The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

2013 World Series
San Antonio Silver Stars
How they got here:
Regular Season- 95-67 record-Frontier League Wild Card Winners
Wild Card Round- 3-2 series win over the Tulsa Drillers
Division Round 4-3 series win over the Staten Island Yankees
Quick look inside the clubhouse: San Antonio arrived in the 2014 World Series in a very odd manner, and path. Finishing 9th of 12 teams in defense, and 11th of 12 in Runs against, starting ERA, Bullpen ERA it’s pretty clear what they do, they hit, a lot, and they run, a lot. The Frontier Leagues 2nd best scoring offense at 917 runs (5.67 per game, 2nd to El Paso’s 952) and the 2nd best hitting team at .280, behind El Paso again, and their .281 team average. San Antonio relies on ‘just enough pitching’ to score 1 more run than the other guys. What’s rather eye popping is the lineup, led by 3B Pat Peters and his .291-32-124 season spent a third of the season, and now the rest of the playoffs, without 23 year old superstar slugger Ed Thomas. Thomas was a 2013 September call up who hit .320-5-20 in 30 games, earning him an opening day lineup spot where he hit 310/355/580 with 28 doubles, 27 HR’s and 103 RBI’s in 103 games. That was after missing 6 weeks from early May into June with a sports hernia. He returned to win a PotW and September Rookie of the Month honors before spraining his elbow 4 days ago in the League Championship series. What actually made this bearable is the emergence of Kevin O’Gorman. The 27 year old has just hit, flat out hit, as Thomas’ fill in. To the tune of 369/431/512 in 58 games at 1st base. With 3 HR’s and 25 RBI’s he doesn’t provide the power, but in the 2 spot he sparked many a rally during the Division series with State Island (7-20 2 HR’s 9 RBI’s in 5 games) and drove in huge runs. Dave Williams is the other big bat in this lineup, hitting behind Peters Williams 309/424/570 line with 28 HR’s and 93 RBI’s in 134 games make him a key piece to their offensive engine. Acquired early in the 2012 season from Sacramento he’s been a consistent DH threat hitting 20, 24 and 28 homers with 96, 93 and 93 RBI’s as well. His 96 doubles are his real calling card as his gap power is legit to both alleys.

On the mound the Stars will go with a four man rotation of 13+ game winners, led by Chris Durhams 14-6 4.08 season. Copeland 14-9 5.13, Rich 13-11 5.09 and Noah Jenkins 14-10 5.46 are there to get them into the latter half of the game, with a bullpen that mixes and matches to get the ball to Closer Julio Salinas as soon as possible. The two time FL All Star has gone 18-7 with 114 saves and a 2.01 ERA in three IBL seasons with a save % of .898 (114-129). In 219.2 career innings the 30 year old has given up 161 hits, 22 HR’s, 43 walks while punching out 288 hitters. Simple truth is when he comes in they win.

Silver Stars cap and alt cap logos....

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

Philadelphia wins the series 3-2 (Alejandrez start in game 1 is the thing I am taking from this one, that CRUSHED us given how good our offense answered the bell. From this game I can’t help but cringe at the thought of 'what if' on the rain delay? Alejandrez was dealing, and then young Jose Torres, the left comes in to face 4 lefties and gives up 3 straight hits….That and the 9th, a friggin leadoff triple and we don’t score? How the hell….
But beyond that it was a pretty amazing season. Another first round boot, and that hurts, but we know what we need to do.

Hard to overcome a bad start and a rain-interrupted start from your ace in a five-game series. Frustrating to be sure, but you have the club on the right track. Keep doing things right at the fundamental level, and eventually it will pay off in the post-season.

[gehrig38]

Excerpts from World Series media session with IBL PR and Marketing.
The new world order is about, style, class and look. There has been no end to jerseys, hats, names and logo’s in all professional sports. It’s worked, revenue has skyrocketed in the past 20 years on ‘throw backs’ and ‘alternate uniforms’.

So much so that the savy and in tune owners of the IBL have created their own internal PR and Marketing force tasked with being ‘ahead of the curve’ on all things ‘hip’ and trendy but never at the cost of the sport.

In addition to a few owners wishes, the IBL PR and Marketing group issued announcements on the following.

The New York Knights will change their logo in the upcoming season. A modest tweak of their colors, but nothing major, Owner Mark Roberson wanted to ‘enhance’ their brand and the logo was what they came up with.

The Los Angeles Sky Sox will change their franchise nickname to the Los Angeles Wizards. There was a ton of rumbling at the outset of the IBL about their choice of Sky Sox and in fan balloting following their 100 win season this year it was Wizards in a land slide. Their new logo and slight tweak to their colors will be revealed shortly.

The El Paso Diablos will change their team colors, from an off green and orange combination to a more ‘Diablo’ like Black and orange, new uniforms will be revealed with their new logo.

The franchise in Phoenix will have their name changed from the Phoenix Greyhounds to the Arizona Greyhounds with a slight tweak to their team colors as well. No more green, their colors will be a darker blue and greyish silver.

The Phildelphia franchise will be announcing a few tweaks as well, but the players were adamant, as were the fans, and owners, that NOTHING should be done to mess with Post Season Karma, until the post season is over.

All of the logos and new ‘stuff’ can be seen below, and there is word that the new Green Bay Franchise will be announcing it’s nickname, logo and team colors this week at the World Series Fanfest.

FOOTNOTE!!! Some legal issues have arisen and the league had to pull one of the potential new logos, the note is amended, and the logo removed.

[gehrig38]

2014 World Series
Philadelphia Freedom Coastal League Pennant Winners
How they got here:
Regular Season- 99-63 Coastal League Easter Division Champios
Wild Card Round- 3-2 series win over the Chicago Iron Pigs (ouch…)
Division Round 4-3 series win over the Los Angeles Sky Sox (now Wizards..)
(You know what I just realized? 6 post season series, every single series has gone to the max number of games!!!, I digress)
If you took an informal poll, or even a formal one, the best is 20 of the managers in the IBL, if not more (I know one in Chicago) would tell you this was the best team in the IBL from opening day to seasons end. A pedestrian 28-27 last 55 games seriously drowned out the fact that on the 1st of August this team was 71-36. Philly was a steamroller all year long.
Their failure to retain the top seed many attribute as much to LA getting insanely hot when Philly went to playing some .500 ball.
Odds makers are pretty smart guys, and they’re saying 1.5-1 on Philly to win in 6 or less!
Philly can hit, a lot. The CL’s leading HR team the middle of this lineup, as Chicago and LA have found out, is murder. It all revolves around 37 year old OF Carlos Arredondo. One of the front runners for Coastal League MVP after his ‘Ruthian’ .296/358/582 season with 54 HR’s (to win the CL HR title) and 130 RBI’s to go with 110 runs, 199 hits, 27 doubles. The Roughriders thought he was ‘over the hill’, saying as much when he was dealt after the 2012 season, and he’s made it clear he heard it, and to anyone listening he’s not even within sight of ‘his hill’. His season had as much to do with the guys ahead and behind him as anything Manny Navarro, their SS, hit .304 out of the 2 spot most of the year and Dave Ladd was protection you’d kill for, having his 2nd All Star season in the past 3 (Not sure HOW he missed the one!). He’s a model of consistency as he’s scored 293 runs, had 477 hits, 3 30 double seasons, 31, 29 and 30 HR’s and 118, 98 and 103 RBI’s with OBP’s of .362/.411/.383 and ops of 916/1013/888. Doing all that hitting while also winning the 2013 Gold Glove in LF (and he’s every bit as good in RF). He runs well (35-51 SB in 3 seasons and is a force in the clubhouse any manager would love to have. If there’s a more consistent player in the IBL it might be his teammate, 3B Kevin Peters. Playing in 148, 157 and 158 games, scoring 99, 94 and 103 runs, getting 165, 168 and 192 hits with 33, 31 and 26 doubles while homering 21, 24 and 24 times with RBI totals of 107, 105 and 93. Add 73, 67 and 71 walks to never striking out 100 times with OBP’s of .355 or higher and you get the picture, he was born to play this game at a level few others can. The X factor for Philly will be the missing link. 1B Antonio Vargas, well 1B/DH, the guy that completes this group, has a possible broken hand, and could miss the entire season if it is broke. Another guy you can mail in 160 games, 85+ runs, 170+ hits, 33 doubles 10+ HR’s and a .375 OBP each spring. At 26 he’s just getting started but he’s has yet to put a number below one of those up in his 3 full seasons in the IBL. He could be a big piece, or not, depending on how fast he can heal.
On the mound Philly had a strong season. Richard O’Dell (17-8 4.09) and Steve Whiteway (18-5 4.14) were 1 and 1A in no particular order, Andrew Olson (13-14 3.93) was as strong a #3 as there is and Dan Hill (12-9 5.22 was the 4. They used a cadre of other starters when they went with 5 but they’ll use those 4 in the series. The goal, as it has been the past few years, is to get the ball into Julio Arroyo’s hands. The 33 year old is coming off a career high (and FL Best ) 46 saves but also a career “high” 3.10 ERA. Up from his 1.76 of 2012 and 1.97 of 2013. His career .893 save % (108-135) ranks near the top for all IBL closers and the righty is a true power closer with 284 K’s and just 62 walks in 234 career innings spanning 214 games. A cadre of arms will set him up, with Elmer Osborn (6-2 7 SV 1.68 in 101.2IP and 21 holds) being the primary guy. Jerry Latham (5th starter late in the year) is the long man. A major thorn for Philly in this series, could be the fact they have just 1 lefty across their entire pen and he’s a 28 year old journeyman, Kelly Gilligan who was a late season call up and appeared in just 5 games. Underwhelming stuff at best but their only LH option should Williams, Wise, Villalobos or Bradshaw be up in a big spot late.

Please keep this last part under wraps. Ya, the Philadelphia Freedom are poised to change their name, and logo's, next season, but no one outside here knows it. Here's their current logo, along with their new cap logo and two of their logos for next year

[gehrig38]

Are ANYTHING like me and like to enjoy the threads and even possibly get caught up in them like I do.

A little insight into how I "play" each post season game.

When my team is playing I've begun 'reporting' as the game is being played, checking the network to update the other games.

For this world series, I sim the day, and then cover my screen, so I cannot see anything but the bottom half of the box to click on "LOG", where I go into the game log.
I then scroll, line by line, 'reporting' on the game as it happens, I have NO IDEA who wins, and NO idea of ANYTHING that happens until I scroll to that line of the game (which, btw if you notice and 'names' missing or clearly 'omitted' data please let me know so I can clean it up for people coming to this thread at a later date.

Why am I telling you this? For this reason. I just completed game 1 of the 2014 World Series, and I was honestly breathing heavy at the end, it was that kind of game.

I will post it in the next thread, and if you want to have fun, make it so you can only ready one line at a time, and follow along with the game, I do not for a second think you'll be disappointed.

Coming up, Game 1, 2014 World Series between the San Antonio Silver Spurs and Philadelphia Freedom.

[gehrig38]

Game 1 2014 World Series 7:05 PM CST (7:11 after the flyover actually)
Philadelphia @ San Antonio
Steve Whiteway (0-1 7.82) Steve Copeland (3-0 5.23)
One cool side note, something I had in my notes that I’ve never put to paper yet. Pat Peters, the San Antonio 3B, is the older brother (by 335 days) of Philly 3B Kevin Peters!!!! The media’s having a field day with that one…. “Who are your parents rooting for?”

Copeland finishes his warmups and the ump signals play ball!
A Jose Rodriguez K to start the game and it seems Steve Copeland is not real jittery out there, even though HP ump Tim Mclleland called the first pitch, which split the plate, knee high, a ball.
Kevin Peters starts his world series ‘career’ with a single as the next hitter, Ladd pops to short, Arredondo k’s on a check swing to end the inning. 0-0 bottom 1.
Steve Whiteway appears just as calm as Copeland did. Bradshaw grounds to Navarro on the 2nd pitch. Kelly O’Gorman continue his torrid October with a 1 out single, but Lou Sparks hits into a FC and Pat Peters pops to shallow right. 0-0 heading to the 2nd.

Salvador Chavez, after what appeared to be another Mcllelan ‘miss’, doubles on a 2-2 count. Dan Land moves him to third with a ‘dirt dog’ AB, grounding to first and Tom Byrd gets the scoring started in the 2014 world series with a sac fly to left. 1-0 Philly. Fleming walks on a 3-1 count and Mitchell Mills takes strike 3 to end the inning. 1-0 Philly, bottom 2.
Dave Williams hits a 1st pitch 4-3. Greg Wise hits a liner to right for a single. Esteban Caballero flails badly at a 1-2 split. On the 1-0 pitch Wise takes off and is called safe. Roberto Villalobos taps the next pitch back to Whiteway who jogs towards first and flips for the out. 1-0 Philly end of 2.

Rodriguez K’s again, Peters taps a soft ground to second. Dave Ladd hits a routine grounder to 3B Pat Peters who kicks it into foul territory where a San Antonio fan reaches over and touches the ball in play, awarding Ladd 2nd. Carlos Arredondo makes it matter as he lines a 1-1 fastball to right and Ladd comes around to score, 2-0. Chavez pops to short to end the inning. 2-0 Philly bottom 3.
Ledoux grounds to short, Bradshaw draws a 4 pitch walk. On a 2-1 pitch to O’Gorman Bradshaw takes off early but Whiteway never sees him. He recomposes after a few deep breathes and fans O’Gorman on a 3-2 fastball on the black, and Sparks taps a weak grounder to 3rd to end the inning. 2-0 Philly after 3 full.

Land drills a ball that’s about 2 inches from going out, to lead off the 4th.
Copeland, like Whiteway the last half inning, takes a deep breath and proceeds to fan Byrd, then Fleming and finally Mitchell Mills to end the top of 4, 2-0 Philly.
Peters pops to center leading off. Williams smokes a 1-2 pitch into the right center gap for a double.
Wise works a full count but chases ball 4 to K and Caballero pops up to short to end the 4th, 2-0 Philly.

Rodriguez flies to right leading off.
Kevin Peters gets a 2-1 pitch Copeland winced as he let go of, not out of pain but out of foresight…..
Peters drills it to deep right center, just clearing the wall for a 3-0 Philly lead.
Copeland then gets Ladd swinging on a 2-2 fastball, and Arredondo flails at a nasty split to end it. 3-0 Philly, heading to the bottom half of the 5th.
Villalobos singles to start the inning. Barney Ledoux works a 1-2 count and play stops……. Whiteway is looking around, everyone is looking around….
3rd base umpire Tom Hallion is saying Whiteway balked! He’s furious, and San Antonio fans are being woken up as Whiteway is going nuts, pitching coach and manager are taking turns pulling him away but he’s close to being tossed!
After another minute or two order is restored and word reaches the press box that Hallion called Whiteway for ‘addressing the rubber’ from the front of the mound, something he’s done every pitch of his career, including little league. (OUT OF CHARACTER MOMENT!! I am sprinkling in things that have happened to me personally, and that I saw over my 40 years playing the game, and this is one. Hallion called this exact thing on me in 1992, bottom of the 8th inning, in Atlanta, 0-0 game, Marquis Grissom on 3rd (Who I NEVER got out) against Smoltz. Run scores on balk, I K the hitter to end the inning, we lose 1-0!)
Play resumes with the 1-2 count on Ledoux, Villalobos on 2nd. A ball followed by Ledoux fouling off 2 nasty pitches, and Whiteway then throws 2 in a row, neither even close to the zone. Runners on 1st and 2nd no outs.
Ron Bradshaw lays down a perfect sac, and almost beats it out. 2nd and 3rd 1 out.
Whiteway walks O’Gorman on what appeared to be 5 balls, with the gratuitous 3-0 strike rearing its head.
Lou Sparks works it to a full count and Whiteway reaches into the reserve tank and blows him away on a 3-2 fastball.
Pat Peters never takes the bat of his shoulder as Whiteway throws 4, what can only be called “non-competitive pitches, and walks in the Silver Stars 1st run. 3-1 Philly.
Dave Williams steps up and Whiteway’s first pitch is airmailed to the backstop, Land never touches the ball! Ledoux comes across,3-2 without a hit in sight!
Whiteway manages to get a gift call on 1-0, and Williams is hot. They then battle over the next 5 pitches to a full count and Williams drills a ball, on a line, to right, but runs it down and the inning ends. After 5 Philly 3 San Antonio 2.

Steve Copeland does what any GREAT SP will do after a long and emotional inning for his opponent. He gets Chavez on a 1-0 F9, Land on a 2-1 F2 and Byrd on a 1st pitch F9, 7 pitches, 3 outs, Whiteway back to the mound after about 45 seconds rest. Bottom 6 3-2 Philly.
Greg Wise gets rung up on a 2-2 fastball; Caballero hits a 2 hopper to 2nd for 2 quick ones.
Villalobos drills a 2-0 fastball into the left center gap for a stand up double White way’s day is over (5.2-5-2-2-4-5).
Dave Gibbons comes on and gets Barney Ledoux on 1 pitch liner to center. 3-2 Philly after 6.

Copeland looks like he’s on cruise control…..
Fleming goes 6-3, Mills punches out on a 0-2 fastball in, and Rodriguez goes F9 on the first pitch, 8 pitches 3 outs. Last 2 inning’s he gotten 6 outs on 15 pitches. Bottom 7 Philly up 3-2.
Bradshaw hits a single into the hole at short on the innings first pitch. O’Gorman moves him to 2nd on a sac bunt to third.
Sparks lines a ball to left that Gold Glove LF Dave Ladd makes a sensational diving catch on. If he doesn’t catch it that one rolls to the wall and people are running for weeks!
Peters takes a horrid hack at a 1-2 split to end the inning. Philly 3 Silver Stars 2, end of 7.

Kevin Peters continues what’s now a disturbing trend. Grounding out, 4-3, on the innings first pitch. Ladd does the same on a 1-2 pitch and Arredondo makes it a hat trick for 2B Barney Ledoux on a 2-0 cutter, 8 more pitches, 3 more outs. 3 innings 23 pitches, 9 outs for Copeland. Bottom 8 coming up, Philly leading 3-2.
Elmer Osborn takes over for Gibbons and promptly walks Dave Williams on 4 straight.
Wise puts a 1st pitch sac down, perfectly.
Caballero tips a 3rd strike that Land manages to hold onto for the K.
Villalobos pops a 2-1 cookie straight up, F2 to end the inning. Philly leads 3-2 heading into the 9th.

Steve Copeland’s day is over, and what a game he threw (8-5-3-2-1-10). Closer Julio Salinas takes over, trailing 3-2.
Chavez makes it 3 innings in a row with a first pitch 6-3. Land works the count full but goes 5-3 and Barry MacKinney ends the inning 6-3. To the bottom half, 3-2 Philly.
Closer Julio Arroyo enters the game, and the crowd is completely out of this game, its ‘pin drop’ silent.
Ledoux ground a 1-1 pitch back to the mound for the 1st out, Bradshaw tops a roller between 1st and 2nd and flips to Arroyo covering for the 2nd out.
And San Antonio fans are asleep no more! Kelly Gorman, down to his last strike, and THEIR last strike, drills an Arroyo fastball down the left field line for a 2 out 2 strike game tying World Series HR!!!!!! It’s total pandemonium in San Antonio right now!!!!
It seems like forever before things calm to a dull roar. Lou Sparks comes to the plate.
And on a 0-1 slider he drills a double that 1 hops the left center field wall. You CANNOT hear yourself think in this ballpark!
3 pitches later, with the crowd in a frenzy, and the count 2-1…….. Pat Peters hits a sharp grounder down the third base line (towards his BROTHER!)
And it gets past a diving Kevin Peters, Sparks rounds third, he’s gonna score……………………..
SAFE! SAFE! HE’S SAFE! San Antonio’s Pat Peters drills a 2 out game winning walk off double down the left field line and the Silver Stars win game 1 of the 2014 World Series 4-3!!!!
#3 STAR OF THE GAME
Kevin Peters (PHI) 2-4 HR (2) RBI, R
#2 STAR OF THE GAME
Kelly O’Gorman (SAN) 2-3 HR (3) RBI, R, BB
#1 STAR OF THE GAME
Steve Copeland (SAN) 8-5-3-2-1-10
W Salinas (1-0) L Arroyo (1-1)
HR PHI Peters (2) SAN O’Gorman (3)

[Izz]

What a game! Great commentary.

Originally Posted by gehrig38

(OUT OF CHARACTER MOMENT!! I am sprinkling in things that have happened to me personally, and that I saw over my 40 years playing the game, and this is one. Hallion called this exact thing on me in 1992, bottom of the 8th inning, in Atlanta, 0-0 game, Marquis Grissom on 3rd (Who I NEVER got out) against Smoltz. Run scores on balk, I K the hitter to end the inning, we lose 1-0!)

And great story, too.

[gehrig38]

If you are one of the few that does like to follow a game, read line by line, be surprised, the game I am editing, and getting ready to post, makes game 1 look like a spring training contest. I'll just say it didn't end in 9, and involved a mound meeting to discuss a certain females 'rack'.....

[gehrig38]

GAME 2 2014 WORLD SERIES 7:05 CST (7:11 after the eagle descends on home plate)
Philadelphia @ San Antonio
Andrew Olson (1-2 3.81) vs Noah Jenkins (0-1 8.10)
Jenkins appears to be nervous, very fidgety. Rodriguez pops to 3rd to start. Kevin Peters works to a full count and draws a walk. Jenkins throws a 1-2 high fastball by Ladd and Arredondo does the exact same thing on a 3-2 count. 0-0 bottom 1.
Bradshaw drills the 2nd pitch he see into the left center field gap for a lead off double. Silver Star fans are up and rocking!
O’Gorman goes F7 on the 1st pitch, Sparks hits a tapper back to the mound on his first pitch and Peters pops his 1-0 pitch to 2nd. Inning over, 6 pitches. 0-0 after 1.

Chavez goes 5-3 on the first pitch (it HAS to be Steve Ripley’s strike zone here, these are some offensive superstars making a slew of outs on 1-2 pitch AB’s.)
Land actually DOES work the count and pays for it as Ripley rings him up on a 2-2 fastball.
Tom Byrd gets the Philly bench up and the few fans from Philly here in San Antonio when he drills a ball into the RF corner and strolls into 3rd with a standup triple!
Jenkins and Fleming grind and battle to a 1-2 count, 3 foul balls later and Ripley rings him up. 0-0 bottom 2.
Williams gets a 2-2 fastball to lead off, and drills a solid single to left.
Greg Wise is called out looking on a 3-2 curve ball that many believe ONLY Steve Ripley thought was a strike.
Esteban Caballero appears to want no part of Ripley deciding his fate, and reaches out of the zone on a 1-0 pitch, rolling a tailor made 6-4-3 for his effort. 0-0 after 2 full.

Mills starts the 3rd with a 0-1 single, Jenkins K’s Rodriguez swinging on a 0-2 split.
Kevin Peters pops to first and Ladd takes a 2-2 pitch that was all black, for the K to end the inning. 0-0 bottom 3.
Villalobos 1-2 K
Ledoux 0-0 lazy F8
Bradshaw 0-1 3 unassisted.
Took me longer to type than it did Olson to do. 8 pitch 3 out inning. Heading to the 4th, no score.

Jenkins works Arredondo to 0-2 again, but this time he pushes a ball into the 1st base hole for a leadoff single.
Chavez gets to 2-2 and his 5 hopper has eyes, into left for back to back singles to start the 4th.
Land JUST MISSES a 1-1 fastball, pulling it about 12,343 feet to left, just foul……
He follows that up by smashing a 1 hopper to short for the 6-4-3.
Byrd, with a runner on 3rd, works the count to 3-2 and……..
Punches out chasing a filthy 3-2 split. Bottom 4, no score.
O’Gorman flies to the track in center for the 1st out.
Sparks draws a walk and Pat Peters drills a single past his brother, again, to put runners at 1st and 2nd.
Dave Williams gets to 0-2 in 2 pitches, but fouls off 5 straight, then grounds to 2nd where Mitchell Mills kicks it to load the bases.
Greg Wise takes a 1-0 pitch and hits a deep fly ball to center, Sparks walks home with the games 1st run.
Caballero steps in with a chance to open it up,
But Olson gets to 1-2 and gets him chasing another FB up out of the zone. 1-0 San Antonio after 4.

The most important half inning of any start is the half after your team scores. The “shutdown’ inning it is called, and great pitchers win A LOT of games because they know it, and do it. Jenkings K’s Fleming to start the 5th (his 8th on the day).
Mitchell Mills goes 5-3 and Rodriguez flies to shallow right. 1-0 Stars bottom 5.
Olson and Villalobos engage in one of those AB’s that ONLY gets noticed this time of year, It ends in a pop out to short, but it takes Olson 10 pitches to do it. An out, but what is always considered ‘productive’ because you get the pitcher to use almost an innings worth of pitches to do it (especially in this game, series so far!)
Ledoux goes F-8 on a 1-2 pitch and Bradshaw punches out on a nasty slider. 1-0 Silver Stars after 5.

Jenkins gets Kevin Peters swinging to start the 6th, his 9th.
After a Dave Ladd 6-3 (on a 0-1) Carlos Arredondo singles to left (on a 1-0 pitch)
Chavez goes 0-2, and ends the inning with a 5-3 ground out. 1-0 San Antonio, bottom 6.
Olson does it again. O’Gorman F9 (1 pitch) Sparks K’s swinging (3 pitches) and Pat Peters ground to 1st unassisted (2 pitches). 6 pitches, 3 outs. 1-0 after 6.

Land goes F8 on the first pitch of the inning.
Tom Byrd becomes this games outlier, working the count full! And drawing a walk.
Jenkins gets to 0-2 on Fleming and after a borderline ball 1 punches him out on a fastball that tied him up.
Mitchell Mills gets to 1-2 and Ripley rings him up on the front door slider for Jenkins 11th K. Bottom 7 Philly still trailing by 1.
Olson reaches double digits! In an inning pitch count that is. Williams works a 3-0 count and has the green light, which he uses but shouldn’t have, hitting a weak grounder to 1st.
Gregory Wise hits the very next pitch, popping it up to short. 2 outs.
Caballero goes to a 2-2 count and Ripley rings yet another hitter up on a borderline pitch. End of 7, 1-0 San Antonio.

Jenkins notches his 12th K of the day as Rodriguez chases a 2-2 fastball to start the inning.
Kevin Peters hacks at another first pitch…. And drills a ball down the left field line that, from all appearances if clearly a foul ball! LF ump Brian O’Nora say no, fair ball! Peters is standing at 2nd with a double.
Dave Ladd proceeds to swing at yet another first pitch!
And his grounder finds the hole on the left side, Peters comes home easily and the Freedom tie it up!
Jenkins gets Arredondo on a 2-2 heater for the 2nd out and his IBL Playoff record I believe, 13th K!
Salvador Chavez punches a soft single to right and Ladd strolls into 3rd standing up.
There’s some murmuring going on and the only thing discernible is “Grady Little” and “Red Sox” and something about 2003……
Dan Land actually waits 1 pitch before he swings….
And his lazy fly ball to right is caught to end the inning. Game tied, heading to the bottom of 8.

OUT OF CHARACTER MOMENT
Not sure I can tell ya how much fun I am having right now, I have NO idea how this game ends, or when, yet…..

Back to the game, 1-1 bottom 8.
Olson still in there. Villalobos K’s looking on a 1-2 hanging split; Ledoux drills the 1st pitch in the hole past Mills at 2nd for a single.
Bradshaw goes to 2-1 and San Antonio puts on the hit and run.
Bradshaw hits a long fly ball to center but Rodriguez runs it down, Ledoux gets back easily.
O’Gorman pops to left to end the inning. Game 2 is headed to the 9th, all tied at 1!

Byrd works a full count to start the inning and ends up going 6-3. A VERY productive out as Noah Jenkins has thrown to his last hitter (8.1-8-1-1-2-13) in one of the better pitched playoff games ever. His 13 K’s are in fact an FL Playoff game record, the IBL record was 11 (Mattieu Cafasso (LV) 10.11.12) and Steve Copeland (10 yesterday! And 10 on the 9th of this month) and George Bean (SAC) had 10 1 year ago yesterday. FWIW Jenkins recorded a 92 game score!
Raul Quintana gets the call.
He walks his first hitter, Manny Navarro, on 4 straight.
Mitchell Mills hits a slow roller to 2nd and Navarro moves up.
Jose Rodriguez gets 2 strikes and fouls off 3 straight pitches before being rung up on a 3-2 fastball. Bottom 9, 1-1…..
Olson’s day is over (8-4-1-0-1-7), what an amazing performance.
Closer Julio Arroyo is back on the bump 1 day after a nightmare experience and San Antonio fans don’t appear to want him to forget. There’s Pat Peter’s masks everywhere….
Lou Sparks works a full count to lead off, and Arroyo throws a 99mph heater by him.
Peters strolls to the plate and this place just erupts! Pat works to a 2-1 count and hits a 454 foot pop up, 277 feet up, 277 feet down….
With 2 outs Dave Williams lines a single to right.
Greg Wise gets into an 0-2 hole but manages to slap a ball to the left side that finds the hole. 1st and 2nd 2 outs….
Esteban Caballero gets after the first pitch and just slams a rocket past a diving Kevin Peters to left.
Unfortunately it’s hit so hard Dave Williams has NO chance of scoring on the hit.
Bases juiced, Roberto Villalobos coming up….
Ball, foul, ball…
Another sky high pop up that 1B Tom Byrd wanders near the stands, and fans actually reach over onto the field to try and catch the ball! 1B Ump Steve Palermo rules fan interference, and Villalobos is out! No one is arguing so clearly it was a ‘good’ call I guess…
Onto the 10th, 1-1!
Holy cow, not sure I can take this!
Kevin Peters pops to 3rd; Dave Ladd goes 3-0 and gets the green light…..
And proceeds to hit 6 foul balls in a row, all over the yard…
The AB ends when Quintana walks him.
Carlos Arredondo flails badly at a 1-2 offering for out #2.
On the 1st pitch to Salvador Chavez Ladd takes off. Catcher Esteban Caballero makes a perfect toss and tags Ladd to end the inning. Bottom 10, 1-1.
Arroyo stays in.
Ledoux goes 6-3
Bradshaw has a 9 pitch AB end with a swinging K.
O’Gorman goes 0-2 and Ripley rings him up on a 1-2 heater away. Onto the 11th.

Quintana on for his 3rd inning.
Chavez goes 5-3 on 3 pitches, Land punches out swinging on 3 pitches and Tom Byrd goes 4-3 on 2 pitches to end a quick top of 11. 1-1 to the bottom of the 11th.
Elmer Osborn takes over for Arroyo (2-3-0-0-0-3) to start the 11th.
He goes 0-2 on Sparks and immediately wakes the whole place up when his high and tight 0-2 fastball drills Spark in his mid back….
Sparks tosses his bat, picks up the ball and fires it back at Arroyo. The Latin righty is clearly fuming too…
Pat Peters drills the 1st pitch down the 3B line!
Kevin Peters dives….
Falling away from the field he scoops and fires a rocket to Ledoux who relays to O’Gorman….
DOUBLE PLAY! Holy crap! That’s some brotherly love right there.
The crowd actually applauds; I think they’re applauding both players actually!
Dave Williams gets 4 straight balls and draws a 2 out walk.
Greg Wise hits a 1-0 fastball to left center….
And Jose Roqriguez grabs it off his shoe tops to end the inning. Williams was way past 2nd, that ball drops this game is over. 1-1 heading to 12…

Quintana still in.
Navarro lines a 1-0 pitch to deep left center, but Sparks runs it down for the first out.
Mitchell Mills takes Quintana’s first pitch and CRUSHES a ball to deep center; Wise is on a dead sprint to the wall….
And the ball hits about 2 feet from the top as Mills rounds 2nd and comes into third with a stand up triple.
No movement in the Silver Stars dugout, Quintana’s game to lose?
3B Kevin Peters steps up, perhaps thinking pay back? He looks down at 3rd, his brother is back a bit….Um, bunt? Could he possibly push a 2 out bunt to third? No way….
He fouls off the first pitch and Quintana throws 3 straight balls. On the 3-1 pitch he rifles a shot between first and second….
Into right field for a single, Mitchell Mills crosses the plate, Philly leads 2-1!
Dave Ladd gets into a 0-2 hole quickly…
And lines a 0-2 single to right, Peters stops at 2nd.
That’s it for Quintana (3.1-3-1-1-2-4), Closer Julio Salinas, last night’s winner, is coming in to face Philly slugger Carlos Arredondo.
That was quick, Arredondo drills the first pitch he sees to deep right but Villallobos tracks it down, inning over, bottom of the 12th, 3 outs left for San Antonio, down 2-1. Their fans are on their feet…
Barry MacKinney in to play 1B for Philly.
Elmer Osborn still in.
Caballero leads off, hitting a 0-1 pitch to medium left for the 1st out.
Osborn, on a 0-1 pitch, drills Villalobos.
Barney Ledoux takes a 1-1 pitch and hits a seeing eye grounder between 1st and 2nd and Villalobos was off on the pitch, and gets to third standing up! The noise in the stadium is deafening!
Ron Bradshaw up next, 1st and 3rd 1 out.
K, Ball, foul, ball, foul, ball, 3-2 heater…
Bradshaw hits a shallow pop up between third, short, and left that falls into no man’s land! TIE GAME! Villalobos scores, Ledoux stops at second!
HOLY CRAP! Are you kidding me!!
Kelly O’Gorman, feeling insanely good at the plate from everything we can see, decides to get stupid.
He hits a weak 2 hopper on a bad 1st pitch, for a 6-4-3 inning ending DP. Just like that the rally dies. BUT! 2-2, heading to a 13th inning!

Salinas still in the game. Salvador Chavez draws a leadoff walk. Dan Land pulls an “O’Gorman”, hitting the first pitch on a hop to short for the 6-4-3.
Brady Hardin gets the call; he PH’s for Tom Byrd and it seems Manager Jose Solis can do no wrong. Hardin lines a 1-2 fastball into the hole for a single.
Manny Navarro fouls off a few pitches and on a 1-2 fastball…
He hits a liner to center that Greg Wise runs down, to the bottom of 13, 2-2!
Hardin now at 1st for Philly.
Sparks leads off with a 6-3.
Pat Peter gets in a hole 1-2 and K’s swinging at an Osborn cuter.
Dave Williams is 0-2 right away and k’s swinging on the same pitch, same spot. 2-2 into the 14th inning.
Salinas is still in the game!
Mitchell Mills works a full count to start the inning, but Salinas still has fuel in the tank as the 96MPH heater will attest. Mills k’s swinging.
Rodriguez gets to 2-2 and Salinas brings it out again, this time at 98. K#2 of the inning.
Jon Sloan is summoned from the pen, what a job by Julio Salinas (2-1-0-0-1-2). This could cost him a game 3 appearance given his workload this year.
Sloane faces the “Fake Peters” as he’s now known in San Antonio. Called K, foul, ball, foul, foul…
And he’s NOT the “Fake Peters” anymore! Kevin drills the 1-2 fastball DEEEP down the left field line, and it clears the 345 mark by less than a foot, and inches from a leaping Lou Sparks at the wall for a 2 out, 2 strike tie breaking solo HR! Holy CRAP the Peters family has to be freaking out!
Sloan is clearly distraught. He’s taking a whole bunch of time before toeing the rubber to face Dave Ladd.
Ladd then lines his first pitch to left center for a 2 out single. Carlos Arredondo works to a full count and draws a 2 out walk. A meeting on the mound ensues…
PC Scott Gassaway “Sloanie?”
Sloan “Ya?”
PC “How about that rack, front row, 1st base dugout, 3 seats in from the right side?”
Sloan “coach….”
PC “Ya?”
Sloan “that’s my wife dude”
PC “No sweat, take a breath, make a pitch and get us back in the dugout, c’mon kid”.
…………………Happened……….
Must have worked. Salvador Chavez grounds the next pitch to short for an inning ending 6-3. Bottom of the 14th coming, 3-2 Philly. Is their magic brewing?
Osborn remains in the game.
Gregory Wise lines a 1-0 fastball past a diving Kevin Peters for a leadoff single…… No way, no f’ng way…..
Esteban Caballero drops a gorgeous sac that Osborn fields and get him at first. Wise to 2nd.
Villalobos taps a 1-2 pitch back to Osborn who flips to 1st, Wise holds.
Osborn isn’t even close, 4 straight balls to Ledoux to put runners on 1st and 2nd.
Bradshaw up, 2 outs, 1st and 2nd, gets to 1-0, and Bradshaw lines a ball into the hole between short and third, Peters dives…
Navarro dives….
NEITHER COMES UP WITH IT! Wise was off on the swing and rounds third……
And scores standing up! Are you kidding me! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! 3-3 2 outs 1st and 2nd, bottom of the 14th.
Rafael Flores is summoned from the pen, Osborn goes (3.2-4-2-2-2-2)

Ok this game is a nail biter “in game” and RL as well. Wife summons me to take my dog out (old Rotty named Patton who I think is in his last weeks as my buddy) at this very point in the replay, I KNOW the game is going to end soon as I don’t have a lot of scroll bar left, I just have no idea how or when, just that it’s coming……

Sloan in, starts off the inning K’ing Dan Land swinging , 1-2 count.
Brady Hardin flies to right on a 1-2 count again.
Manny Navarro drills a 2 out single to left, runner on 1st 2 outs.
Mitchell Mills takes strike 1, ball…
And grounds to second to end the top of the 15th, knotted at 3.
Sparks leads off, Flores pitching (literally doing this pitch by pitch as I have about 1/15th of the scroll bar left, there’s at most an inning and a half left…)
Called strike
Ball
Foul
Foul
Ball
Ball
Punch out swinging.
Pat Peters steps up….again?
1st pitch swinging..
6-3 ground out, 2 outs none on…
Dave Williams up…
Foul
Ball
Ball
Ball
3-1 Shallow blooper to center falls in, 2 outs, runner on 1st.
Greg Wise up…
Ball
Ball
Called strike
2-1 pops it up, F2 to end the 15th…
Holy poop. Are you kidding? I sure hope this is ok to read like this. I can’t imagine spoiling this one by reading ahead
To the top of the 16th, 3-3 tie.
Sloan still in…. Jose Rodriguez leading off..
Called strike
Jose Rodriguez crushes a 0-1 offering from Jon Sloan to right center for his first career post season HR and it’s a tie breaking solo HR in the top of the 16th, the silence in here is deafening.
Paul Parker comes into the game….Sloan (1.1-4-2-2-1-1. 2 home runs!)
Kevin Peters hitting..
Called strike
Ball
Ball
Hits a tapper back to the mound, 1 out.
Dave Ladd up…
Ball
Shallow fly to left, F7, 2 outs.
Carlos Arredondo up..
Ball
Hits a 1-0 line drive to center…
Right at CF Glen Wise for the out, on to the bottom of the 16th, 4-3 Philly!
Flores remains in the game… Caballero leading off….
Ball
Foul
Ball
Pop up, F5 1 out
Roberto Villalobos batting….
Called strike
Ball
Soft ground ball to second, 4-3, 2 outs.
Barney Ledoux hitting…
Lines a first pitch single to right, 2 outs, runner on 1st.
OMG, ok, this game is over in a hitter or two, tops, there’s literally no more scrolling to do.
Ron Bradshaw is up, O’Gorman on deck… What the hell is going to happen??
Called strike
Aw….
Bradshaw taps a grounder to short, flip to second for the FC, game over, Philly pulls out an insane game, I can’t wait to see who the stars are, and what the hell this box score looks like. I seem to remember two SP that dealt, and a guy that punched out 13, like an hour ago.
#3 STAR OF THE GAME
Kevin Peters (PHI) 3-7 2B, HR, 2 RBI’s , 2 runs, BB (he was #3 in game 1)
#2 STAR OF THE GAME
Andrew Olson (PHI) 8-4-1-0-1-7
#1 STAR OF THE GAME
Noah Jenkins (SAN) 8.1-8-1-1-2-13
W Flores (1-0) L Sloan (0-1)
HR PHI Peters (3) Rodriguez (1)

[gehrig38]

GAME 3 2014 WORLD SERIES 6:05 CST (6:15 Likely as we are hosting 25 former MLB players for the first Pitch, celebrating the final “all decade” team IN MLB History….Stay tuned on that one)
San Antonio @ Philadelphia Series tied 1-1
Colin Durham (1-3 8.35) vs Richard O’Dell (1-1 2.03)

I mean seriously, what can possibly happen? Is it even possible to top what happened a few days ago? I am terrified of a letdown now. O’Dell has been nails this post season, so lets see.
Wise drills the 1st World Series pitch of Richard O’Dell’s career into the LCF gap for a double. I mean seriously, how many 1st pitch AB’s have ended? I should go back and count what the teams are combined hitting on the 1st pitch.
O’Gorman grounds to 3rd, failing to move the runner, just crappy baseball.
Sparks sends an 0-1 pitch on a line to right center, and it falls, Wise was held up, unsure of the catch, but in reality it was horrible base running, 1st and 3rd 1 out.
Pat Peters drills a 2-0 fastball to left, Wise scores easily and Sparks never stops, reaching third on a bang bang tag play.
Shannon Bryan, in his 1st World Series game and AB, punches out on a 1-2 split.
Williams up, 2 outs 1st and 3rd, hits the 2nd pitch to Peters at third, inning over. 1-0 San Antonio.
Rodriguez, the game 2 hero, singles to 3rd to start the game. Navarro then clocks Durhams 1-1 fastball to straight away left, just inching over the wall for a 2R HR. 2-1 Philly and the Phaithful are out in force tonight.
Ladd punches out swinging, Arredondo looking and Kevin Peters pops to short to end the 1st, 2-1 Philly after 1.

O’Dell makes quick work of San Antonio in the 2nd.
Caballero goes 6-3, Jerry Warren getting the start goes 4-3 and Henri Paquet ground out 5-3. All on 8 pitches. 2-1 heading to the bottom of 2.
Byrd punches out swinging on a 1-2 fastball, Barry MacKinney legs out an IF single on an 0-2 squib. Durham gets Land looking and Mills swinging to end the inning. 5 K’s through 2.

Wise pops up O’Dells 1st pitch, F7, which brings up O’Gorman…
He barrels a 1-1 cutter to right center for a single.
Sparks hits a 1st pitch to 2nd for the FC, erasing O’Gorman.
With Pat Peters up Sparks takes off on the 1st pitch, stealing 2nd.
Peters gets to 1-1 but hits a harmless grounder to 3rd, inning over. 8 pitches… Bottom 3 2-1 Philly.
Bottom half moves just as fast….
Rodrigues punches out on a 2-2 swing, Navarro taps a soft grounder to 2nd on the 1st pitch and Dave Ladd goes 6-3. End of three, Philly up 2-1. Durham at 45 pitches, O’Dell 32 through 3.

Bryan leads off with a 4-3.
Dave Williams gets 7 pitches in but goes 5-3 for the 2nd out.
Caballero hits a 3-1 fastball on a line to left for a single, bringing up Jerry Warren…
Warren gets to 2-2 and drills an O’Dell curve ball to right center for a single, 1st and 2nd 2 outs, Paquet up.
Henri waits an entire 2 pitches before he hits a slow roller back to O’Dell, inning over. 2-1 Philly, bottom 4.
Durham appears to be settling in.
Arredondo grounds out 1-3…
Peters gets into a cripple count but taps weakly to short for the 2nd out.
Durham gets Byrd to a 1-2 count and catches him looking for his 7th punch out. Into the 5th 2-1 Philly. O’Dell at 55, Durham 57.

Wise pops to shallow left to start the inning. O’Gorman fouls off 5 pitches to hang tough but goes 4-3.
Sparks strokes a solid single up the box with 2 outs.
Pat Peters steps up and ends the inning with a 6-3 on a 1-1 fastball. Bottom 5 2-1.
MacKinney gets the count full but takes a called third strike.
Land does the same, works a full count but gets pretty much the same pitch and takes it, for ball four….
Mitchell Mills grounds to third, Land moves up for Jose Rodriguez. 2 outs runner on 2nd.
Rodriguez take a called strike and then unloads on the 0-1 change from Colin Durham, hitting a 414ft blast to right center for a 2 run homer (his 2nd in 2 games) and a 4-1 Philly lead.
Navarro taps to the mound to end the 5th, 4-1 Freedom. O’Dell at 70, Durham 82 through 5.

O’Dell gets Bryan to ground out, 5-3, then punches out Dave Williams on an 0-2 high fastball.
Esteban Caballero hits O’Dell’s first pitch in the hole between first and second but 2B Mitchell Mills makes a diving stab to end the inning. After 5 ½ 4-1 Philly.
Durham k’s Ladd to start the 6th, his 9th of the day.
Arredondo singles past first with 1 out.
Kevin Peters lines a ball down the line in left and Sparks makes a diving stab for the 2nd out.
Tom Byrd coaxes a 2 out 8 pitch walk to bring up Barry MacKinney. With Durham at 102 pitches his night is called (5.2-5-4-4-2-9 with his 2 runners on base). Raul Quintana is in the game.
After strike 1 Quintana throws four straight balls to walk the bases loaded for Dan Land.
Ball, ball, sK, sK, foul, ball..
Land drills a line drive to right center, Arredondo scores, Byrd scores and MacKinney gets to 3rd, 6-1 Philly.
Mitchell Mills comes up… Ball, sK, sK, foul,
Pop up, F6 to end the inning. Philly opens it up, 6-1 after 6. Durhams line (5.2-5-6-6-2-9). O’Dell has 78 after 6.

Warren taps to third to start the inning.
Paquet to short for 2 outs.
Wise chases a bad 2-2 pitch, 6-1 to the bottom of 7. O’Dell at 92 pitches.
Rodriguez grounds out 3U, Navarro singles to right on a 1-0 pitch. Ladd works a full count and walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd, 1 out, Arredondo coming up.
Smokes a 0-1 fastball that 2B snags for an easy 4-6-3 inning ender. 6-1 after 7.

O’Gorman greets O’Dell with a single to right to lead off. O’Dell’s at 96 pitches when Sparks comes up….
And he’s at 105 after the AB and Sparks is on first with a walk.
No move to get him as Pat Peters steps up, Peters works it to a 2-1 count…
And laces a single to left, too hard for O’Gorman to score. Still no movement in the dugout and O’Dell’s at 109 pitches, having given up 9 hits and walk through 7+….
Shannon Bryan works O’Dell to a 2-2 count…
And takes a called third strike in disbelief….A crushing outcome, anything BUT that, or a DP gets this rolling…
STILL no move to get O’Dell, and my guess is the pen is so spent, with a 5 run lead they’re going to milk every out they can.
Dave Williams steps up, bases loaded. 2 outs, Ball, cK, ball, foul….
Williams takes the inning from promising to disastrous with a 4-6-3 double play to end it.
From NO OUTS bases loaded to inning over in 2 hitters and 10 pitches against a tiring starter, ugh. 6-1 after 8, O’Dell is now at 119 pitches.

Tom Norman relieves Quintana.
Kevin Peters greets him with a leadoff double.
Byrd ‘plays the game’ with a 4-3 that moves him over.
Barry MacKinney SMOKES a liner that 1B makes a diving grab on top of the bag.
Land K’s looking to end it. To the bottom half, 6-1 Philly.
Dave Gibbons takes over for O’Dell (8-9-1-1-1-4).
Caballero flies to center leading off.
Warren punches out looking at an 0-2 cockshot.
Paquet runs it to 3-1, and lines a single in the hole at short.
Greg Wise smokes Gibbons first offering into the right center gap for a double, putting runners at 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs.
O’Gorman comes to the plate…cK, Foul, ball, foul, ball,
And he waves at a split below the zone to k, and end the game. Philly grabs an early lead and never looks back. Now up 2-1.
# 3 STAR OF THE GAME
Manuel Navarro (PHI) 2-4 HR, 2 RBI’s, run scored
#2 STAR OF THE GAME
Jose Rodriguez (PHI) 2-4 HR, 2 RBI’s, 2 runs
#1 STAR OF THE GAME
Richard O’Dell (PHI) 8-9-1-1-1-4
W O’Dell (2-1) L Durham (1-4)
HR Navarro (1) Rodriguez (2)
Philly leads the series 2-1

[jaysdailydose]

Curt...

I finished Orcin's updates all the way through, and moved on to yours now... and not just because I loved you as a player.

The main reason for this post is to say that I'm sorry to hear that your dog is on his last legs. I just recently lost my cat, and you never want to see them go.

I'll be reading your dynasty, and cheering for your Iron Pigs. It is truly awesome how a man of your stature and accomplishments loves video games as much as we do! I don't want to take up space in your thread, but I wanted you to know I'm even more of a fan now than I was during your career. Please keep up the great work!

[Orcin]

Wow, game 2 was amazing!

I like players with a good eye and high K rating to make those pitchers work.

The shutdown inning is interesting. I didn't know that's what it was called.

Great stuff... love the insight. Although the fact that men stare at good looking women is hardly news.

[gehrig38]

The cool thing was the player's wife ended up one of my wifes best friends.

[gehrig38]

GAME 4 2014 WORLD SERIES 6:05 CST (6:11 more likely as Aerosmith will need to be helped off the field after their first ‘pitches’)
San Antonio @ Philadelphia Philly leads the series 2-1
Travis Rich (2-1 6.00) vs Dan Hill (0-0 2.19)

Kind of a let down in game three after all the hoopla. Now it gets serious. This is always the game (unless it’s 3-0) in a 7 gamer that players on both sides know is ‘make or break’. Someone’s down 2-1 and if they don’t have a clubhouse that can overcome they know this is it. On the other side of the coin, a team that’s battled all year, this is where they kick it in the ass, they know today is really the elimination game.

And the Silver Stars are the team that ‘knows’ what today means. Having to beat that lineup 3 times in a row seems a bit much. They need this one and come out in the 1st and act like it.
Hill gets Wise on a 4 pitch K to start it off, and Does the same to O’Gorman, he’s painting and has all three pitches to start the game.
Sparks doesn’t wait around, getting behind this guy right now is going to be a problem. He lines a sharp single to center.
Pat Peters just misses with a long foul ball in a great hitters count. 2-2.
Foul
Foul
Foul
Foul
Peters destroys the 2-2 offering from Hill to deep right center for a 2 run homer. 2-0 Silver Stars.
Shannon Bryan drills an 0-1 offering to left, on a line for an F7. To the bottom of 1, San Antonio with the lead.
Philly clearly feels the importance of this one as well. Good AB’s through the entire inning on both sides.
Rich is nowhere near the zone to Jose Rodriguez and walks him on 4 straight.
Where the big leagues separate themselves, 4 straight balls and some pitchers think “Ok, throw a strike, get ahead…”
Manny Navarro pounces on a ‘get me over’ first pitch fastball, driving a ball down the right field line and into the corner, Rodriguez scores easily and Navarro is in with a standup triple.
Dave Ladd looks at a ball and then lines the next pitch to deep center, over Wise’s head for a stand up double, 2-0 San Antonio lead gone in 7 pitches and 3 hitters. Tie game, runner on 2nd, 0 outs.
Carlos Arredondo fouls off 2 to run the count full, an Rich misses badly on ball 4.
PC jogs to the mound, this is getting out of hand quickly.
1st and 2nd, 0 outs, 2-2 game.
Kevin Peters steps in. Ball, ball, cK, ball…..cK…. Full count…
And Rich gets the first out of the inning as Peters chases ball 4 for a K.
Tom Byrd hits into a FC on a 2-1 pitch, Ladd to third, Byrd on at first.
Mound meetings can be good things, sometimes. Barry MacKinney steps up and works to a 2-2 count…
And chases a ball below the zone to end the inning. 2-2 after 1.

Dave Williams leads off the 2nd for San Antonio with a sharp single past 2nd.
Esteban Caballero then takes an 0-1 offering and lines a double down the 3B line to put runners on 1st and 2nd, O outs.
PC jogs out, small talk, a smile and we get back to play.
Hill gets Jerry Warren chasing a 2-2 slider away for the innings first out.
Paquet goes down 0-2, then 3 straight balls make it full, fouls one off…
And sends a 3-2 pitch to 3rd, where Kevin Peters clanks it, and the ball gets into the San Antonio pen. Williams scores, Caballero to third and he scores! A two run error on Peters puts San Antonio back on top by 2. Runners on the corners 1 out.
Greg Wise lifts a ball to left but it’s not deep enough, 2 outs.
O’Gorman works to a 2-2 count but freezes on a good FB in for the last out. 4-2 San Antonio bottom 2.
Rich leads off the 2nd with another K of Dan Land, this time chasing a 2-2 slider.
Mitchell Mills lines a ball to center for an F8
Jose Rodriguez jumps on an 0-1 pitch but it falls just short of the track in right center. Hill has a 10 pitch inning after a 29 pitch first. 4-2 San Antonio after 2.

Hill works Sparks 0-2 and after 2 fouls he tries to come in, back him up, and drills him to start the 3rd.
Pat Peters gets into an 0-2 hole, 3 close pitches Peters doesn’t offer at and the count runs full when Peters goes outside the zone for the K.
On a 2-1 pitch to Bryan Sparks takes off….
And steals second.
Bryan pops up the 2-2 pitch to short.
Williams gets to 1-2 and chases another Hill pitch above the zone, K, 4-3 heading to the bottom of 3. Dan Hill has 6 K’s through 3, but has already thrown 66 pitches.
Message? Navarro in a 1-2 count has no shot of getting out of the way as Rich drills him in the thigh. Some words are exchanged and bench coach of Philly is hot, shouting out to the mound at Travis Rich, who apparently figures out he’s being yelled at, and responds with a 1 finger salute to the Freedoms bench.
Dave Ladd hits a slower roller to 3B that moves Navarro to 2nd. 1 out.
Arredono hits a smash to short, 6-3 2 outs.
Rich misfires on a 1-0 pitch to Kevin Peters and Navarro moves up to third.
Peters drills a 2-1 pitch deep into the RCF gap but it’s handled for out #3. 4-2 San Antonio after 3. Rich at 52 pitches after 3.

Caballero goes 6-3, Warren K’s on a 2-2 split and Paquet goes F-8 on the first pitch. 9 pitch inning for Hill, 75 through 4.
Rich gets Byrd on 1 pitch, 4-3, MacKinney pops to 2nd on a 2-1 count and Rich K’s Land on an 0-2 fastball up. 9 pitches, 3 outs, onto the 5th San Antonio still up 4-2. Rich at 61 pitches.

Wise gets Hill for a leadoff single on a 2-1 heater.
O’Gorman hits a liner to right for the 1st out.
Sparks gets to 2-2 and hits a ball deep into the left field corner but Byrd runs it down, Wise tags and slides into 2nd safely, 2 outs.
Hill misses badly 4 straight, Pat Peters draws the 2 out walk.
Bryan hits a shallow pop to center on an 0-1 pitch, inning over, 4-2 to the bottom of 5.
Mills grounds out on a 3-2 pitch and Rodriguez lines the 1st pitch to left for a single, 1 out runner on first.
Rodriguez steals 2nd on a 1-1 pitch to Navarro.
Navarro then grounds out to 2nd, moving Rodriguez over, 2 outs.
Ladd draws a 2 out walk…
Arredondo takes a hellacious hack on the 1st pitch..
And pops it to 2nd to end the 5th, 4-2 San Antonio. Hill at 93 pitches, Rich 78.

Williams chases strike 3 in a 7 pitch AB, Caballaro goes 6-3 on the first pitch.
Jerry Warren draws a 4 pitch walk to end Hill’s day (105 pitches 5.2-5-4-2-8-2 with a runner on)
Dave Gibbons comes into the game and gets Henri Paquet on 1 pitch, F3, bottom 6 4-3 San Antonio.
Kevin Peters leads it off by drawing a walk.
Tom Byrd lines the first pitch to right for a single, 1st and 2nd, 0 outs….
Barry MacKinney has a professional AB, punching a soft grounder to 2nd, moving the runners up, 1 out.
Rich loses the zone and Dan Land walks to load’em up, 1 out.
Mitchell Mills battles Rich to a 2-2 count but Rich gets him chasing for the K, 2 outs.
Jose Rodriguez takes a strike, count moves to 1-1…..
And he then jumps on a slider that doesn’t slide, drilling a ball deep to right center field, Sparks and Wise are on their horses but they run out of room…
GRAND SLAM FOR JOSE RODRIGUEZ! A 2 out granny makes it 6-4 Philly!
Rich remains in the game…..
For 2 more pitches when Manny Navarro drills a ball into the RF corner that rattles around for a standup triple… Rich’s day is done (5.2-5-6-6-4-3 with a runner on)
Raul Quintana enters the game.
Dave Ladd flies to center to end the inning, Philly takes the lead 6-4 on Jose Rodriguez’s grand slam. Onto the 7th.

Gibbons issues a 4 pitch walk to Wise to start the inning.
O’Gorman lays down a perfect sac bunt, 1 out.
Lou Sparks rolls a grounder to 3rd that Kevin Peters picks up and misfires to first, Wise comes around to score on Peters 2nd error of the game, 6-5 Philly, 1 out runner on 1st.
Kevin Peters brother then makes his own kin pay, drilling Dave Gibbons 2nd pitch to deep left for a 2 run homer, and a 7-6 Silver Star lead!
Gibbons gets the hook and Jeff Bishop is on the hill.
Bryan grounds to short.
Dave Williams hits a 1-2 pitch over the head of the first baseman for a 2 out double.
Caballero rolls out to end the 7th, 7-6 San Antonio.

Arredondo lines Quintana’s first pitch to center for a leadoff single.
Quintana throws 4 straight balls to walk Kevin Peters, 1st and 2nd, no outs.
Salvador Sanchez goes in to run for Arredondo at 2nd, Tom Byrd up….ball, foul…
Byrd punches a ball in the hole between first and second, O’Gorman and Ledoux dive and…
Neither can come up with it, Chavez rounds third and heads home, no throw, tie game! Runners on 1st and 2nd 0 outs.
Barry MacKinney chases a 1-2 pitch for the first out.
Land hits a ball to short, Warren flips to second for 1 but no double play, Peters moves to third, 2 outs.
Mitchell Mills up, ball, ball..
sK
Mills hits a ball in the exact same spot as Byrd…..
And gets the same result! Peters will score, Land to second, and he continues on to 3rd, 8-7 Philly!, 1st and 3rd, 2 outs. Tom Norman will enter the game for Quintana….Jose Rodriguez up….
Norman gets Rodriguez on 2 pitches, F7, inning over. Philly up 8-7, what a game, wow. Onto the 8th.

Elmer Osborn takes over for Philly.
Warren leading off. Down a run he gets the green light 3-0, and swings…..
And grounds out weakly to second… Really?
Henri Paquet hits a single past 3. Ron Bradshaw comes in to run….
Osborn uncorks at 2-0 fastball that Land has no shot to catch, Bradshaw down to 2nd.
Wise grounds out, moving Bradshaw to 3rd, 2 outs.
O’Gorman hits the 1-0 pitch to medium left, inning over, 8-7 Philly bottom 8.
Villalobos is now in CF for San Antonio.
Navarro singles on a liner to center to lead it off.
Ladd grounds into a FC at 2nd.
Chavez flies to left center on a 1-2 pitch and Kevin Peters is up…
And if needed he’ll lead off the 9th as Dave Ladd is caught stealing 2nd on the 1st pitch. Heading to the 9th, Philly up a run.

Closer Julio Arroyo is in the game
Lou Sparks leads off and hits a sharp grounder to Mills for the out.
Pat Peters comes up. cK, Ball, cK, Ball, Ball, foul..
And Peters draws the 1 out walk… Tying run on, 1 out, Shannon Bryan to the plate…
Foul
Ball
Ball
Ball
On the 3-1 pitch Bryan hits a hard 1 hopper that Navarro spears, flips to Mills who goes on to 1st for the game ending double play! Philly goes up 3 games to 1 with a wild 8-7 win.
#3 STAR OF THE GAME
Manny Navarro (PHI) 3-4 2 3B, RBI, R
#2 STAR OF THE GAME
Jose Rodriguez (PHI) 2-4, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB (That’s 3 straight World Series Games with a HR!)
#1 STAR OF THE GAME
Pat Peters (SAN) 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
W Bishop (1-0) L Quintana (1-1) S Arroyo (4)
HR SAN Peters 2 (4) PHI Rodriguez (3)
Philly leads the series 3-1

[gehrig38]

GAME 5 2014 WORLD SERIES 6:05 CST (6:12 more likely as Philly legend Steve Carlton will graciously sign a few autographs on his way off the field..)

San Antonio @ Philadelphia Philly leads the series 3-1
Steve Copeland vs Steve Whiteway
Do or die time for the Silver Stars. Philly can smell it. I never ever thought my team would lose after we had 3 wins, never (except for the second Soriano’s ball landed in the 8th inning that is)
Whiteway comes out sharp…
Bradshaw flies to left, O’Gorman punches out swinging and Sparks pops to short. 13 pitches, to the bottom of 1.
Rodriguez continues his quest for a world title and an MVP award by dropping down a beautiful bunt single to get things started.
And Kevin Peters, on a 1-2 fastball, gives Philly fans a reason to scream.
Drilling a line drive over the wall in left for a 2R homer, and a 2-0 Philly lead.
Ladd walks on a 3-2 pitch as Copeland looks a little rattled.
He settles a bit and then Arredondo ropes a ball up the middle…
Ledoux snares it, flips to Bradshaw who goes on to first for the double play.
Salvador Chavez pops the 1st pitch up, inning over, 2-0 Philly.

Whiteway gets Pat Peters on a 1 pitch 6-3 to start the 2nd.
Williams does the exact same thing, 2 pitches 2 outs.
Wise gets into an 0-2 hole and goes 4-3 to end it. Bottom 2 coming up.
Land goes 6-3, Byrd punches out on a 1-2 chase and Fleming works Copeland to a full count…
And goes down swinging as well. End of 2 2-0 Freedom.

Caballero starts the third with a 5-3 ground out on a 3-1 pitch.
Villalobos flails at 1-2 fastball for a K.
Ledoux singles past short with 2 outs. Bradshaw up, Ball 1…..
Ledoux takes off and Land hoses him at 2nd, 3 outs. 2-0 Philly into the bottom half of 3. Whiteway at 32 pitches through 3.

Mitchell Mills works Copeland for a leadoff walk to start the 3rd.
Rodriguez gets the count to 3-1 and beats the throw at first to avoid the DP. 1 out, runner on 1st.
Rodriguez takes off on the 1st pitch and Caballero guns him down for the 2nd out.
Peters hits a shallow fly to center for the 3rd out. 2-0 after 3. Copeland at 47 pitches through 3.

Bradshaw works a full count walk out of Whiteway to lead off the 4th.
O’Gorman works to a 2-2 count but Whiteway gets him chasing for the first out.
Lou Sparks then lines a hit and run single past a diving Navarro but the balls hit too hard for Bradshaw to get to 3rd, 1st and 2nd 1 out Pat Peters up.
In what can only be an unexplainable brain cramp, Sparks takes off with cleanup hitter Pete Peters at the plate and Land nails him at third! 2 outs…
Peters gets the pitch he’s looking for 3-1 and fouls it off….
He hits the 3-2 softly to 2nd to end the inning. Philly up 2-0 to the bottom of 4. Whiteway at 53 through 4.
Dave Ladd greets Copeland with a 1-0 single to open the 4th.
Something in the water tonight, two teams pressing, 1 to win it all, 1 to stay alive…
Ladd takes off on the 1st pitch, and Caballero guns another one down.
Arredondo swings and misses at the 1-2 heater for out #2.
Chavez then lines the first pitch he sees to left for a 2 out single.
Copeland gets Land to 0-2 and tries to get him to chase the split but it bounces wildly and Chavez moves up to 2nd…
Copeland comes back with the same pitch in a 2-2 count and Land waves at it. 2-0 Philly after 4. Copeland at 59 through 4.

Dave Williams lines a 3-1 pitch to left for a leadoff single to open the 5th.
Wise bunts two balls foul, trying to move the runner……
He then tries to bunt the 1-2 pitch…
And gets it down, Williams to 2nd.
Caballero works to a 2-2 count and hits a single through the left side hole, Byrd is charging aggressive enough to hold Williams at third. 1st and 3rd 1 out…
Biggest AB of the night so far, Roberto Villalobos swing through 2 heaters and ends up in a 2-2 count..
And chases the Whiteway change for strike 3, and out #2.
Barney Ledoux fouls off 2, and 2 balls later taps a slow roller to 2nd for the final out. 2-0 bottom 5, Philly. Whiteway at 78 through 5.
On the 2nd pitch of the bottom half, Tom Byrd lines Steve Copelands 1-0 change to straight away LF for a solo HR, 3-0 Philly.
Dave Fleming goes 6-3 on an 0-1 pitch.
Mitchell Mills laces a line drive single to left on a 2-0 fastball with 1 out.
Copeland settles down and whiffs Rodriguez and Peters on 1-2 fastballs to end the 5th, 3-1 Philly. Copeland at 74 through 5, on 6 hits and 6 K’s.

The Silver Stars are now feeling this one, 12 outs left and chasing 3.
Bradshaw goes 3-1 to start the inning.
O’Gorman hits a ball well, but Ladd runs it down in right center for the 2nd out.
Sparks lines the first pitch he sees in the hole at short for a 2 out single.
Pat Peters steps up, and they need to get something going….
On a 1-2 pitch he taps back to the mound to end the inning. 3-0 Philly to the bottom of 6. Whiteway at 92 through 6 on a run, 5 hits and 4 K’s.
Ladd draws a 4 pitch walk from Copeland to open the 6th…..
Arredondo falls into a 1-2 hole….
And then hits a grounder through the left side for a single, Ladd to 2nd.
Chavez fails miserably when he pops to 2nd for the first out.
Catcher Dan Land up, ball, ball, ball…..
Called strike
Swinging strike
A 60 hopper between the mound and 2nd and Land beats it out, bases loaded, 1 out… Tom Byrd up…
Ball
Ball
Ball
Ball 4…. A bases loaded walk makes it 4-0 Freedom in the 6th!
David Fleming waits while the meeting on the mound drones on…
PC “Ok you get this right? This is the game right here, we need an out and these runners to NOT move”
Copeland “I get it.. And is that what you honestly came out here for?”
PC “No, you’re ass is outta gas and I need time to get these guys warm”
Copeland “then take your raggedy ass off the field and let me get an out”
PC “go get’em tiger!”
Fleming lines the first pitch to right center…..
Arredondo walks home with the 5th run and the manger is on his way out. Copelands day is done (5.2-8-5-5-6-4 with 2 runners on) and Earl Roberts is in…
Mitchell Mills up, runners on 2nd and 3rd 2 outs, trailing 5-0…
Mills chops an 0-2 pitch to first and O’Gorman steps on the bag to end the inning. 5-0 Philly end of 6.

Barry MacKinney is not at 1B for Philly.
This is a classic “shutdown” inning, your team has put the game ‘almost’ out of reach, it’s the 7th, you don’t want a zero, you want to shove up the rear to make them KNOW this one’s over…
Williams K’s looking on a 1-2 fastball, Wise K’s swinging at a 1-2 change and Caballero K’s swinging on a 2-2 heater, that = shutdown inning… to the bottom of 7, 5-0 Philly. Whiteway at 106 after 7, 7 punch outs.

Rodriguez pops to second to start the inning. Peters draws a 4 pitch walk from Roberts….
Dave Ladd then singles (on an 0-2 pitch) to left, 1st and 2nd…
Arredondo works and battles to a 3-2 count and then hits a chopper into the hole between first and second that neither guy can reach, Peters rounds third and heads home and Villalobos comes up gunning….
SAFE! At home, 6-0 Philly on Arredondo’s RBI single.
Chavez up, 1st and 2nd 1 out.
Ball, Ball, foul, ball
Foul
Ball 4, bases loaded, 1 out.…
Land goes 1-2 and chases strike three, 2 outs.
Barry MacKinney pops to center to end the 7th, 6-0 Philly.

Steve Whiteway’s day is done (7-5-0-0-1-5 on 106 pitches)
Rafael Flores takes over.
And drills Villalobos to start the inning….
Ledoux hits an 0-2 pitch to third, softly, Villalobos to 2nd.
Bradshaw punches out on a 1-2 pitch.
O’Gorman works to a full count and draws a 2 out walk, 1st and 2nd, 2 out. Feeling like they need it to start right here if they want any shot of winning this.
Sparks up, ball…
Foul, ball
Ball
Foul
Ball 4, Flores walks the bases loaded… Pat Peters coming up….
Ball
Foul
Foul
OOOOH! Flores gets him looking on a 1-2 pitch! Damn, inning over. Bottom 8 6-0 Philly.
Mark Adams takes over for Roberts….
Fleming goes 5-3 to start the inning and Mills and Rodriguez make 1st pitch outs, F9 and a bunt single attempt that goes 1-4. Philly’s 3 outs away from a World Series Title!

Flores will stay in the game. Williams, Wise and Caballero due up..
Williams takes ball 2 to go to 2-2
And chases for strike 3, 1 out… Noise growing, short time out as the mounted police enter the playing field and ring the infield….
Wise goes cK, cK, ball, foul…..
And chases a high fastball for strike 3, 2 outs…. Philly players are lining the railing….
Caballero steps in… called strike 1…..
Ball
Ball
Philly play by play man Steve Berthuime…..
Caballero cuts on the 2-1 pitch, there it is folks! A shallow fly ball to left, Byrd moves in, under………
AND HE SQUEEZES THE BALL! THE PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM ARE THE 2014 IBL WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS ! HOLY CRAP I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! THEY’VE DONE IT!! THE FREEDOM WIN THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!

#3 STAR OF THE GAME
Tom Byrd (PHI) 1-2 HR, 2 RBI, BB
#2 STAR OF THE GAME
Kevin Peters (PHI) 1-3 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
#1 STAR OF THE GAME
Steve Whiteway (PHI) 7-5-0-0-1-7 W
W Whiteway (1-1) L Copeland (3-1)
HR PHI K Peters (4) Byrd (1)

World Series MVP- There was a TON of debate on this in the press box. Kevin Peters went 7-20 7 runs, 2 2B, 3 HR’s, 5 RBI’s and 4 walks and Jose Rodriguez went 6-25, 6 runs, 7 RBIs with a SB. Rodriguez hit the GW homer in the epic game 2 in the top of the 16th (Peters homered in the 14th and doubled and scored the game tying run in the 8th to force the game to extras) and hit a 2 run shot in the 5th of game 3 to go to 4-1 from a 2-1 lead and then in game 4, down 4-2, he hit a 6th inning grand slam to put Philly up 6-4, his third HR in three games, all of them huge. Ultimately that was what won him the award I believe.

[gehrig38]

The 2014 IBL WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
(And this will be the last time you see this logo But it goes out on top! Now, barring a riot, they'll become the Philadelphia Patriots.

[gehrig38]

I scored a 77/100, hmm, didn't think it was that bad but my guess is Chicago fans, and my owner, are feeling a bit like the late 90's Braves fans. Screw the post season, win something already. I can deal with that.

Lots going on...
I have multiple job openings including....(I'd also LOVE to see, in the coaches histories, their salaries at their former jobs)
IBL Hitting Coach John Edgar. This is a challenge. The guy is the best hitting coach in the game, and deserves to manage if that's what he wants, I don't know if it is. but we hit .269 .269 .292 and scored 820/854/900 runs with him as our hitting coach. I try to sign him but have to do it at a salary we're both likely to disagree is at his value. I have offered him a 130K 4 year deal, He's looking for low 2's I think.
AAA Manager
Class A Denison Manager and Pitching Coach
Hitting Coach at Class A Belleview and Manager at (R) Omaha. I'll reach out quickly to try and get some good young talent to fill those spots.

I reach out to former Dayton Manager Raul Rivera. The 62 year old was, surprising to me anyway, let go after their first playoff miss this year. I'd LOVE to have him skipper Tulsa. 4 year 115k offer....


2015 Budget and items
I get a few more dollars, 2015 budget is set at 29.4M (I'm worried I may need to tweak finances a bit so teams have some money, any suggestions? I don't want stars not being signed due to teams not having cash)
Draft budget is 3.412? Hmm, Omar is cutting my draft budget.....Over a million bucks? That's gonna call for a meeting I think.

Fan interest finishes at 87, and I forgot to mention we drew a 4th best 3.91 million fans!! My guess is that Omar is cutting where he can (though the draft is NOT the place to do that imo) because we are renovating and adding seats this winter...Word has it we'er upping capacity by 8K, to max the stadium at 55K, given we filled the place to a pretty much max capacity, we're leaving money on the table in this stadium if we do this right.

Arbitration
We had a GREAT winter last year and because of that we find ourselves on an island. Everyone is scrambling as the league hits the 4 year mark and players become 3 year guys and full arbitration eligible. We have 5 cases, and it's pretty much my pen, with Ignacio Ferrer. (still not sure where to find the 'ask', is it on the salary page? They are all showing their 'ask' as the offer number on the arb page?) But it won't hurt too much one way or another as the combined ask of the 5 is 2.76M. I tweaked a few offers lower, but there's not much interest in anything long term with these guys I don't think. Davis, btw (Spike not Mike, is a super 2).

Interesting side note, if you look at my 1992 season with Philly check out my numbers... I was the next to last player to qualify for arbitration as a super 2 that year, and went from like 250 to a million that winter. Took like 14 minutes to negotiate, when I heard the word "million' at the end of the offer....

[gehrig38]

NOTES FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
IBL CAREER ERA LEADERS
Ernesto Cruz (CHI) 1.58
Joe Boswell (PIT) 1.60
Esteban Mendez (EDM) 1.72
Michael Ross (HOU) 1.72
Greg Patterson (BRO) 1.09

The newly named Arizona Greyhounds have fired GM Atsushi Sugiyama. In this three years as GM Arizona was 225-261, their W total going 83-72-70.

And in a surprising move, to me anyway, Houston was quick to can GM Eugene Eichler! He had steered them to back to back Series Titles and they made a nice comeback at the end of the year, but damn, the ultimate ‘what have you done for me lately’ move by Owner Jim Baird. I am guessing with the leagues largest payroll he was expecting more.

Fresno axed GM Chris Davis as well today. With their win total dropping 3 straight (81-74-68) owner Jim Reynolds had had enough I guess.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

(still not sure where to find the 'ask', is it on the salary page? They are all showing their 'ask' as the offer number on the arb page?)

The number on the salary page is the estimate that the game arbitrarily submits for you. It is a number less than the "ask". You don't know the "ask" until after the process. I can usually win the arbitration by sticking with the estimate, but occasionally I lose.

[gehrig38]

Thanks, that's what I thought, I also thought the game might be 'gaming' me by telling me their ask on my salaries page, so it DOES work like real life, which is nice.