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#401 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Seattle
Posts: 2,255
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2084 Playoffs (October 16th)
Montreal Alouettes (84-78, .519, 2nd NL East) @ Los Angeles Leopards (106-56, .654, 1st NL West)
There’s nothing to say really… we’ve drawn a circle in the sand, we each have a Crown Royal bag with our best marbles inside, are ready to put all our favorite ones in the middle, and to play this thing out for keepsies. And, look, I don’t want to come off as melodramatic or something, but, if I don’t walk out of here with my favorite Onion Skin still in my possession… I don’t know man, I may never play this game again. Here is the projected pitching matchup, our pitcher listed first: RHP H. Vaughn (11-7, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP T. Cox (10-5, 3.51 ERA) #5: Win, 4-3… down 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 9th inning with all of our sincerest hopes and dreams hanging in the balance, we’d kick off the bottom of that frame by drawing two walks (Baker & Benavidez), load them up with a Oh Hong single, bring one across on a run-scoring single from Otto, knot it up on a 2-run double courtesy of Dalton Burch, and punch our ticket to the LCS on a Mason Click, walk off, SAC FLY that, if you happened to see it live, was a lot sexier than it sounds. And, now, with our Crown Royal bag overflowing with every marble your prepubescent heart could desire, we’ll face down Mexico City for a chance to represent the National League in the World Series. Playoff Record: 3-2. Up Next: Gut check time… a 7-game series against a team that’s had some good success against us. |
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#402 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Seattle
Posts: 2,255
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2084 Playoffs (October 18th – 19th)
Mexico City Jaguars (95-67, .586, 2nd NL West) @ Los Angeles Leopards (106-56, .654, 1st NL West)
While Mexico City laid waste to the Philadelphia Founders, we struggled, mightily, against Montreal’s tip-top staff and their suddenly serviceable offense… allowing the Alouettes to take us to the brink of elimination, fraying the nerves of every member of our organization, down to a man. And, here, the club standing across from us, unlike Montreal, has no fear after handling us better than most during the regular season and coming into this series on some of their best form of the year. So here we are, flexing freshly cleaned kits, as ready as we’ll ever be to engage in a winner takes all coin toss. Where our hopes and dreams rest on the whims of a quarter tumbling through the air Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first: LHP L. Álvarez (15-9, 3.29 ERA) vs RHP P. Torres (18-7, 3.13 ERA) RHP C. Arnett (10-12, 3.81 ERA) vs RHP D. Beasley (4-6, 6.16 ERA) #1: Win, 6-1… off on the good foot as Larimel gets things started off with a 6-inning, 5-hit shutout, followed by some good work out of the pen as RP Rusell Harper closed the show with 3-innings of hitless work. Bases-clearing double from Luca Biacchi, 2 RBI for Otto, a SAC FLY from Ethan, and burgled bag for Dan Baker would round out the offensive highlights as our Leopards gave the hometown faithful something to feel good about on their way home in Game 1. Elsewhere: The Vancouver Mounties, on an absolute mission so far these playoffs, have taken a 2-0 lead over the Denver Miners, at home to take a commanding lead in their 7-game series. #2: Win, 6-2… Down 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 7th when Luca Biacchi hit a run-scoring SAC BUNT to knot things up, followed by a heroic bases-clearing double during the bottom of the next frame courtesy of Hernando Benavidez to all but assure our victory in game 2. Arnett gave us a hard-scrabble 6-innings of 6-hit, 2 earned work, T-Rex got us out of a jam during the top of the 8th, retiring two batters on K’s, and Max Egner picks up, would you believe it, his 1st save of the 2084 post season. Playoff Record: 5-2 Up Next: We’ll travel to Mexico City to contest the next three of this series in their park. |
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#403 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Seattle
Posts: 2,255
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2084 Playoffs (October 20th – 22nd)
Los Angeles Leopards (106-56, .654, 1st NL West) @ Mexico City Jaguars (95-67, .586, 2nd NL West)
We need two – that’s it, our entire focus. Win two of these next three, put Mexico City out of their misery, and meet whomever in the World Series as we work to fulfill our championship winning prophecy. Easier said then done, of course, what with Mexico City’s rip-roaring offense occupying the home team dugout, the altitude they’ll enjoy over these next three, and their ability to hang with us, no problem, throughout the 2084 campaign. Still though – I feel good about these next three, about this run of form we find ourselves on where our big dog, Otto, is coming through on the regular while we continue to get significant contributions from the periphery. If that continues, well, then we can’t be beat. Simple as that. Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first: RHP H. Vaughn (11-7, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP V. Uhlman (16-4, 3.46 ERA) LHP L. Álvarez (15-9, 3.29 ERA) vs LHP O. Sum (12-8, 4.24 ERA) RHP C. Arnett (10-12, 3.81 ERA) vs LHP J. Garcia (13-9, 4.28 ERA) #3: Win, 8-4… one win away from the promised land now – Otto was at it again, finishing 3-for-4 with THREE HOME RUNS, and 4 total RBI, Hernando Benavidez contributed a tasty 3-run TANK of his own, and Mason Click drove one in on a single to round things out nicely for us. Hunter, all things considered (you know, altitude and all that), pitched like a legend, giving the club 7-innings of 6-hit ball where he’d allow just three runners to plate while fanning 4. We’ve pounded out the chicken, coated it in flour, dipped it in some egg wash, covered it in ground up corn flakes, and are cooking with Crisco now folks! You bring the beer and some slaw, we got the fried chicken and baked beans, baby. It’s a family bar-b-que on enemy turf and, with any luck, our estranged Uncle Faye will show up to talk politics & kick up some dust. Let’s go! Elsewhere: Denver has bested Vancouver in each of their last two contests at home, knotting the ALCS up at 2-game each. #4: Loss, 1-2… so, a sweep wasn’t in the cards as Mexico City wins game 4 on an uncustomary low-scoring affair in their building with RF Cedric Mauldin doing the dirt for the Jags, putting the winning run on the scoreboard during the bottom of the 5th off Alvarez to deal our Ace his first loss of the postseason. No extra base hits for your Leopards as our bats went silent when just a little bit of noise would have been more than enough to crib a win in this low scoring affair. #5: Win, 9-3… we’d punch our ticket to the dance in the most emphatic way possible, running up the scoreboard like a Guns N’ Roses pinball machine, styling on Mexico City, in their park, like we were Slash standing on top of a piano in the November Rain, cranking out one of the most iconic, if overrated, solos of all-time. Run-scoring doubles from Ethan & Baker, another HR, a 2-run BLAST, from Otto, a solid, 5.1-inning effort from Chris Arnett, and Major Hansen, generally used as a specialist against lefties, gives us 3.2-innings of 1-hit, 5 K baseball to close the show. Next stop… destiny. Playoff Record: 7-3 Up Next: We’ll meet the hard-charging Vancouver Mounties in the World Series with all our hopes & dreams on the line. |
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#404 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Seattle
Posts: 2,255
|
2084 World Series (October 24th – 25th)
Vancouver Mounties (87-75, .537, 2nd AL West) @ Los Angeles Leopards (106-56, .654, 1st NL West)
With a solid, 5th ranked offense, and a solid, identically ranked pitching corps, Vancouver’s a tough out for anyone – add in the fact that they just might possess the best defense in baseball and what you have here is a club built to win the ones that they are supposed to and more than their share of the ones they’re not. And, if you take into account that their recent run of form is tip top, that they’ve been dispatching their American League competition in these playoffs with relative ease, what you have here is a difficult series. A matchup that no one wishes for and a World Series that could go down in history as one of the most closely contested. But enough with all that – let’s baseball. Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first: LHP L. Álvarez (15-9, 3.29 ERA) vs RHP J. Salcido (8-12, 5.62 ERA) RHP H. Vaughn (11-7, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP M. Villalobos (14-8, 3.17 ERA) #1: Win, 2-0… Larimel, Russell Harper, and Max Egner held Vancouver in check with Alvarez doing the lions share of the work here, turning in a 6-inning, 2-hit, 3 K masterpiece for the game 1 win. Offensively, Otto was at it again with a solo homer, his 6th DING DONG these playoffs, and Mason brought the cushion in on a well hit single. Not a ton to parse out here – we got after it, played them close, and, ultimately, were able to do what was necessary to earn the win. #2: Win, 3-2 (12)… Vancouver SP Adam Gunter was fierce, giving the Mounties a tip-top, 7-inning, 2-hit, 2 earned effort in this one, but, it’d not be enough as our staff and the defense situated behind them stayed stout until OH HONG came through with a bottom of the 12th, walk off DING DONG to put us up 2-0 for the series as we head to British Columbia for a set across the border. 3 homers for the club in this one – Click, Bullock, and Hong – each of the solo variety, representing all we’d be good for in this one. Playoff Record: 9-3 Up Next: We’ll try to close this one out on the road to win our 5th title of the last decade. |
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#405 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Seattle
Posts: 2,255
|
2084 World Series (October 27th – 30th)
Los Angeles Leopards (106-56, .654, 1st NL West) @ Vancouver Mounties (87-75, .537, 2nd AL West)
We’ll drive from where were staying in the West End, through Stanley Park, past Beaver Lake, over the Lions Gate Bridge, and into North Vancouver where the Mounties will be anxiously awaiting our arrival – hungry for some of that sweet, sweet get back after having it handed to them over those last two in our park. They’ll not be satiated though – we’re on a mission for another title, another trophy for our overflowing cabinet. Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first: RHP C. Arnett (10-12, 3.81 ERA) vs LHP A. Gunter (15-10, 3.38 ERA) LHP L. Álvarez (15-9, 3.29 ERA) vs LHP A. Rodríguez (13-11, 4.12 ERA) RHP H. Vaughn (11-7, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP J. Salcido (8-12, 5.62 ERA) #3: Loss, 5-7… Vancouver would ride a 3-run bottom of the 8th all the way home as 1B Modesto Manzanares’ run-scoring HBP would open the floodgates for the home team. Hunter Vaughn turned in his most difficult outing of the playoffs, allowing 4 runners to plate over 5.1 inning of work, and, Major Hansen gave up three total runs after making Manzanares wear one during that fateful 8th… so, with a sweep now of the table, no rest for the weary – we’ll get back after it tomorrow with Larimel on the mound. #4: Win, 5-2 (10)… on the cusp, looking fly, feeling fly – the boys, Otto in particular, came correct in this one with Oh Hong’s 2-run TANK during the top of the 10th representing the game-winning runs. Otto finished 2-for-3 with a 2 DING DONGS and 3 total RBI, Oh Hong finished 3-for-5 with those late game heroics, and Max Egner picked up his 3rd win of the playoffs after tossing it around a bit over the final two frames of the game. #5: Win, 4-1… That’s it – 5 titles during my 10-year reign in Los Angeles. Oh Hong hit a 2-run homer during the top of the 3rd that was, ultimately, the difference maker here, and he provided another run to pad our lead on a single a few frames later. We’d get a team first SAC BUNT & SAC FLY from Mason Click, a sweet Blasko-Baker-Hong double play, and get good innings from the staff with Chris Arnett kicking us off with a 4-inning, 2-hit, 1 run effort before handing it off to Orlando Arce who was credited with the win after turning in 2-innings of 1-hit baseball. Max Egner, in a fitting conclusion to this most glorious season, was credited with the save after tossing a 8-pitch bottom of the 9th with 1 strikeout. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, MY FRIENDS!!! So, with that, and in the immortal words of Mr. Tom Petty, “it’s time to move on, it’s time to get going”. I’ve GM’d the Los Angeles Leopards, in this file, for a substantial stretch of time. I first took over the club in 2019 after starting my ‘Strangeverse’ save earlier that year at a tumultuous time in my ‘real world’ life – I’d been swept up in a surplus at work, and, as the sole provider for my family at the time, fell into a bit of a funk. OOTP & this save, specifically, helped pull me out of it – there’s something about interacting with OOTP in this way that brings me such joy, writing about a fake baseball team, and, while I was fortunate enough to navigate that career upheaval in the best way possible, I still love playing this save and writing dynasty’s on these boards. In fact, the word document that I keep the exploits of these Los Angeles Leopards in has grown to an astounding, low-key embarrassing, length of 432 pages. So, when I quote Mr. Petty, what I mean to say is that I think my time as GM of the Los Angeles Leopards is done. And, while I would likely enjoy staying in Tinsletown to shepherd Otto’s career to a close without him turning into an OOTP vagabond on his way out the door, I’ve been thinking about finding a new challenge for a few seasons now, looking for a new club… and, I think I may have landed on one. I’m going to take over the Portland Pioneers. I want to see if my brand of General Management plays in a more financially restrictive environment where simply buying my way out of mistakes isn’t an option, where prospect development is critical to long term success, where I can compete for the treble in Cascadia. So, if you have fun reading this, or just like run-on sentences, join me… here. Last edited by pauwoo; 09-08-2023 at 09:28 AM. |
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