series, Defeated Miami Marlins 4-1 in ALCS, Defeated Seattle Mariners 4-1 in World Series, Season Score - 990)

[mirrf]

Who is your next team?

[mirrf]

Weekly bump.