Field of Dreams

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #64
1998 New York Yankees (114-48) vs 1926 Chicago Cubs (82-72)

With possibly the 1927 Yankees as their only rival, many would consider this to be the greatest team off all time. The 1998 Yankees rolled to 114 wins 965 runs and sweeping the Padres to begin a 3 year dynasty run. The Yanks were the definition of team, with not a single player dominating the headlines but a roster that fit together perfectly to dominate the game. The face of the squad and likely a generation is Derek Jeter. The captain scored 127 runs and hit .324 with 203 hits and 30 steals. Paul O'Neil rarely smiled but drove in 116 runs with 40 doubles and next to him in the order was Tino Martinez who lead the team with 123 driven in and a .505 SLG. Bernie Williams was still among the best overall talents in the game and his .339 average sparkled as he scored 101 runs in only 128 games. Scott Brosius hit .300 and was a great situational hitter and Darryl Strawberry contributed with 24 home runs. Jorge Posada and Joe Girardi both filled the job of catcher better then most other teams could hope for. The Yankees of course had the greatest closer of them all in Mo Rivera who saved 36 games with a 1.91 ERA and everyone knows Rivera was at his best as the stage grew bigger. Another big name pitcher is Andy Pettitte but his underlying numbers were not dominate in 98, the most wins went to David Cone who won twenty and struck out 209 batters. David Wells is as consistent as you could ask for with some of the best control in all the game and finally the wild card, El Duque Hernandez went 12-4 with a 3.13 ERA and some of the best poise one can have in the post season. It is all here, Joe Torre and George Steinbrenner lead a club that truly was one for the ages. A competition they are expected to win or at least come close, begins with a not too simple matchup against the 1926 Cubs and another old Yankee legend, Joe McCarthy.

The 26 Cubs could not have been all smiles when they saw their draw against the mighty Yankees. Still the Cubs of this particular era was contenders for the pennant almost every season, and should be able to hold their own behind the expertise of their manager Joe McCarthy. Gabby Hartnett is similar to a manager of the field but only played in 93 games in 1926, still while on the field in this series he can be a big factor. Hack Wilson is the bat to watch in the lineup, his .321 average and his enormous power that cant be overlooked. Riggs Stephenson is an underrated player that is a prolific hitter ending the season at .338 but he as well did not play the majority of games due to injury. Charlie Grimm drove in 82 runs and Sparky Adams hit .309 with 192 hits as well as posting 27 steals. The Cubs offense will really need to make the most of their opportunities but the talent is there to do damage. Charlie Root went 18-17 with a 2.82 ERA and is also bull headed enough to close games that really matter. Sheriff Blake and Tony Kauffman are likely two names you never heard of but did decent work in the rotation. Another interesting arm is Guy Bush who started in 15 games with a 2.86 ERA but was later used as a relief man in the spots that McCarthy needed him. The Cubs have real leadership in the likes of Hartnett and Root and wont be intimidated by anyone who takes the field, even if it is a 114 win team. Lets see if the Cubs can compete and even more so eliminate one of the legendary teams in baseball history.

Game 1 At Yankee Stadium
Rain 56
1926 Cubs.....................14
1998 Yankees.................5
WP: C. Root (1-0) LP: D. Cone (0-1)
HR: G. Hartnett 2 (2), C. Grimm 2 (2), B. Williams (1), P. O'Neil (1)
POG: Gabby Hartnett
1926 Cubs lead series 1-0
Gabby Hartnett hit two home runs and drove in 5 runs including a 430 foot shot off David Cone in the first, as the Cubs sent a clear message with a 14 run outburts against New York. Charlie Grimm also hit two home runs as Chicago had 16 hits and made Yankee Stadium look like a little league field. Charlie Root gets the win going into the 8th inning and allowing 10 hits. In truth however, this game was never a contest and all the pressure now turns to Joe Torre's team.

Game 2 At Yankee Stadium
Rain 57
1926 Cubs....................3
1998 Yankees...............6
WP: D. Wells (1-0) LP: G. Bush (0-1) S: M. Rivera (1)
HR: G. Hartnett (3)
POG: David Wells
Series tied at 1
Down by a run in the 8th, the Yankees finally responded posting four runs in the inning and setting up the series tie behind David Wells. Gabby Hartnett had put his team up with a double in the 6th but Wells kept his team in it going 8 innings and striking out six. Three consecutive RBI singles in the 8th by the bottom of the Yankee order turned the game around with Chad Curtis and Tim Raines coming through. Mariano Rivera closed out the ninth and the series moves to Cubs park.

Game 3 At Cubs Park
Partly cloudy 51
1998 Yankees................7
1926 Cubs.....................9
WP: P. Alexander (1-0) LP: O. Hernandez (0-1) S: G. Mistead (1)
HR: B. Williams 2 (2)
POG: Bernie Williams
1926 Cubs lead series 2-1
A seven run third inning knocked out Orlando Hernandez and gave the Cubs the margin to hold on to the win. Jimmy Cooney had a two run double and Howard Freigau had three hits and two RBI as the Cubs offense have punished New York pitching. Bernie Williams drove in five runs and lead a late Yankee rally that came up short in the 9th.

Game 4 At Cubs Park
Partly cloudy 50
1998 Yankees.................14
1926 Cubs.......................9
WP: R. Mendoza (1-0) LP: G. Bush (0-2)
HR: C. Heathcote 2 (2). P. Scott (1), H. Freigau (1), D. Jeter (1), D. Strawberry (1)
POG: Tim Raines
Series tied at 2
The wind blowing out at Cubs Park and 6 home runs proved it as the Yankees were able to tie the series. New York went up 5-0 after two but a Howard Freigau three run home run tied the game in the third. Chicago took the lead in the fifth with a Pete Scott home run. New York scored four in the 7th and 5 more in the 9th to put the game away Tim Raines had 4 RBI in the late burst. New York pitching has to be a major concern for Joe Torre but for today the bats came through.

Game 5 At Cubs Park
Clear 51
1998 Yankees................3
1926 Cubs.....................2
WP: D. Cone (1-1) LP: C. Root (1-1) S: M. Rivera (2)
HR: G. Hartnett (5)
POG: David Cone
1998 Yankees Lead Series 3-2
Chuck Knoblauch hit a two run double in the second inning and finally the Yankees got the pitching they needed as David Cone held the lead to get the win. Cone worked into the 7th inning while striking out 8 before giving it to the bullpen late, Mariano Rivera closing the win down in the 9th. Paul O'Neil went 3-4 and is hitting .389 in the series while Gabby Hartnett hit his fifth home run. The Series now moves back to the Bronx.

Game 6 At Yankee Stadium
Clear 53
1926 Cubs....................3
1998 Yankees...............6
WP: D. Wells (2-0) LP: P. Jones (0-1) S: M. Rivera (4)
HR: T. Martinez (1), C. Curtis (1), H. Wilson (1)
POG: David Wells
Tino Martinez turned on a Percy Jones fastball in the 3rd inning to put the Yankees up for good in what would be a clinching win. David Wells took care of the rest going into the ninth inning before running into some trouble, where Mariano Rivera saved his fourth game of the series. Wells struck out four and walked none as the brave Cubs played well in this series but come up a little short.

1998 Yankees Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Paul O'Neil
(.478, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 2 2B, 1.176 OPS

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #65
1992 Montreal Expos (87-75) vs 1976 San Francisco Giants (74-88)

Felipe Alou took over the Montreal club early in 1992 and immediately brought a fresh attitude to a club that had blooming talent. The outfield in Montreal was allgned with stars as Larry Walker, Moises Alou, and Marquis Grissom could match up with just about anyone. Grissom was the fire in the order with 78 steals and 99 runs scored complimenting Walker who hit .301 with 23 home runs and 93 RBI. Moises was still coming along under the now new tutelage of his father to become a disciplined player. Delino Deshields hit .292 and was another turf burner on the bases with 42 steals along side Spike Owen who was dependable at short, especially with the glove. The veteran mix was lead by Tim Wallach and the one and only Gary Carter. Carter was in his final season, but still brought his fire and leadership to the team. El Presidente Dennis Martinez won 16 games wit a 2.47 ERA and knew something about throwing perfect games. Ken Hill was also coming into his own as a great arm while Brian Barnes and Chris Nabholz are much better than what you may have expected. The pen of the club was also a strong points, with John Wetteland closing down the final inning and Mel Rojas a dominant season as a setup man with a 1.43 ERA in 68 games. In fact the 3.25 team ERA for Montreal really tells you how effective they were. This is a very good club that nostalgic Expos fans will love and impresses in all aspects of the game.

As spectacular as the Expos seem to be, the 1976 Giants are just about as vanilla as can be. Not a single batter hit over .300 in the lineup and slugged .345 as a team. Bobby Murcer did his best impression as a dangerous hitter driving in 90 runs with a team leading 23 home runs. Gary Matthews was coming into his own with 20 home runs and am .802 OPS with 28 doubles, the 'Sarge' also brought energy and hustle to the club. Ken Reitz hit only 5 home runs while playing everyday at third base and Chris Spier couldn't even manage to hit .220 at short. Larry herndon was a nice 22 year old toolsy player but one could quickly see the depth on the Giants offense was a far cry from good. Maybe little known outfielder Jack Clark could make an impact, but he was only 20 years of age. John Montefusco was a good arm at the head of the rotation winning 16 games with a very impressive six shutouts, Jim Barr won 15 games and had an ERA under 3 and Ed Halicki contributed four shutouts of his own. Randy Moffitt and Gary Lavelle were the duel closers on the tema and combined for 30 of them. No doubt that the pitcher friendly part on the hill at Candlestick had alot to do with both the good Giant pitching and the obvious lack of offense. Candlestick could be a nasty place to swing the bat.

Game 1 At Olympic Stadium
Indoors
1976 Giants................2
1992 Expos................6
WP: D. Martinez (1-0) LP: J. Montefusco (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Dennis Martinez
1992 Expos lead series 1-0
Spike Owen and the veteran Gary Carter both had 2 RBI hits in the 5th inning as Montreal scored 4 times to finally get to John Montefusco who was sailing along. Dennis Martinez went one batter from a complete game and struck out 8 scattering only 4 hits. Willie Montanez drove in both runs for the Giants who will l ook to rebound behind Ed Halicki in game 2.

Game 2 At Olympic Stadium
Indoors
1976 Giants..................2
1992 Expos..................4
WP: K. Hill (1-0) LP: E. Halicki (0-1) S: J. Wetteland (1)
HR: G. Matthews (1), M. Alou (1)
POG: Ken Hill
1992 Expos lead series 2-0
Ed Halicki let a good start slip and imploded in the seventh inning as the home Expos plated three runs and gave the save over to John Wetteland for a 2-0 series lead. Gary Matthews had given the Giants a two run lead with a home run in the first but Ken Hill settled down and gave his team a chance to come back. Pinch hitter Bret Barbarie came through with the go ahead double and Gary Carter added another RBI hit to the delight of the French Canadian fans.

Game 3 At Candlestick Park
Partly cloudy 56
1992 Expos..................9
1976 Giants..................6
WP: C. Nabholz (1-0) LP: J. DAquistino (0-1) S: J. Wetteland (2)
HR: M. Grissom (1)
POG: Marquis Grissom
1992 Expos lead series 3-0
Marquis Grissom drove in three runs including a 2 run home run as the Expos held on to defeat the Giants for the third straight game. Tim Wallach had another 2 RBI as Montreal built a 9-0 lead before a late Giants rally was extinguished by John Wetteland for his second save of the series.

Game 4 At Candlestick Park
Clear 61
1992 Expos..................8
1976 Giants..................4
WP: M. Gardner (1-0) LP: J. Barr (0-1)
HR: M. Alou (2), D. Deshields (1), G. Thomasson (1)
POG: Mark Gardner
Moises Alou hit a two run home run in the first inning and Marquis Grissom had another fine game with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI as the Expos closed out this series with a 14 hit effort. Delino Deshields launched a 2 run home run in the 6th inning to put the visitors up four and starter Mark Gardner threw seven quality innings for the win. Jim Barr did not have his best stuff in the loss and the Giants bats for the duration of the four games were not nearly dangerous enough.

1992 Montreal Expos Win Series 4 games to 0

Series MVP:

Marquis Grissom
(.444, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 2 SB, .474 OBP, 3 2B)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #66
2003 Oakland Athletics (96-66) vs 1979 Cincinnati Reds (90-71)

A mouth watering draw for the next series and the 96 win Billy Beane lead Athletics will be the slight favorites over an aging Big Red Machine. The A's played a style of baseball that revolutionized the game and the way it is even looked at. Players like Eric Chavez brought an excellent glove and put team first before individual goals as the star third baseman drove in 101 runs with 39 doubles, Miguel Tejada drove in 106 with 98 runs scored while the Scott Hattenberg experiment at first base worked out just fine with a .342 OBP and only 53 strikeouts. A surprising DH in Erubiel Durazo walked 100 times with a .374 OBP and catcher Ramon Hernandez drove in 78 runs while scoring 70. The numbers may seem unspectacular, but as a unit the A's filled the bases with runners and put the ball in play. Jermain Dye and Eric Burns were two more players that learned to adapt and contribute within the system. The top three arms in the rotation almost built a cult like following at the Bay; Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Tim Hudson all had outstanding seasons, long hair, and fine breaking stuff. They combined for 45 wins and in a seven game series could really put the lights out with Ted Lily likely the fourth arm for some depth. In addition the A's had the arms in the pen; Keith Foulke had an excellent run saving 43 games with a 2.08 ERA and all the confidence in the world. Chad Bradford and his unique delivery was just another of the many pieces Ken Macha had at his disposal. Even without really winning anything, this A's team is a excellent run within an era of Oakland baseball that made baseball history.

Pete Rose and Sparky Anderson were gone, but there was still much fuel in the old Red machine to bring home a division crown and win 90 games. Dave Concepcion had one of his best all around seasons hitting .281 with 84 driven in and even adding 15 home runs. Joe Morgan was slowing down at 35 hitting only .250 but still had an OBP the A's would be proud of at .374. The corner outfielders George Foster and Ken Griffey were both mashing the ball in 79 each hitting over .300 with Foster adding 30 home runs. Dan Driessen had a nice power stroke while Ray Knight hit .318 and 38 doubles to his name. The anchor remained behind the plate where Johnny Bench was still getting it done leading the club in WAR. Bench had a, .824 OPS with 8- RBI and his still very dependable arm on defense, Even more so, no one called a bette game then did Bench. The ace was the one and only Tom Seaver who won 16 games with 5 shutouts and all the determination at 34 years old, no one knew hitters better then him. The good pitching caught on as Mike LaCoss went 14-8 and veterans Fred Norman and Bill Bonham showed good command and kept their ERA's under 4. Tom Hume and Dour Bair both had saves in the teens and were nice pieces to a good Reds pen that also had a 21 year old Frank Pastore, One would think we are in store for a good series, also i believe if one would look at these two clubs closely, they would see quite a few similarities.

Game 1 At Oakland Coliseum
Clear skies 59
1979 Reds...........................4
2003 Athletics....................6
WP: T. Hudson (1-0) LP: T. Seaver (0-1) S: K. Foulke (1)
HR: C. Geronimo (1), R. Hernandez (1)
POG: Bill Bonham
2003 Athletics lead series 1-0
A six run third inning for Oakland was enough to take game one as Tim Hudson settled in after a tough start. Ramon Hernandez had the bog blow with a three run home run off of Tom Seaver who wouldnt survive the inning. Hudson went 8 innings scattering 10 hits before Keith Foulke closed the game in the 9th. A good start for Oakland who defeat the Reds behind their ace.

Game 2 at Oakland Coliseum
Partly cloudy 59
1979 Reds..............8
2003 Athletics.......2
WP: F. Norman (1-0) LP: M. Mulder (0-1)
HR: D. Conception (1)
POG: Champ Summers
Series tied at 1
The Reds even the series behind Champ Summers who goes 4-5 and scored 4 times while Dave Conception has the big blow hitting a three run home run off of loser Mark Mulder. Fred Norman goes the distance and gets the win striking out four on 8 hits. Dave Collins went 3-5 and Ken Griffey had 2 RBI in the 14 hit effort for Cincy. The series now heads east to Riverfront.

Game 3 At Riverfront Stadium
Rain 56 (21 minute delay)
2003 Athletics.....................2
1979 Reds..........................9
WP: T. Hume (1-0) LP: B. Zito (0-1)
HR: G. Foster (1)
POG: Tom Hume
1979 Reds lead series 2-1
A George Foster home run off Barry Zito gave the Reds a lead in the 5th inning and they would never look back in this one scoring 6 more times in the 7th to defeat Oakland on a rain soaked night. Cincy had 17 hits with three players having three of them including Champ Summers and Johnny Bench who are both hitting over .500 for the series. The A's big three arms have underwhelmed so far.

Game 4 At Riverfront Stadium
Partly cloudy 50
2003 Athletics...................5
1979 Reds........................3
WP: T. Lilly (1-0) LP: P. Moskau (0-1) S: K. Foulke (2)
HR: C. Summers (1)
POG: Ted Lilly
Series tied at 2
Ted Lilly worked 8 innings without allowing an earned run while striking out three to put the A's in a prime position to tie the series. Terrence Long had a two RBI hit while Eric Chavez and Miguel Tejada helped build a comfortable lead in the 9th inning before the Reds finally got to the tired starter. With three runs in the ninth, Keith Foulke saved his second game and now make this series a best of three and has become the close fight we expected.

Game 5 At Riverfront Stadium
Partly cloudy 48
2003 Athletics.................5
1979 Reds......................6
WP: T. Seaver (1-1) LP: T. Hudson (1-1) S: D. Bair (1)
HR: R. Hernandez (2), J. Bench (1)
POG: Tom Seaver
1979 Reds lead series 3-2
Ken Griffey went 3-4 and Johnny Bench had 2 RBI with his first home run of the series as the 79 Reds held off the Athletics to take the crucial lead in this series. Cincy built a 5-1 lead behind Tom Seaver who struck out six but could not close it out running into trouble in the 9th, where Doug Bair secured the win.

Game 6 At Oakland Coliseum
Partly cloudy 51
1979 Reds..................13
2003 Athletics..............9
WP: M. LaCoss (1-0) LP: C. Bradford (0-1)
HR: E. Chavez (1), J. Morgan (1)
POG: Joe Morgan
A wild game in Oakland where the host A's scored 5 times in the bottom of the 7th before the Reds scored 6 times in the 8th and held on the close out the series. Ken Griffey had a two run double and Dave Collins and 2 run hit as the Reds would finish with 20 hits and Chad Bradford took the blunt of the blows in the fateful inning. Joe Morgan had 3 RBI and 3 runs scored while Mike LaCoss gets the win.

1979 Cincinnati Reds Win Series 4-2

Series MVP:

Johnny Bench
(.462, .500 OBP, 6 R, 1 HR, 1.077 OPS)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #67
1942 Boston Red Sox (93-59) vs 2014 Milwaukee Brewers (82-80)

Try as they could, the Red Sox of the 40's just could not overcome the mystique of the Yankees despite winning 90 plus games almost every ono war season. The Sox had their core on offense with the boys of summer of Pseky, Doerr, DiMaggio, and Williams making it happen every season. Williams is coming off of his .400 hit season and answered with 186 hits and a .357 average but teams would not entertain him walking him 145 times for an OBP of historic proportions of .499. Bobby Doerr hit 290 and drove in 102 runs and always seemed to be getting the timely hit. Johnny Pesky at 23 years old had 205 hits and scored 105 runs hitting .331. Williams was having an influence on everyone and Joe's brother, Dom, was a resourceful player at the top of the Red Sox order scoring 110 runs with 16 steals and 34 doubles. Manager Joe Cronin could occasinally grab a bat to hit as would the legend of Jimmy Foxx, who could still put a charge into a ball if he could catch up to it. Tex Hugson made the most of his dominant lineup winning 22 times with a 2.59 ERA. Charlie Wagner was also good winning 14 times while Joe Dobson had three shutouts but wasnt used exclusively as a starter. Oscar Judd and Dick Newsome rounded out the rotation that neede to be not much better then average for the Red Sox to win ballgames. In the end all eyes will be on the brilliant Williams, who at 23 years old is really a marvel to watch at the plate, truly one of a kind and worthy of the legend that surounds him.

With much less sex appeal the 2014 Brewers won 82 games and were about as ordinary as it gets; but that doesn't necessarily mean that they were bad, Along those lines, Jonathan Lucroy is no Ted Williams, but he did lead the Brewers in war and did quite well for himself as a catcher hitting .301 with count them 53 doubles. Ryan Braun missed 30 games but drove in 81 and slugged ,453 even if he wasnt the hitter he used to be, Carlos Gomez is a good talent in centerfield with over 30 steals and 23 home runs; his temperamental play should be interesting in 1942.Mark Reynolds will also look like a player from another planet to the Red Sox with his strike out or home run profile, Reynolds whiffed 122 times and the team over 1000 times. Rickie Weeks and Scooter Gennett didnt give much at second base and Aramis Ramirez at 36 years old seemed to be playing out the string. The rotation was a consistent group with four arms that were very similar in output. Wily Peralta won the most games at 17 and Kyle Lohse still had good stuff at the age of 35. Yovani Gallardo and Matt Garza could turn their stuff into something sensational on a rare night, the rest of the time they were quite average. Anything but average was closer Francisco Rodriguez who closed down 44 games but did allow 14 home runs in just over 60 innings. Zach Duke and Will Smith provided good options for Ron Roenicke as the Brewers pen always seems to find a way. With the Red Sox the favorites, the Brew Crew will hope to play pressure free and steal a game or two while putting some runs on the board.

Game 1 At Fenway Park
Partly cloudy 56
2014 Brewers..................5
1942 Red Sox.................2 (10 inn)
WP: K. Lohse (1-0) LP: K. Chase (0-1) S: Z. Duke (1)
HR: L. Finney (1), L. Overbay (1)
POG: Tex Hugson
2014 Brewers lead series 1-0
Having only 5 hits, the visiting Brewers forced game one into extra innings and scored 3 times in the 10th. An error by the pitcher and an RBI hit by Martin Maldonado broke the tie and Zach Duke earned a rare save. Tex Hugson had been excellent for Boston allowing 2 earned over nine but Lyle Overbay drove in two and Aramis Ramirez went 3 for 4. Important win for Milwaukee.

Game 2 At Fenway Park
Clear 64
2014 Brewers....................0
1942 Red Sox....................4
WP: J. Dobson (1-0) LP: M. Garza (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Joe Dobson
Series tied at 1
Joe Dobson pitched a five hit shutout and didnt walk a single batter in a commanding performance to tie up the series. Ted Williams put the Sox up for good with a run scoring double in the first inning off of Matt Garza and Boston would add three more runs in the third. Garza also went the distance but wasnt nearly as sharp, walking seven batters. This was Dobson's day in the end, as fans tipped their cap for the standup performance Boston needed.

Game 3 At Miller Park
Indoors Roof closed
1942 Red Sox....................1
2018 Brewers.....................5
WP: M. Fiers (1-0) LP: B. Butland (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Michael Fiers
2018 Brewers lead series 2-1
A four hitter by Michael Fiers gets the Brewers back on the track at home as this series goes back and forth. Jean Segura and Ryan Braun each had 2 RBI at the top of the Milwaukee order while Boston starter Bill Butland walked 8 batters and was lucky to only allow five runs. The Brewers pitching for the most part has been the difference in the series thus far.

Game 4 At Miller Park
Indoors Roof closed
1942 Red Sox......................8
2014 Brewers.......................5
WP: O. Judd (1-0) LP: W. Peralta (0-1) S: K. Chase (1)
HR: K. Davis (1)
POG: Ted Williams
Series tied at 2
Ted Williams scored three runs and Dom DiMaggio had two RBI as the Brewers in many ways gifted the Red Sox the game four win a sloppy display committing four errors in the loss. Khris Davis hit a home run and drove in four runs but Wily Peralta was given no support and took the loss for Milwaukee as the Red Sox strangle back home field advantage. A good series now becomes a best of three.

Game 5 At Miller Park
Indoors Roof closed
1942 Red Sox.................8
2014 Brewers..................4
WP: T. Hughson (1-0) LP: K. Lohse (1-1)
HR: T. Williams (1), T. Lupien (1)
POG: Ted Williams
1942 Red Sox lead series 3-2
A big win for the Red Sox as they put up six runs in the firs three innings against a poor Kyle Lohse and the Brewers. Ted Williams and Tony Lupien both homered in the second inning, Williams would get two hits and is now hitting a cool .467 in the series. Milwaukee also made two more errors in what is becoming a bad defensive series, they did manage 12 hits in the loss. The series heads to Boston with the momentum apparently all on the side of the Sox.

Game 6 At Fenway Park
Clear 57
2014 Brewers................5
1942 Red Sox...............9
WP: J. Dobson (2-0) LP: M. Garza (0-2)
HR: None
POG: Dom Dimaggio
Dom DiMaggio goes 4-4 and drives in two runs while Bobby Doerr adds a bases clearing double to drive in three as the Red Sox wasted no time in jumping on the Brewers and closing out this series in six. Joe Dobson allowed five runs but went the distance and made the most of his support to get the win. A three run 8th inning made the game interesting but the Sox did close things out to avoid a game seven.

1942 Boston Red Sox Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Ted Williams
(.389, .607 OBP. 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 3 2B)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #68
1991 Minnesota Twins (95-67) vs 1909 New York Highlanders (74-77)

Everyone remembers where they were in Minnesota when Jack Morris battled into the 10th inning of game seven of the world series and the Twins would walk off a title. Tom Kelly is the perfect leader for a team that seems to find a way to persevere even against more talented teams, and as the cliche says, refuse to lose. Morris did win 18 games and almost threw 250 innings with 10 complete games, he will love the mentality of his opponents from the deadball era. Kevin Tapani was excellent going 16-9 with a 2.99 ERA throwing mostly offspeed stuff and Scott Erickson did better then all of them, winning 20 games with three shutouts and true promise at 23 years old, David West had his moments but was hit hard in his 12 starts while the pen was anchored by Rich Aguilera who saved 42 games in 63 games. Mark Guthrie and 33 year old Steve Bedrosian added to the depth in the pen. Chili Davis was the most powerful bat in the order driving in 93 with 29 home runs as the teams aging DH. Star Kirby Puckett had 195 hits and managed a .319 average and 92 runs; Puck was at his best when the game mattered the most. Chuck Knoblauch was among the best young talents any team could hope for at second and is another player that played the game like it was 1909. Shane Mack had a nice year and lead the club in offensive WAR while Kent Hrbeck managed 20 home runs and 84 RBI. Dan Gladden and Greg Gagne were nice pieces that a championship needs to get over the hump. The last champion Minnesota has seen will look to once again find a way, any way, to fight and win a series. The Twins are especially dangerous on the turf at the Metrodome.

Way before they were a dysnasty, the Yankees were still building their product and were known as the Highlanders. George Stallings has a good baseball mind and will surely have his team ready to play, although playing on the turf in the dome will be an outer space like experience for this club. The pitching was lead by two maybe not well known arns but effective. Jack Warhop 105 ERA+ and won 16 games but has the odd stat of hitting 26 batters. Joe Lake went 14-11 with a 1.88 ERA and lead the club with 117 strike outs, he was truly as good as it gets in 1909. Most of the arms were used in all tyoes of roles by Stallings as King Brockett, Rube Manning, and even 35 year old Jack Chesbro had their names called when needed. Jack Quinn is another name to keep an eye on, as when at tough spot arose late in a game, he seemed to be the one to put out the fire. The best hitter on the team may be Frank LaPorte but he only played in about half the games while Willie Keeler at 37 years old only managed to play in 99 games where he hit a career low .264 as even his slap hititng was not working. Hal Chase and Jimmy Austin were fleet of foot each swiping over 25 bases but it was Chase who was the fan favorite and one of the smoothest players of the time. Still wherever he played there was suspicion that a fix may be in, Kid Elberfeld is another one of the veterans that this New York team hoped to revive to greatness, but at 37 the willpower was there for the hall of fame infielder, but the legs were failing. The Highlanders will surely fight in this series but the Twins are the type of team that may not exactly shy away from the old style of play and definately enjoy a series with fight.

Game 1 At Metrodome
Indoors
1909 Highlanders..............4
1991 Twins........................1
WP: J. Lake (1-0) LP: K. Tapani (0-1) S: T. Hughes (1)
HR: None
POG: Joe Lake
1909 Highlanders lead series 1-0
A four run sixth inning highlighted by a Birdie Cree two run single was enough to carry the Highlanders to an opening game win. Joe Lake put aside the Metrodome crowd and was sharp as a knife allowing one earned run on 8 hits. The New York defense also stood up with numerous good defensive plays especially by first baseman Hal Chase. Kevin Tapani takes the loss with Joe Morris going in game two.

Game 2 at Metrodome
Indoors
1909 Highlanders...............6
1991 Twins.........................8
WP: M. Guthrie (1-0) LP: L. Brockett (0-1) S: R. Aguilera (1)
HR: K. Puckett (1), C. Davis (1)
POG: Kirby Puckett
Series tied at 1
Kirby Puckett goes 4-5 with three RBI and a home run as the series now breaks even. Both Jack Morris and Jack Quinn did not have good stuff and the game was tied at 6 in the 7th. Chuck Knoblauch broke the tie with an RBI double and up two in the ninth, Rich Aguilera closed the door on what is becoming a bigger fight then the Twins though they'd have.

Game 3 At Hilltop Park
Clear 62
1991 Twins..................1
1909 Highlanders........11
WP: R. Manning (1-0) LP: S. Erickson (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Rube Manning
1909 Highlanders lead series 2-1
Fourteen hits for New York as Scott Erickson get pummeled and his defense behind him commits two errors and the champion Twins are behind again. Rube Manning went seven strong for the win and Ray Demmitt scored three runs and drove in two. The Highlanders scored 4 runs in the 5th and 5 more in the 6th in what was an impressive performance. The confidence of Geroge Stallings and his club is now becoming obvious and upset could be on the horizon.

Game 4 At Hilltop Park
Partly cloudy 51
1991 Twins....................5
1909 Highlanders..........3
WP: C. Willis (1-0) LP: T. Hughes (0-1) S: R. Aguilera (2)
HR: G. Gagne 2 (2)
POG: Greg Gagne
Series tied at 2
Greg Gagne came to the rescue for the Twins hitting a 2 run home run in the top of the ninth off of Jack Warhop, his second of the game to help Minnesota tie this series. The Twins behind Paul Abbott had a two run lead but back to back home runs by the Highlanders tied the game but the Twins showed resolve. In the bottom of the ninth New York brought the winning run to the plate, but Aguilera forced a game ending 6-4-3 double play to end the drama.

Game 5 t Hilltop Park
Rain 53
1991 Twins...................8
1909 Highlanders.........7
WP: K. Tapani (1-1) LP: J. Lake (1-1) S: R. Aguilera (3)
HR: B. Harper (1), K. Puckett (2), R. Dummitt (2)
POG: Brian Harper
1991 Twins lead series 3-2
Rick Aguilera got Kid Elberfeld to fly out to left with the tying and winning runs on the bases in the bottom of the ninth extinguishing a New York comeback. The Twins had broken the game open with a Kirby Puckett grand slam in the 7th and Brian Harper had 3 hits and 2 RBI in the game as well. Kevin Tapani gets the win despite allowing 15 hits, and Minnesota now goes home as the firm favorites to end the series.

Game 6 At Metrodome
Indoors
1909 Highlanders................4
1991 Twins..........................6
WP: J. Morris (1-0) LP: J. Quinn (0-1) S: R. Aguilera (4)
HR: R. Demmitt (3)
POG: Jack Morris
The Twins back home behind Jack Morris jumped ahead to a 5-0 lead and would hang on as Rich Aguilera earned his fourth save in the 9th. Greg Gagne and Don Gladden hit run scoring doubles in the three run frame and Morris would take the game into the 9th striking out four and allowing only 2 earned runs. The Highlanders stole 5 bases in the game but somehow lost their way in this series losing three in a row to bow out.

1991 Minnesota Twins Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Greg Gagne
(10/19, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, 3 2B, 1.000 SLG)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #69
1945 Brooklyn Dodgers (87-67) vs 1917 New York Yankees (71-82)

Few baseball minds have the reputation of Leo Durocher. The Brooklyn manager kept his team near the top of the National League in a war impacted season, even if they were still a long ways from the pennant. On the field two stars in their 30's provided the production that made Ebbets Field a cozy place. Dixie Walker drove in 124 runs and hit .300 with 42 doubles and 102 runs. Augie Galan hit .307 and walked 114 times scoring 114 times and is just the type of player that Durocher loves. As was Eddie Stanky, who had a .417 OBP and crossed the plate an eye opening 128 times. The Dodgers were patient and opportunistic, rarely missing a beat on the base paths. Luis Olmo had quite the year in centerfield hitting .313 with 110 RBI and Goody Rosen was another wartime only player that made the most of his opportunity scoting 126 times with a .379 OBP. Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi were two very good young arms that headed the rotation as the only men over 200 innings of work. Nineteen year old Ralph Branca made 15 starts as did 41 year old Curt Davis and Clyde King was the most called upon reliever logging 112 innings and three saves. The Dodgers were first in the National League in attendance and loyalty and will be quite intrigued to welcome a Yankees team well before they were known as the Bronx Bombers.

Believe it or not, there was a time when the Yankees were known as second rate and were a far second or even third to the most followed club in NYC. The Yankees struggled for wins in 1917 and manager Bill Donovon was on a very short leash as the team after a number of seasons, had failed to bring home a pennant. Players with winning reputations like Home Run Baker were brought into town from the Athletics system and the third baseman still had a lot of talent to display. Baker had an OPS of .710 and knocked in 71 runs, one more then first baseman Wally Pipp who at 24 years old seem to hold more promise then results. The club struggled to hit for average and players like Roger Peckingpaugh filled roles at an adequate level but no one brought the excellence of star power to the New York scene. Peck had 141 hits, one of only three batters to end with over 100 hits as other like Fritz Maisel couldnt even manage to hit over .200 as an everyday player. Unlike their opponents from Brroklyn, the Yankees had a significantly difficult time scoring runs. Bob Shawkey and the pitching staff had some hard luck to deal with, the ace of the staff pitched well with a 2.44 ERA but lost 15 games while Ray Caldwell lost 16 despite striking out 102. George Mogridge was the lefty in the staff and Ray Fisher had the lowest ERA at 2.19 but even he had a losing record at 8-9. Well known Urban Shocker pitched half of his game out of the pen and will likely be used in high leverage spots. The Highlanders had 5 pitchers on their roster 21 year sold age or younger. The Dodgers would just seem to have too much for the Yanks especially with Durocher calling the shots, but the Yankee pitching is not all bad and could keep games tight and interesting.

Game 1 At Ebbets Field
58 partly cloudy
1917 Yankees..................9
1945 Dodgers..................0
WP: B. Shawkey (1-0) LP: C. Davis (0-1)
HR: R. Peckinpaugh (1)
POG: Roger Peckinpaugh
1917 Yankees lead series 1-0
Thirteen hits for the Yankees and a complete game shutout effort by Bob Shawkey allow New York to get an easy win in Brooklyn to open the series. Roger Peckinpaugh went 4-5 with 3 runs and a home run from the top of the New York order and Frtiz Maisel drove in two. Shawkey struck out four and looked in complete control against a frustrated Brooklyn offense.

Game 2 At Ebbets Field
Clear 67
1917 Yankees...............1
1945 Dodgers...............3
WP: H. Gregg (1-0) LP: R. Fisher (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Hal Gregg
Series tied at 1
Hal Gregg gave the Dodgers a lift with a complete game effort in game 2 even if the Brooklyn offense still isnt in high gear. Gregg struck out four allowing only one earned run to defeat Ray Fisher who went the distance in the loss. Eddie Stanky went 2-4 with 2 RBI and Goody Rosen added three hits that would be just enough. The series moves to the American League Park for three games next.

Game 3 At Polo Grounds
Clear 70
1945 Dodgers.................3
1917 Yankees.................4 (19 inn)
WP: S. Love (1-0) LP: L. Pfund (0-1)
HR: F. Baker (1)
POG: Urban Shocker
1917 Yankees lead series 2-1
What a battle at the Polo Grounds as both these sides battled for 19 innings and almost 6 hours. Elmer Miller hit a walk off sacrifice fly in the final inning after Brooklyn was on their sixth pitcher. The Dodgers had taken the lead in the 18th but Roger Peckinpaugh wouldnt let his side lose with an RBI tying double. Home Run Baker had tied the game with a 299 foot home run back in the 8th inning to initially send the game to extras. Urban Schocker and Les Webber had looked good as the early starters each going nine innings plus.

Game 4 At Polo Grounds
Clear 66
1945 Dodgers...............8
1917 Yankees...............9
WP: R. Caldwell (1-0) LP: R. Branca (0-1) S: N. Cullop (1)
HR: G. Rosen 2 (2), W. Pipp (1), R. Caldwell (1)
POG: Goody Rosen
1917 Yankees lead series 3-1
Wally Pipp hit a two run home run in the first inning as Ralph Branca didnt last long for the Dodgers in this one and New York scored 9 runs in the first three innings. The Dodgers did make some noise in the 7th inning scoring six runs as Eddie Stanky drove in three and Goody Rosen hit two home runs. The Yankees do hang on and Ray Caldwell does get the win despite allowing 6 earned runs. The Yankees look to end things at home in game five.

Game 5 At Polo Grounds
Rain 54
1945 Dodgers.................6
1917 Yankees..................7
WP: B. Shawkey (2-0) LP: C. Davis (0-2)
HR: None
POG: Bob Shawkey
Les Nunamaker ends the series in unbelievable fashion with a bases loaded double that scored three runs including the winner on a close play at the plate. The Yankees scored 5 runs in the ninth to come all the way back and eliminate Leo Durocher and Brooklyn. Bob Shawkey gets the win despite his defense letting him down with two big errors, but the ace grinded for nine innings. Curt Davis imploded for the Dodgers and in his two starts ended with an ERA over 11. The Yankees win in a minor upset and do it dramatically.

1917 New York Yankees Win Series 4 games to 1

Series MVP:

Roger Peckinpaugh
(.370, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 2B, .593 SLG)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #70
1951 New York Yankees (98-56) vs 1923 Philadelphia Athletics (69-83)

Few franchises have had the sustained success of the New York Yankees in the 20th century. In 1951 they won it all again and did so as a team in transition, something no other team did like the Yanks, moving from one generation to the next with continued excellence. The great Joe DiMaggio was in his last season and had surely lost a step if not his grace. In the wings is 19 year old Mickey Mantle who manager Stengel loved to use in the leadoff spot or as a pinch hitter as his skill was obvious to all. Yogi Berra had an MVP type season not only for his elite defensive work and leadership, but because he lead the club in WAR, RBI and home runs. Gene Woodling and Hank Bauer are two names that many tend to overlook on these great Yankee teams and in the middle of it all was the 33 year old Scooter. Phil Rizzutto was small but the Yankees wouldnt be the winners they were without his heart. Other notable names available for Stengel was 38 year old Johnny Mize who seemed to come up big when the Yanks needed him and Gil McDougald played in 131 games hitting .306 and surely would be an everyday player on any other team. Vic Raschi and Eddie Lopat were both 20 game winners who both threw 4 shutouts and have the perfect dimeneour for this Yankee club. The real ace however had to be Allie Reynolds. The Chief took the ball for the Yankees in the biggest of moments, starting or relief, and came through with a steel eye confidence. Some of the moves Stengel made with his pen has been scrutinized, and we should keep an eye on him this series. This is baseball in New York in the golden era of the game.

There are likely few things Connie Mack loves more then beating the Yankees. His White Elephants pride themselves on finding talent on the up, and playing baseball for the names on the caps and not in the boxscore. This Athletics club however wasnt quite at that standard and some of the arms especially were not as dependable as they needed to be. Eddie Rommell won 18 games but lost 19 even though he pitched much better then that record. Bob Hasty threw soft stuff and was hit hard for a 1.42 WHIP while Slim Harris wasnt good enough to keep his ERA under 4. Lefty Fred Heimach was used in all types of roles and Rub Walberg struggled in his 100 innings of work. With the pitching less then brilliant, the A's offensive efforts had to be good and consistent. Joe hauser may have been the best hitte on the club with an .873 OPS and 94 RBI. Wid Mathews lead the team in steals and covered alot of ground in center field. Bing Miller hit .299 and Jimmy Dykes lead the team in doubles but struggled to get on base; the Athletics did not take many walks as a team. Cy Perkins is an underrated catcher on this team who drove in 65 runs and was very dependable. The Tall Tactician has already proved to us that he cna provide an upset and a surprise against any opponent. Few managers are able to disect a series and make the moves that tip the scales. Athletics vs Yankees has a good ring to it.

Game 1 at Yankee Stadium
Clear 64
1923 Athletics..........0
1951 Yankees..........11
WP: V. Raschi (1-0) LP: E. Rommell (0-1)
HR: G. McDougald (1)
POG: Vic Raschi
1951 Yankees lead series 1-0
Vic Raschi was in complete control going nine innings for the shutout as the 51 Yankees come out hot in this best of seven. Raschi even drove in two runs as Gil McDougald went deep and Joe Dimaggio added 2 RBI. The A's made two errors and had only four hits against the Yankee ace as Eddie Rommell allowed seven earned runs working into the seventh.

Game 2 At Yankee Stadium
Rain 61
1923 Athletics..............4
1951 Yankees..............0
WP: S. Hariss (1-0) LP: E. Lopat (0-1)
HR: F. Welch (1)
POG: Slim Harris
Series tied at 1
The Athletics come right back on a rainy afternoon and shutout the Yankees behind Slim Harriss. Harriss struck out six on 134 pitches out performing Eddie Lopat who also went the distance. Bing Miller helped the A's put up two runs in the 6th with an RBI hit and the fortunes of game two were completely overturned from game one. A crucial game three moves to Shibe Park.

Game 3 At Shibe Park
Rain 61 (Delay 51 min)
1951 Yankees...............4
1923 Athletics...............3
WP: A. Reynolds (1-0) LP: B. Hasty (0-1) S: J. Ostrowski (1)
HR: S. Hale (1), J. Collins (1)
POG: Allie Reynolds
1951 Yankees lead series 2-1
Down a run in the ninth inning the Yankees put on thier championship mold and came back. Mickey Mantle singled in the tying run off a tired Bob Hasty and Johnny Mize put New York ahead with a sacrifice fly. Allie Reynolds had gone 8 strong innings but had allowed three runs mainly through a Sammy Hale 2 run home run in the 3rd. The Chief however hung tough as the Yanks came back but in the ninth closer Joe Ostrowski allowed two hits but Jimmy Dykes would ground out to second with the winning runs on the bases. A good win for New York but the series far from over. Gene Woodling was 4-4 in the win.

Game 4 At Shibe Park
Partly cloudy 64
1951 Yankees................5
1923 Athletics................1
WP: T. Morgan (1-0) LP: F. Heimach (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Tom Morgan
1951 Yankees lead series 3-1
Tom Morgan picked up the string of good Yankee pitching with a complete game win allowing six hits and striking out two. Joe Collins drove in two runs and Phil Rizzuto scored two runs with an RBI. The Yanks committed three errors but overcame the mistakes thanks to the resolve of Morgan who threw 147 pitches.

Game 5 At Shibe Park
52 partly cloudy
1951 Yankees................6
1923 Athletics................1
WP: V. Raschi (2-0) LP: E. Rommell (0-2)
HR: Y. Berra (1). G. Woodling (1), J. Hauser (1)
POG: Vic Raschi
Gene Woodling drove in two runs including an RBI triple in the 2nd inning and Yogi Berra added a long home run as the Yankees strolled to their third win at Shibe Park to end this series. Vic Raschi won his second game in complete control allowing one earned run and striking out six and ended with 1 run allowed in his 2 complete games. Eddie Rommell on the other hand took a second loss and ended with his ERA over 8. The champion Yankees proved their superiority and Stengel had them laser focused in this series.

1951 New York Yankees Win Series 4 games to 1

Series MVP:

Vic Raschi
(2-0, 18 IP, 0.50 ERA, 1 ER, 7 BB, 12 K, 0.89 WHIP, 800 ERA+)

[Nick Soulis]

Tournament Progress Report

Every 10 series I will give a progress report on the competition including stats.

Leaders (single series)
Hits...................George Stone (1907 Browns) 17
Home Runs.......Andrew McCutchen (2014 Pirates) 6
RBI...................Eduardo Escobar (2018 Twins) 14
Strikeouts.........Jim Bunning (1964 Phillies) 25
Longest HR.......Billy Herman (1941 Cubs) 504 FT

Managerial Leaders
Most Wins...........Davey Johnson 15
Winning %...........Al Dark (100%)

Hall of Famers
Culminative leaders for all Hall of Famers for every series they play (includes Pujols, Rose, Bonds, Joe Jackson, Clemens, Trout, Verlander, Cabrera)
Avg..................Earl Averill (.667)
HR...................Jim Thome (6)
RBI..................Jim Thome (17)
Runs...............Tim Raines (18)
Hits.................Pete Rose (25)
SB..................Rickey Henderson (8)
2B...................Pete Rose (6)
3B...................Pie Traynor (2)
AB..................Johnny Bench (77)
SLG................Earl Averill (1.167)
Wins...............Jim Bunning (4)
IP....................Jim Bunning (41)
K.....................Jim Bunning (43)
ERA................Warren Spahn (0.00)
K/9..................Juan Marichal (10.52)
BB/9................Dennis Eckersley (0.00)
Saves..............Maiano Rivera (4)

Championship Clubs
1. 1959 Dodgers (defeated 1989 Dodgers 4-2 in prelim) Still Alive
2. 1908 Chicago Cubs (Lost to 1919 Giants 2-4 in prelim) ELIMINATED
3. 1985 Kansas City Royals (Lost to 1995 Padres 1-4 in Prelim) ELIMINATED
4. 1973 Oakland Athletics (defeated 1920 Braves in Prelim) Still Alive
5. 1919 Cincinnati Reds (Lost to 1973 Reds 3-4 in Prelim) ELIMINATED
6. 1998 New York Yankees (Defeated 1926 Cubs 4-2 in Prelim) Still Alive
7. 1991 Minnesota Twins (Defeated 1909 Highlanders 4-2 in Prelim) Still Alive
8. 1951 New York Yankees (Defeated 1923 Athletics 4-1 in Prelim) Still Alive


Franchise Records
Arizona Dbacks....................0-0
Atlanta/Mil Braves................1-1
Baltimore Orioles..................1-5
Boston Braves/Beans...........1-3
Boston Red Sox...................5-1
Brooklyn/LA Dodgers...........4-6
Chicago Cubs......................2-4
Chicago White Sox..............3-3
Cincinnati Reds...................6-7
Cleveland Indians/Naps......0-4
Colorado Rockies................0-0
Detroit Tigers......................4-5
Florida/Miami Marlins......... 1-0
Houston Astros....................0-0
KC Royals...........................1-1
Los Angeles Angels.............1-4
Milwaukee Brewers.............2-3
Minnesota Twins..................2-2
Montreal Expos...................3-0
New York Mets....................1-0
New York Yankees...............4-2
New York/SF Giants.............4-2
Philadelphia Phillies.............3-1
Philadelphia/Oak A's............3-4
Pittsburgh Pirates.................4-2
San Diego Padres................4-3
Seattle Mariners...................0-1
St. Louis Browns..................2-1
St. Louis Cardinals...............2-2
Tampa Bay Rays..................1-0
Texas Rangers.....................1-1
Toronto Blue Jays.................2-0
Washingtion Nationals..........0-0
Washington Senators...........2-2

Records By Decade
1900's.............................1-4
1910's.............................8-3
1920's.............................1-5
1930's.............................2-7
1940's.............................4-4
1950's.............................9-3
1960's.............................8-3
1970's.............................9-8
1980's.............................8-6
1990's.............................9-10
2000's.............................8-5
2010's.............................4-13


Achievements
Series 2 - Jim Longborg 19 scoreless innings pitched
Series 5 - Gil Hodges 5-5, 2 HR, 7 RBI in game 2 of series
Series 15 - Mark McGwire hits 3 HR in one game at Braves Field.
Series 31 - Glendon Rusch throws a Maddux. A two hit shutout on only 95 pitches without a walk.
Series 48 - Ron Fairly goes 5-6 with 3 doubles and a home run in 13-10 win.
Series 58 - Joe Lake throws a shutout on 93 pitches allowing five hit and no walks.
Series 62 - Joe Adcock hits three home runs in the deciding game seven with 5 RBI including the walk off series clinching winner,

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #71
1937 St. Louis Cardinals (81-73) Vs 1974 Chicago White Sox (80-80)

Frankie Frisch was still leading most of his crew that were champions and known as the gashouse gang in 1937, but the glory days were taking a hiatus for about a decade. Two of the most dynamic hitters any lineup could hope for lead this team as Joe Medwick and Johnny Mize were just about as good as it gets. Medwick put up dizzying numbers hitting .374 and driving in 154 runs with 56 doubles and a 1.056 OPS. Mize kept pace with him hitting 25 home runs and hitting .364. After the top two, the lineup does taper off quite a bit as Don Padgett and Jimmy Brown provided depth if not major production while at this stage shortstop Leo Durocher who hit only .203, was in the lineup mostly because of his excellent intangibles. Pepper Martin was also in and out of the lineup and managed a .308 average in 98 games. Dizzy Dean was still entertaining fans with his charisma and excellent but fading stuff. Dean went 13-10 with a 2.65 ERA but threw less then 200 innings as Lon Warneke lead the team with 18 wins but a concerning 4.53 ERA. Bob Weiland ate up the most innings and had an ERA+ of 112 and Si Johnson was a good 4th arm on the staff. At 34 Mike Ryba was the main utility arm and 37 year old Sherriff Blake managed two shutouts on the year. Still the rotation probably will hinge on what kind of stuff Dean will be able to provide as everyone knows his greatness when his arm is good. Frisch has already built a no nonsense win at all costs mentality for this team and franchise that rarely beats itself, and will look to knock off a midwestern foe in the Sox. This club ha seen better days, but still if not great is very very good.

A 1974 White Sox team with some real talent and a .500 record will look to fight off the gashouse gang. Chuck Tanner is also just about as tough as they come as a manager and you could bet that his club will be ready to literally tussle with the Cards. Dick Allen could hit a baseball in his sleep and may have had more raw power then anyone in the decade. Allen hit 32 home runs with a .301 average and teamed up very well with Bill Melton who hit 21 home runs but hit only .242. Ken Henderson struck out 112 times but drove in 95 runs to lead the team and even flashed some speed with 12 steals and 5 triples. Jorge Orta was a very good hitter for his position The rest of the order was quite thin, however you may recognize a 22 year old short stop in Bucky Dent who hit .274 with 5 home runs. Jim Kaat won 21 games and was excellent even at 35 years old. Kaat allowed onyl 18 home runs and had a WHIP of 1.17. Vying for the ace role was also Wilbur Wood who also won 20 games and threw 320 innings in 41 starts. The entire Sox staff had impecible control, walking 3.4 men per 9 innings. Terry Forster headed a good bullpen as the closer at 22 years old saving 24 games while another 22 year old was just getting his feet wet. Goose Gossage started in three games but as the season went on was used in more and more high leverage innings because he threw so hard, Tanner did lack some depth on his pitching roster and may have asked a bit too much from the arms that were available to him. A good matchup has materialized in this series and the quite distinct eras both for their style and mentality, should be a good cotrast to watch.

Game 1 At Sportsmans Park
Clear 66
1974 White Sox................0
1937 Cardinals.................8
WP: D. Dean (1-0) LP: W. Wood (0-1)
HR: J. Mize (1), D. Padgett (1)
POG: Johnny Mize
1937 Cardinals lead series 1-0
Dizzy Dean was his old vintage self throwing unhittable pitches and shutting out the frustrated White Sox in game one. Dean walked none and struck out 8 while scattering 9 hits in the win. Johnny Mize went 4-4 with a home run while Don Padgett also went deep and drove three runs all against Wilbur Wood who couldnt seep pace today. A good start for St. Louis.

Game 2 At Sportsmans Park
Clear 73
1974 White Sox.................17
1937 Cardinals...................9
WP: R. Gossage (1-0) LP: L. Warneke (0-1)
HR: J. Orta (1). D. Allen (1), B. Downing (1), J. Mize 2 (3)
POG: Jorge Orta
Series tied at 1
The White Sox come back with vengeance with 22 hits and 17 runs to tie the series. The game was sloppy with seven errors and 8 different pitchers used. Johnny Mize hit two home runs for the Cardinals who blew a lead allowing 10 runs in the final two innings. Jorge Orta went 4-5 in the win with 5 RBI and Dick Allen drove in four. A wild game takes the series to Chicago all even.

Game 3 At Comiskey Park
Partly cloudy 56
1937 Cardinals................2
1974 White Sox...............12
WP: B. Johnson (1-0) LP: B. Weiland (0-1)
HR: D. Allen (2)
POG: Bart Johnson
1974 White Sox lead series 2-1
The White Sox bat remained hot with 15 more hits and 11 run in only the first four innings. Jorge Orta and Dick Allen drove in two more runs each and Bucky Dent batted in three runs as everything seems to be clicking for the Sox. Bart Johnson gets the win and stayed in control on the hill striking out seven and allowing only six hits. After the Dean shutout in game one, the Cardinals pitching seems lost and needs to get back on track.

Game 4 At Comiskey Park
Partly cloudy 62
1937 Cardinals..............1
1974 White Sox.............5
WP: S. Pitlock (1-0) LP: J. Winford (0-1)
HR: D. Allen (3)
POG: Skip Pitlock
1974 White Sox lead series 3-1
Dick Allen went deep again and drove in two more runs but the real star of for the White Sox was little known Skip Pitlock who allowed one earned run throwing into the 8th inning. St. Louis has just really lacked long rallies or a big inning that has been a trademark of their club and Frankie Frisch really has to find a way to get this club going. Dizzy Dean goes in game five to keep the Cards alive.

Game 5 At Comiskey Park
Clear 56
1937 Cardinals................3
1974 White Sox..............10
WP: W. Wood (1-1) LP: D. Dean (1-1)
HR: D. Allen (4)
POG: Jorge Orta
As has been the theme all series long, even Dizzy Dean could not stop the White Sox offense as they score 10 runs and defeat the Cardinals in five games. Jorge Orta went 3-4 with 3 RBI to cap his big series and for the fourth time Dick Allen went deep. Chicago put six runs up in the 4th to knock Dean out of the game and ended with 15 hits, an incredible stretch of 5 games where the Sox scored 44 runs. Wilbur Wood gets the win despite allowing 12 hits but going the distance. Chuck Tanner and his team have been quite impressive.

1974 Chicago White Sox Win Series 4 games to 1

Series MVP:

Jorge Orta
(.435, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 1 SB, 4 2B, 7 R, .739 SLG)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #72
1935 Brooklyn Dodgers (70-83) vs 1997 Philadelphia Phillies (68-94)

Young Casey Stengel in only his second year as a manager was trying to right the ship in Brooklyn. He seemed to have his most trouble trying to put together a pitching staff that worked and used five arms that started over 20 games. Van Mungo had 143 strikeouts and the most innings worked and the only other pitcher with over 200 innings was lefty Watty Clark who had similar numbers as Mungo but threw more off-speed. Johnny Babich started 24 games and was anialated with a 6.66 ERA. George Earnshaw tried to fill the void with a 4.12 ERA while Tom Zachary at 39 years old and even Dazzy Vance at 44 were used sporadically. Mungo did have 4 shutouts and will have to be the so called ace when called upon. Dutch Leonard had 8 saves and threw over 137 innings but had mixed results, as did most of Brooklyn pitching in 1935. The Brooklyn offense had no power with only one batter with double digit home runs, it seemed Stengel was forced to play a style that suited the deadbal era but was hindered in even that with the lack of speed on the club. Lonny Frey was the most feared bat with 11 home runs, 77 RBI, and 35 doubles. First baseman Sam Leslie made the most of his chances with 92 RBI while hitting a good .308. The rest of the lineup seemed to be made of similar players, a decent average with no slugging but good bat to ball skills. Such names as Tony Cuccinello, Frenchy Bordagaray, and Joe Stripp all fit the mold. Jim Bucher had 143 hits in a platoon role and scored 72 runs. Brooklyn is fortunate to have drawn a team with almost as many issues as they have, giving them a legitimate shot in this matchup with Philadelphia.

Terry Francona was another young manager who like Stengel had much better days ahead of him. This Phillies team only won 68 games was was looking at a sure rebuild mode offloading talent for the long term. One arm in a trash fire of pitching could be counted on however, and that was Curt Schilling. Few pitchers are as good as Schilling in a series like this, his 17 wins, 2.97 ERA, and amazing 319 strikeouts say it all. He may be able to win this eries all on his own but others will try and help. Mark Leiter and Matt Beech were terrible options in the rotation with ERA's well over 5. Tyler Green only made 14 starts and Garrett Stephenson came out of nowhere to get some quality innings in 18 starts for a club that desperately needed them. Ricky Bottalico had a good year as the closer with 34 saves but the rest of the pen was just as poor as the rotation; the Phils had a 4.85 team ERA albeit in the steroid era. The lineup had to score a ton of runs and rarely was up to it. Darren Daulton had no good knees and was forced to play the outfield while Gregg Jeffries was trying to resurect his career with mixed results. Mike Lieberthal was coming on at catcher with 20 home runs and 77 RBI at 25 years old and Rico Brogna also belted 20 home runs and 81 RBI at first base but neither of them could hit much for average. The star of the club along with Schilling, was certainly Scott Rolen who was one of the finest gloveman at third in the game. He also hit .283 with over 90 RBI and a .377 OPB, all without support in the lineup. Micky Morandini and Kevin Stocker were a dependable double play combination but lacked any real pop at the plate. Kevin Jordan and Derrick May were two fading bats used off the Phillies bench. So neither team here will knock your socks off but we do have two very ambitious and capable managers. Somehow,, look for Curt Schilling to make the big difference in this series.

Game 1 At Ebbets Field
Clear 68
1997 Phillies..................7
1935 Dodgers................6
WP: C. Schilling (1-0) LP: V. Mungo (0-1)
HR: R. Brogna (1)
POG: Curt Schilling
1997 Phillies lead series 1-0
Rico Brogna slammed a two run home run in the 7th inning off Van Mungo to put Philadelphia up for good. Curt Schilling battled despite not having his best stuff, he struck out only three and allowed six runs. Ricky Otero also had two RBI as the Phillies were outhit in the game but the Dodgers made two key errors in the loss.

Game 2 At Ebbets Field
Clear 67
1997 Phillies..............10
1935 Dodgers.............6
WP: M. Leiter (1-0) LP: W. Clark (0-1) S: R. Bottalico (2)
HR: G. Jeffries (1)
POG: Mike Lieberthal
1997 Phillies lead series 2-0
Mike Lieberthal smacked three doubles with three RBI along with another 3 RBI out of Greg Jeffries who also homered as the Phillies scored 10 times and take both games at Ebbets Field. Ricky Otero tripled with 2 men on in the 4th as Scott Rolen scored three times all in support of Mark Leiter who gets the win despite walking 8. The Dodgers made two more errors and heard the boo birds despite a late rally.

Game 3 From Veterans Stadium
Partly cloudy 62
1935 Dodgers...............3
1997 Phillies.................5
WP: T. Green (1-0) LP: J. Babich (0-1)
HR: T. Cuccinello (1)
POG: Tyler Green
1997 Phillies lead series 3-0
Tyler Green goes the distance allowing 2 earned runs on 141 pitches and leading the Phillies to a fat three game lead in the series. Johnny Babich was a risky start for the Dodgers but he wasnt all bad, keeping his team in the game. However down a run in the 3rd, Rico Brogna singled in the tying run and Ricky Otero gave the home side the lead with his 7th RBI of the series. Three more errors by the Dodgers making it 7 for the series is a big part of why they are staring elimination in the eye.

Game 4 At Veterans Stadium
Clear 73
1935 Dodgers...............10
1997 Phillies..................4
WP: T. Zachary (1-0) LP: G. Stephenson (0-1)
HR: L. Frey (1), B. Boyle (1)
POG: Lonny Frey
1997 Phillies lead series 3-1
Buzz Boyle hit a grand slam in a 5 run 5th inning for Brooklyn and Sam Leslie goes 3-5 with 3 runs for a convincing win. The Phillies will have to wait another day to end this series Garrett Stepehson allowed seven earned runs and was outpitched by winner Tom Zachary. Curt Schilling now takes the mound for Philly in what they hope will be a clinching game 5.

Game 5 At Veterans Stadium
Partly cloudy 60
1935 Dodgers................1
1997 Phillies..................5
WP: C. Schilling (2-0) LP: V. Mungo (0-2)
HR: L. Frey (2)
POG: Curt Schilling
Down by a run in the third inning the Phillies put up three behind a home run by Mike Lieberthal and another RBI by Ricky Otero who ends the series with 10. Once the lead was there, Curt Schilling brought the series home striking out five and going the distance allowing one earned run on four hits. The Phillies make things look easy against the Dodgers and are deserved winners.

1997 Philadelphia Phillies Win Series 4 games to 1

Series MVP:

Curt Schilling
(2-0, 1.69 ERA, 18 IP, 8 K, 4 BB, 1.06 WHIP, 237 ERA+)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #73
1941 Brooklyn Dodgers (100-54) vs 1995 San Francisco Giants (67-77)

The first real great Dodgers team in over a decade won 100 games and brought the pennant to flatbush. Leo Durocher proves what a great motivator and game manger he is winning with a team that didnt have the hall of fame resume but still loads of talent. First baseman Dolph Camilli did have a star season hitting 34 home runs and driving in 120 while Joe Medwick hit out 18 with 88 RBI. The true gem was 22 year old Pete Reiser, his ability at such a young age is one of baseball lore. Reiser hit .343 with a .406 OBP and 39 doubles and 17 triples. He swung the bat like he was born to do so. Another younster at short, Pee Wee Reese didnt have the numbers to make you take notice but his hustle and defensive skill quickly made him one of the Ebbets Field favorites. Dixie Walker was another fine hitter that cant be overlooked hitting .311 and Billy Herman at 31 remains a fine all around player. Two aces at the top of the Dodger rotation had excellent seasons, Kirby Higbe went 22-9 in 39 starts and 298 and even managed 3 saves when needed. Whit Wyatt went 22-10 with a 159 ERA+ and 1.05 WHIP to dominate the National League and even third starter Curt Davis had his ERA at 2.97 and could still get it done at 37 years old. Hugh Casey was the main man in relief with 7 saves and 162 innings of work when Durocher needed him. Two more grey beards in Luke Hamlin and Freddie Fitzsimmons could also play an unlikely role. This Dodgers team shouldnt be overlooked in any competition and is just the type of team that doesnt deserve to be forgotten so easily in a 1941 season that was remembered for so much more.

Dusty Baker was just getting his feet wet as a manager with the Giants and 1995 was more of a rebuild for his club. The young starlet in left field however was coming into his own as Barry Bonds was already considered among the best players in the game. Bonds had a 1.00 OPS with 33 home runs, 31 steals, and 109 runs. Matt Williams played in less then half the game but when available hit .336 while slugging over .600. Glenalin Hill hit 24 home runs with 25 steals showing his athletic ability and some monstrous home runs and even Mark Carreon hit over .300 with 17 home runs, Twenty five year old shortstop Royce Clayton was the hope for the future while veteran Robby Thompson didn't have much left at second. Kirt Manwaring is a good overall catcher while Deion Sanders hit .285 with some flash off the bench. The pitching was really however where this club struggled; only one arm won 10 games or more and that was Mark Leiter who did his best with a 3.82 ERA to act like an ace. Terry Muholland proved once and for all that he is not a starter with his 5.80 ERA while Mark Portugal and lefty Trevor Wilson didnt do much to impress in each of their 17 starts. Some hope from 24 year old William VanLandingham who had a 3.67 ERA in 18 starts and 95 strikeouts. The pen was anchored by the 'shooter' Rod Beck who had 33 saves but also may have had one too many rough spots with 6 losses and a 4.45 ERA. The remainder of the pen and arms in general were also quite poor as Giants pitching in 1995 really didn't give the team much of a chance, It will be fun to watch Bonds show off his skills at Ebbets Field but on paper at least, this series would appear to be very one-sided unless the Giants get some really unexpected quality pitching.

Game 1 At Ebbets Field
Clear 72
1995 Giants................3
1941 Dodgers.............4
WP: W. Wyatt (1-0) LP: M. Portugal (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Whit Wyatt
1941 Dodgers lead series 1-0
Cookie Lavagetto doubled in the 7th inning scoring a run and breaking a 3-3 tie to put the Dodgers in position to win game one. San Fran took a 3-0 lead 4th but Mark Portugal could not hold it allowing three right back the bottom of the same inning. Whit Wyatt gets the win striking out 8 and walking one over the complete nine.

Game 2 At Ebbets Field
Partly cloudy 59
1995 Giants..................6
1941 Dodgers...............5
WP: R. Beck (1-0) LP: C. Davis (0-1) S: S. Barton (1)
HR: None
POG: William VanLandingham
Series tied at 1
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth after blowing a three run lead but their chance was extinguished by Shawn Barton who forced Pete Coscarant to fly out to center. Curt Davis had a 3 run lead in the ninth but Darren Lewis, Barry Bonds, and finally Matt Williams all had RBI singles to turn the tide. Lewis had three RBI in a signature win for the Giants who wouldnt quit and prove to the Dodgers they believe they can win.

Game 3 At Candlestick Park
Partly cloudy 63
1941 Dodgers..................18
1995 Giants......................1
WP: K. Higbe (1-0) LP: J. Brewington (0-1)
HR: D. Camilli (1), A. Kampouris (1)
POG: Alex Kampouris
1941 Dodgers lead series 2-1
Dixie Walker scored 4 runs and Alex Kampouris had a huge day with 5 RBI and a 3 run home run. The Dodgers embarrass Jaimie Brewington and the Giants on their home field scoring 11 times in the last two innings alone. Kirby Higbe gets an easy win as his offense had 20 hits and a determination to make up for the tough loss in game two. Can the Giants rebound from this?

Game 4 At Candlestick Park
Partly cloudy 64
1941 Dodgers....................8
1995 Giants.......................3
WP: L. Hamlin (1-0) LP: S. Torres (0-1)
HR: S. Scarsone (1), J. Medwick 3 (3)
POG: Joe Medwick
1941 Dodgers lead series 3-1
Joe Medwick singlehandedly takes over game 4 with three home runs and seven RBI. Mednick's had two big blows, a three run home run in the third and another in the 7th. Luke Hamlin made the most of the support despite walking six over 9 innings.

Game 5 At Candlestick Park
Partly cloudy 65
1941 Dodgers..................10
1995 Giants......................1
WP: W. Wyat (2-0) LP: M. Portugal (0-2)
HR: D. Camilli (2)
POG: Whitt Wyatt
The Dodgers finished off the Giants with another emphatic win as Whit Wyatt won his second game striking out nine and walking none in a complete game effort where he allowed only one unearned run. The back breaker in the game was a grand slam by Dolph Camilli in the 5th inning and Joe Medwick drove in his 14th run of the series. The Dodgers end a very impressive five game series proving how potent they can be.

1941 Brooklyn Dodgers Win Series 4 games to 1

Series MVP:

Joe Medwick
(.478, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 4 2B, 1.13 SLG, 7 R)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #74
2007 Seattle Mariners (88-74) vs 1993 Houston Astros (85-77)

Ichiro had a true season to remember in 2007 with a record 238 hits while hitting .351 with 37 steals. Ichiro is at the pinnacle of his game at 33 years old and truly is one of the most unique talents in the history of the game. Adrian Beltre was a beast at the plate with 99 RBI and 41 doubles really coming into his own right as a star. Few have as much power as Richie Sexson who also brings with him a ton of strikeouts and a .205 average. Raul Ibanez was getting it done with his smooth swing at 35 years old and a .831 OPS while Jose Guillen drove in 99 runs with 23 home runs of his own. Jose Vidro was a competent DH and Kenji Johjima was setting his resume as one of the best Mariner catchers to play for them; look it up. This Seattle team will have no trouble scoring runs and could give the Astros fits in this series. Felix Hernandez was beginning to lose a bit on his stuff starting 30 games with a 3.92 ERA as no one really stepped up in the rotation when called upon. Jarrod Washburn lost 15 games and allowed 23 home runs while Migel Batista had the most wins at 16 but still carried a 1.5 WHIP. Jeff Weaver and Horacio Ramirez might as well have been throwing batting practice with their performances in 2007. The closer was excellent as JJ Putz closed down 40 games with a 0.68 WHIP and 10.3 K/9, the issue will be getting the game to Putz and holding a lead long enough. This Mariner team also had some very good defensive players lead by Beltre and Ichiro, it really is a wonder that the pitching was still as bad as it was.

The 1993 Astros were mostly a young group lead by Art Howe that was building a core that would help them win throughout the decade and then some. The Killer B's in Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell were coming into their own as bonafide stars. Biggio settled in at second with 98 runs 41 doubles, and 17 steals. Bagwell hit .320 with a .903 OPS and 88 RBI while missing 20 games. Luis Gonzalez hit .300 with 15 home runs and seemed to be figuring things out after a slow start to his career while Steve Finely was turning into one of the smoothest centerfielders in the game. Ken Caminiti was still a threat even if he didnt show much pop or consistency with only 13 home runs in over 140 games. Veteran Kevin Bass was still playing well in reserve duty hitting .284 with seven steals. Doug Drabek had made the big move to Houston from Pittsburgh but wasnt the ace he used to be losing 18 games with 12 wild pitches. Young Pete Harnish pitched very well with a 2.98 ERA that lead to 16 wins while Mark Portugal went 18-4 and seemed to have a horse show around his neck but did well keeping the ball on the ground. Young Daryl Kile is a very interesting starter with the poise of a veteran and 15 quality wins while Greg Swindell was eating up innings and looking for his place in the rotation. The pen including Doug Jones did struggle as Jones at 36 seems to have lost life on his best stuff. Xavier Hernandez appeared in 72 games and may have been the most versatile arm on the roster. A good series that could really go either way awaits.

Game 1 At Safeco Field
Roof closed
1993 Astros..................8
2007 Mariners..............2
WP: D. Drabek (1-0) LP: F. Hernandez (0-1)
HR: E. Anthony (1), I. Suzuki (1)
POG: Luis Gonzalez
1993 Astros lead series 1-0
Luis Gonzalez went 4-5 at the top of the order with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Eric Anthony hit a three run home run of Felix Hernandez in the 3rd inning and Doug Drabek did the rest of the job with a fine outing striking out six and walking only one. Ichiro did lead off the first inning with a home run for Seattle but that would be the end of a downer of a game for the Seattle team and supporters.

Game 2 At Safeco Field
Indoors
1993 Astros.......................5
2007 Mariners...................2
WP: M. Portugal (1-0) LP: M. Batista (0-1) S: D. Jones (1)
HR: None
POG: Mark Portugal
1993 Astros lead series 2-0
The Astros scratched three runs in the first inning off of Miguel Batista and starter Mark Portugal made it hold up as Houston wins again. Portugal had 8 innings of good work allowing 2 earned runs on 8 hits, Doug Jones closed out the ninth. Jeff Bagwell had an RBI triple and Craig Biggio an RBI double as Houston never trailed in this one even through they were outhit 9 to 8.

Game 3 At Astrodome
Indoors
2007 Mariners....................4
1993 Astros........................2
WP: C. Baek (1-0) LP: P. Harnish (0-1) S: J. Putz (1)
HR: J. Bagwell (1)
POG: Cha-sueng Baek
1993 Astros lead series 2-1
Jeff Bagwell represented the tying run in the bottom of the ninth by JJ Putz induced a double play to end the game and get the Mariners back in the series. Cha suen Baek was solid for the visitors in this one allowing only one earned run in 8 innings of work with 7 strikeouts. Ichiro had two hits, scored two runs, and stole a base in the win.

Game 4 At Astrodome
Indoors
2007 Mariners..................11
1993 Astros.......................2
WP: J. Washburn (1-0) LP: D. Kile (0-1)
HR: Y. Betancourt (1)
POG: Yuniesky Betancourt
Series tied at 2
A seven run 7th inning capped an 18 hit performance for Seattle who win again in Houston to tie the series. Yuniesky Betancourt drove in 4 runs including a 2 run home run in the 4th and Kenji Johjima added three RBI. Darryl Kile was doing fine until her lost it in the 7th and takes the loss, Jarod Washburn gets the win going 6 innings on 91 pitches.

Game 5 At Astrodome
Indoors
2007 Mariners................8
1993 Astros....................3
WP: F. Hernandez (1-1) LP: D. Drabek (1-1)
HR: None
POG: Felix Hernandez
2007 Mariners lead series 3-2
Another big inning, this time the 6th where Seattle scores 7 runs and runs Doug Drabek from the game. Felix Hernandez the most unlikely source hits a 2 run double and Kenji Johjima drives in two more runs. Hernandez strikes out five working into the seventh as Seattle takes all three games in the Astrodome and is now on the cusp.

Game 6 At Safeco Field
Roof closed
1993 Astros..................0
2007 Mariners..............1
WP: M. Batista (1-1) LP: M. Portugal (1-1)
HR: None
POG: Miguel Batista
Miguel Batista was brilliant in this clinching game for Seattle throwing 9 shutout inning and striking out 12. Batista had everything working allowing only two hits and he had to be as mark Portugal was on his game for the desperate Astros. The only run of the game came in the 4th when Adrian Beltre singled in a run and the slim lead would stand. Batista's performance was one of the best we have seen yet.

2007 Seattle Mariners Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Yuniesky Betancourt
(.478, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 2B, .520 OBP, 3 R)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #75
2002 Atlanta Braves (101-59) vs 1918 Philadelphia Athletics (52-76)

Still in the midst of their dominance, the Braves of the early 2000's were still among the best teams in baseball and in 02 they won 101 games. John Smoltz had taken on his new role as team closer saving an incredible 55 games, over half of the teams wins. The Braves starters had Tom Glavine winning 18 games and Greg Maddux who went 16-6 with a 2.62 ERA; both Maddux and Glavine were 36 years old and as good as ever. Third starter Kevin Millwood was fitting in just fine also winning 28 games and striking out 178. Damian Moss was an acceptable 4th starter while Jason Marquis struggled but Atlanta had more then enough on the pitching side to win big, including the three forementioned Hall of Famers. Chipper Jones drove in 100 runs and hit a cool .327 while still playing out in left field. Andruw Jones by now was the best defensive centerfielder in the game but also hit 35 bombs even if he struck out 135 times. At 33 Gary Sheffield was still dangerous hitting .307 with a .404 OBP. Rafael Furcal stole 27 bases and scored 95 runs at the top of the order and at first base 43 year old Julio Franco proved age was just a number hitting .284 in over 100 games. Bobby Cox has a good familiar roster and even if the Braves fell short in the post season like they did too many times, Cox and his team should have more then enough to close out the Athletics.

Still saving money and rebuilding his side, Connie Mack wasn't too hard on himself and his roster sitting 24 games under .500 in the war shortened season. The bats especially on this team were weak and will have a hell of a time hitting Atlanta pitching. George Burns lead the side with 22 doubles and 70 RBI with an impressive .352. Tillie Walker and Larry Gardner were next on the list of competent bats but they were not run producers and did not hit with power, they combined for a .290 average. Joe Dugan hit .195 and 21 year old Jimmy Dykes was even worse at .188 for a pathetic middle of the infield combo. Center fielder Merlin Kopp lead the team with 22 steals but a .320 OBP wasn't good enough. Mack's pithing staff was much better as Scott Perry could be proud of his effort winning 20 games even if he lost 19. Perry had a 1.98 ERA with three shutouts and even 2 saves. Vean Gregg lost 14 games but had a 3.12 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP and along side him was third starter Mule Watson who had a 3.37 ERA with 3 shutouts of his own. Willie Adams and Elmer Myers were too versatile arms Mack could use as starters or relief men, but the lack of any run support really made it a challenge to assess just how good this pitching roster could be. The A's surely will have their hands full in this series but should keep games low scoring and surely have nothing to lose in their efforts to pull the upset against a 100 win club.

Game 1 At Turner Field
Partly cloudy 60
1918 Athletics.............3
2002 Braves...............7
WP: K. Millwood (1-0) LP: S. Perry (0-1)
HR: J. Dugan (1), R. Furcal (1)
POG: Kevin Millwood
2002 Braves lead series 1-0
Kevin Millwood was the surprise starter in game one by Bobby Cox and the move paid off well. Millwood threw a complete game allowing three runs and walking only one in the win. Rafael Furcal hit a three run home run while Marcus Giles went 3-4 with 2 RBI for the Atlanta who draw first blood.

Game 2 At Turner Field
Partly cloudy 64
1918 Athletics...................4
2002 Braves.....................6
WP: J. Smoltz (1-0) LP: B. Geary (0-1)
HR: J. Franco (1), J. Lopez (1), T. Walker (1)
POG: Julio Franco
2002 Braves lead series 2-0
In dramatic style, Javy Lopez launches a 394 foot home run over the right field wall to walk off game two as Bob Geary takes the loss. Tillie Walker had hit a three run home run off Greg Maddux in the 4th but Atlanta fought back and tied the game in the 7th with a 2 run single by Gary Sheffield. Julio Franco went 3-5 with 2 RBI proving his worth and experience matters in big game. The A's needed this one, but now instead go back home with alot of work to do.

Game 3 At Shibe Park
Clear 61
2002 Braves..................4
1918 Athletics................2
WP: T. Glavine (1-0) LP: V. Gregg (0-1) S: J. Smoltz (1)
HR: None
POG: Tom Glavine
2002 Braves lead series 3-0
Smooth sailing continues for Atlanta as they win their third game behind a good Tom Glavine who struck out seven and handed over the close of the game to John Smotlz who put the A's away. Mark DeRosa had the biggest hit of this game when he ripped a two run double down the left field line in the 3rd as Atlanta would score three in the inning. The Braves now look for the sweep and they have been by far the better side in all three games played.

Game 4 At Shibe Park
Rain 59
2002 Braves.................9
1918 Athletics............10
WP: R. Johnson (1-0) LP: M. Remlinger (0-1) B. Geary (1)
HR: G. Burns (1), C. Jones (1), J. Franco (2)
POG: George Burns
2002 Braves lead series 3-1
A battle to survive the 18 Athletics squeeze by the Braves in a wild one. Down three runs in the 6th, Atlanta rallied to tie the game but in the bottom of the frame the home side plated five. Joe Dugan had the biggest hit clearing the bases with a double but the lead wasnt as comfortable as expected. The Braves fought back scoring 3 in the 8th and in the 9th Mark DeRosa cut the lead to one with an RBI double but was stranded on second as Bob Geary finally closed the door.

Game 5 At Shibe Park
Clear 55
2002 Braves...............2
1918 Athletics.............4
WP: B. Geary (1-1) LP: J. Smoltz (1-1)
HR: C. Jones (2), T. Walker (2), G. Burns (2)
POG: Kevin Millwood
2002 Braves lead series 3-2
Playing with their heart on the line, the 1918 A's pulled off a miracle finish and send the series back to Atlanta. Down two, George Burns toom John Smoltz out of Shibe Park in the bottom of the ninth for a walk off three run home run. A dramatic collapse for the Braves closer who couldnt get the job done after Kevin Millwood pitched 8 very strong innings. A classic game at Shibe Park.

Game 6 at Turner Field
Partly cloudy 52
1918 Athletics..............4
2002 Braves................6
WP: D. Holmes (1-0) LP: E. Myers (0-1) S: J. Smoltz (2)
HR: T. Walker (3)
POG: Tillie Walker
The Braves wasted no time upon returning home and giving Greg Maddux a three run lead in the first inning. Maddux would go six allowing three earned runs as the Athletics got to him tying the game up at three. Tied at four in the 8th, Tillie Walker hit his third home run of the series off of Darren Holmes to get a late lead. In the bottom of the 8th, the Braves had seen enough. Javy Lopez got the big two out, two run RBI single that turned the tide and the lead back the Atlanta. John Smoltz closed the ninth out as well as the series, as the Atlanta talent was just too much in the end.

2002 Atlanta Braves Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Javy Lopez
(.250, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, Walk off home run game two, 2 run single game six)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #76
2017 Oakland Athletics (75-87) vs 1950 Chicago White Sox (60-94)

The 2017 season was an off year for the Athletics and Bob Melvin who finished well out of the race. Oakland pitching was to blame for the most part as their usual efficient rotation was lacking. Sean Manaea lead the club with 12 wins and 140 strikeouts throwing well if not dominant, Jharel Cotton was hammered in his 24 starts allowing 28 home runs while Kendall Graveman threw only about 100 un spectacular innings in his 19 starts. Sonny Grey ended with a 3.43 and struck out 94 batters in 97 innings. No one beyond these four could hold any water or stick for more then 13 starts. The Oakland pen was strong, Liam Hendricks was joined by Santiago Casilla in closer duties and Ryan Madson had a good season as the middle man. On offense Khris Davis hit 43 home runs with 110 RBI and was joined by Ryan Healy and Matt Joyce who each hit 25. Jed Lowrie lead the team in hits and Raja Davis stole 26 bases to lead the way despite a putrid .294 OBP. Marcus Simien could show flashes of stardom but still had a long way to go to get there. Matt Chapman was a great gloveman at third but hit only .234 in about half the season of games. Matt Olson is a promising talent who hit 24 home runs in limited action and Chad Pinder added 15. Billy Bean didnt quite have the usual magic in this roster but in this matchup the Athletics style and approach could give them the edge over a poor White Sox team from 67 years earlier.

The 1950 White Sox barely won 50 games and certainly has been a team that history has long forgotten. The Sox lineup left more to be desired and in the power department Gus Zernial stepped up with 29 home runs to lead the team and 93 RBI. Dave Philley drove in 80 with 150 hits while first baseman Eddie Robinson was the best overall hitter ending with a .314 average and .491 slugging with 20 home runs. Chico Carrasquel and Hank Majewski could hit decently but combined for 10 home runs and beyond that the order had little to no speed to speak of. At short was 22 year old Nellie Fox who had a slick glove and seven triples, he was the new face replacing long time marquee at the position, now 43 year old Luke Appling. At 23 years old Billy Pierce may be the best story on the team winning 12 games and showing courage in a tough American League, striking out 118. Bill Wight lost 16 games with little luck but did end with three shutouts. Bob Cain was the final dependable arm in the rotation with a 3.93 ERA in 23 starts. Ryan Scarborough and Ken Holcombe would be better off not starting in this series. The bullpen was think as most arms were expected to finish what they started, Randy Gumpert threw 155 innings mostly in relief and Luis Aloma was the only reliever with saves on the roster, four of them. The series isnt a headliner but both clubs with all of their deficiencies could still make for a good series of competitive baseball from two very distinct and different eras.

Game 1 At Oakland Coliseum
Clear 59
1950 White Sox..............9
2017 Athletics.................8
WP: M. Rotblatt (1-0) LP: L. Hendricks (0-1) S: L. Aloma (1)
HR: R. Healy (1), M. Joyce (1), G. Zernial 2 (2)
POG: Gus Zernial
1950 White Sox lead series 1-0
The 1950 White Sox put together 13 hits and hung on to take game one of the series. Gus Zernial hit two home runs while Chico Carrasquel and Gordon Goldsberry both had key RBI hits. The A's made a late rally but Luis Aloma put out the fire late to secure the Chicago win.

Game 2 At Oakland Coliseum
Clear 53
1950 White Sox..................4
2017 Athletics.....................5 (14 inn)
WP: S. Casilla (1-0) LP: R. Gumpert (0-1)
HR: G. Zernial (3), P. Masi (1), M. Joyce (2)
POG: Billy Pierce
Series tied at 1
A marathon game came down to a wild 14th inning where Chicago took the lead on a Phil Masi single off Santiago Casilla. In the bottom of the frame however an error opened up the door and Matt Chapman tied the game with an RBI single. A wild pitch decided the game as Randy Gumpert let one go and Chapman scored the winning run. Billy Pierce had pitched great for Chicago allowing one run into the 8th, but Matt Joyce tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to send the affair into extras.

Game 3 At Comiskey Park
Clear 57
2017 Athletics................7
1950 White Sox............10
WP: B. Wight (1-0) LP: S, Manaea (0-1)
HR: M. Chapman (1), Y. Alonzo (1)
POG: Cass Michaels
1950 White Sox lead series 2-1
After falling behind by 2, the White Sox scored 4 runs off Sean Manaea in the bottom of the first boosted by a 2 run triple by Dave Philley. Cass Michaels had two doubles and scored three runs as the Sox would end with 10 and hold off the A's. Homers by Matt Chapman and Yonder Alonzo would not be enough for the visitors.

Game 4 At Comiskey Park
Rain 49
2017 Athletics.................7
1950 White Sox..............4
WP: R. Dull (1-0) LP: K. Holcombe (0-1) S; J. Smith (1)
HR: M. Joyce (3), Y. Alonzo (2), G. Zernial (4)
POG: Yonder Alonzo
Series tied at 2
Yonder Alonzo hit a grand slam in a 6 run 8th inning to completely turn this game around. Chicago lead most of the way behind Bob Cain but the decision to go to the pen backfired. Ken Holcombe allowed 6 runs in two thirds of an inning allowing the big blow and stunning the capacity Chicago crowd. Gus Zernial had driven in three for the Sox including his third home run but Alonzo finishes with 5 RBI and is having a standout series thus far. All even now between these teams.

Game 5 At Comiskey Park
Clear 55
2017 Athletics.................1
1950 White Sox..............0 (10 inn)
WP: S. Doolittle (1-0) LP: L. Aloma (0-1) S: R. Dull (1)
HR: None
POG: Bob Kuzava
2017 Athletics lead series 3-2
Ryon Healy ripped a double into the left field gap to plate the only run of this game in the 10th inning and to set up the 2017 A's for success. Oakland pitching was excellent lead by Sonny Grey who threw 7 scoreless followed by Liam Hendricks and Sean Doolittle. Bob Kuzava allowed no runs and only three hits in his 8 innings of work but did all of it in vain. Second very tough loss in a row for the Sox.

Game 6 At Oakland Coliseum
Clear 55
1950 White Sox...............4
2017 Athletics..................5
WP: R. Madson (1-0) LP: L. Aloma (0-2) S: S. Doolittle (1)
HR: R. Davis (1), M. Joyce (4)
POG: Rajai Davis
Billy Pierce took a two run lead into the 8th inning but ran out of gas and saw the Athletics rally for three runs to deliver a fatal blow to the Sox. After a Yonder Alonzo delivered an RBI single, Matt Joyce gave his team the lead with a 2 run double to push Oakland ahead. Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth and the A's take this series in 6 and do so by winning game like this one late and when it mattered most. Joyce had also homered earlier while Herb Adams had driven in two runs in the loss.

2017 Oakland Athletics Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Matthew Joyce
(.296, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 4 R, 2 2B, .815 SLG)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #77
1958 Milwaukee Braves (92-62) vs 2003 Arizona Diamondbacks (84-78)

Coming off of a championship season, the 1958 Braves won the pennant again and came within one game of being repeat champions. The roster was filled with talent and the headliner is the home run king himself Henry Arron playing in his prime years. Aaron hit .326 with 30 home runs and 95 RBI while scoring 109 runs proving what a great all around hitter he is. Wes Covington who hit 24 home runs and especially Eddie Matthews who hit a team leading 31 add to the power of the order, Covington hit his 24 home runs in 90 games and slugged .622. Catcher Del Crandall was one of the better hitting catchers you could hope for popping 18 home runs and a usefull .348 OBP. Frank Torre hit .309 even if he didnt provide the regular power numbers coming out of first base. Johnny Logan was on the team mostly for his glove and second baseman Red Schoendiesnt at 35 year brings a winning mentality that this team bought into. Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette were two dominant pitchers that had a huge role on why this club was a winner. Both arms won 20 or more games with WHIPs at around 1.1. Spahn allowed 29 home runs but struck out 150 and kept his ERA at 3.07 while Burdette was at 2.91. Bob Rush and Carl Wiley were the other two arms in the rotation each making 20 starts and holding their own as the team ERA was a pretty 3.21. Don McMahon had 8 saves and Juan Pizarro was a good specialist from the left side. Bob Buhl is another wildcard arm that could be used in a pinch. The Braves are a championship caliber club and really have close to no weaknesses, County Stadium was a tough haven for any opponent and the Diamondbacks will surely have their hands full.

Injuries and age played a big role in the eminent slowdown of the once champion Diamondbacks. Thirty nine year old Randy Johnson was finally coming back to earth after a long string of dominant seasons. The Big Unit only made 18 starts but was hit a little hard with a 4.26 ERA and only one complete game. Curt Schilling his partner in crime, was only 8-9 in 24 starts with an ERA+ of 132. Schilling and Johnson were still considered among the best but it was actually another arm that shined most for Bob Brenly. Brandon Webb stepped in beautifully with a 2.84 ERA in 29 starts and an ERA+ to lead the team at 165. Webb almost struck out 9 per 9 innings and allowed only 13 home runs. Matt Mantei lead a good Arizona pen with 29 saves and an 11.1 K/9 rate along with Jose Valverde and Oscar Villarreal doing very good work in setup roles. Miguel Btista was another starter that filled the holes and actually lead the team in starts and wins. Luis Gonzalez and Steve Finley teamed together in the outfield to play star baseball both at the plate and in the field. Gonzo hit over .300 again and lead the team with a .934 OPS. Finley had the range of a deer in center and drove in 70 runs with 10 triples. Alex Cintron hit .317 at short although he did have a suspect glove. Tony Womak was slowijg down but Shea Hillenbrand hit 18 home runs in limited duty but finding a spot for him in the field was a challenge. Lyle Overbay provided no power at first base and Chad Moeller did chip in with a .335 OBP and 17 doubles at catcher. The Dbacks were still anchored by pitching and if in this series they can go Schilling, Johnson, and Webb; then the chips will really be up against the Braves, The matchup in truth is another fascinating one, where big stars will have their chance in the field of dreams.

Game 1 At County Stadium
Clear 61
2003 Diamondbacks............2
1958 Braves.........................1
WP: C. Schilling (1-0) LP: L. Burdette (0-1)
HR: S. Finley (1)
POG: Curt Schilling
2003 Diamondbacks lead series 1-0
A solo home run by Steve Finley in the top of the 8th inning proved to be enough as Curt Schilling defeated Lew Burdette in a great pitching battle in game one. Burdette went the distance allowing 2 earned runs on 8 hits while Schilling had his best stuff going striking out five and walking none proving what a big game pitcher he can be. Warren Spahn tries to even the series in game two.

Game 2 At County Stadium
Partly cloudy 61
2003 Diamondbacks...........4
1958 Braves........................3
WP: B. Webb (1-0) LP: W. Spahn (0-1)
HR: C. Moeller (1), J. Spivey (1), J. Logan (1), W. Covington (1)
POG: Brandon Webb
2003 Diamondbacks lead series 2-0
Little Junior Spivey hit a two run home run in the 5th inning to build a 4-0 lead behind Brandon Webb. The Braves would make a comeback however in the bottom of the ninth down one the Braves would strand to men on base with one out as Webb finished what he started. Spahn takes the loss with 9 strikeouts and the Braves are in a big hole.

Game 3 At Chase Field
Clear 84
1958 Braves....................6
2003 Diamondbacks.....3
WP: B. Rush (1-0) LP: M. Batista (0-1)
HR: W. Covington (2), C. Baegra (1)
POG: Wes Covington
2003 Diamondbacks lead series 2-1
The Braves roar right back into the series backed by a Wes Covington three run home run and some crafty pitching by Bob Rush. Covington's shot was part of a four run 3rd inning and was part of a 4 RBI night for the left fielder; Red Schoendienst also went 3-4 as the Braves gave Migeul Batista the loss. Rush walked five and allowed 11 hits as the home side left 10 men on base in a night of missed chances.

Game 4 At Chase Field
Hot 89
1958 Braves.......................6
2003 Diamondbacks.........5
WP: C. Willey (1-0) LP: R. Johnson (0-1)
HR: J. Spivey (2)
POG: Junior Spivey
Series tied at 2
Junior Spivey was the producer at the plate for Arizona driving in three runs on three hits but his crucial error in the 8th opened the door for the Braves to score three runs and hang on for the win. Randy Johnson couldnt close the deal allowing four earned with six strikeouts. The winning run was scored in the ninth when Bill Burton tripled, and Frank Torre brought him home on a sacrifice fly; Carl Willey gets the win going the distance.

Game 5 At Chase Field
Roof closed
1958 Braves.........................3
2003 Diamondbacks..........1
WP: L. Burdette (1-1) C. Schilling (1-1)
HR: None
POG: Lew Burdette
1958 Braves lead series 3-2
Milwaukee has completely turned this series around winning all three games in the desert and are now heading back home. Lew Burdette was lights out striking out 8 hitters and walking only one over nine for the win over Curt Schilling. Frank Torre was 3-4 with 2 RBI and has looked great along side Hank Aaron who is hitting .455 in the series. Milwaukee now has a chance to end things as Warren Spahn takes the ball in game six at County Stadium.

Game 6 At County Stadium
Clear 60
2003 Diamondbacks.............4
1958 Braves...........................5
WP: W. Spahn (1-1) LP: B. Webb (1-1)
HR: J. Spivey 2 (4), J. Logan (2)
POG: Johnny Logan
The 1958 Braves closed out the series by winning their fourth game in a row and pleasing their fans by winning it at home. Brandon Webb struck out seven allowing 3 earned runs but two crucial errors once again but his team up against it. Johnny Logan drove in two inlcuding hitting a home run and supporting Warren Spahn wasnt great but held the lead and was able to close the game out in the ninth. Junior Spivey homered twice in this one and had four in the losing series effort.

1958 Milwaukee Braves Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Lew Burdette
(1-1, 18 IP, 3 ER, 1.00 WHIP, 1.50 ERA, 11 K, 4 BB, 267 ERA+)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #78
2005 Boston Red Sox (95-67) vs 2016 Arizona Diamondbacks (69-93)

One year after their storybook championship, the Red Sox came back and won 95 games again in 2005 but the end of the road was not gold. David Ortiz still lead an offense that when it got hot, tended to stay hot. Big Papi hit 47 home runs with 148 and 119 runs scored for one of his best seasons while Manny Ramirez was right there with him hitting 45 home runs and a .982 OPS; the two of them made a devastating pair. Johnny Damon hit .316 and was still the engine starter for the offense with 117 runs while Bill Mueller and Trot Nixon were similar tools in the lineup that were good but not great. Fan favorite Jason Varitek hit 22 home runs and hit .281 but did even more for the club with his fire and motivation for the staff. Pitching was the ultimate downfall for the for this team as reliable names like David Wells carried a 4.45 ERA but still won 15 games. Bronson Arroyo and Matt Clement were in many ways the same pitcher, having some good moments but not nearly enough consistency. Tim Wakefield lead the team in starts and in innings and at 38 years old won 16 games. Legend Curt Schilling had the biggest fall from grace as the postseason hero was hit hard in 11 stats with a 5.69 ERA and lost his rotation spot. Keith Foulke and Mike Timlin worked together as duel closers for Terry Francona, but Timlin in the end proved to be the better option. Holding the Red Sox lineup down will not be easy for Arizona, but there is hope if their offense could do some damage against and up and down Boston staff and pen.

Like the Red Sox but to a lesser degree, the 2016 Diamondbacks had two stalwarts in their everyday lineup that could be counted on. First there is Paul Goldschmidt who set a good standard at first base walking 110 times while driving in 95 runs and even stealing 32 bases. Jean Segura quieted the critics with 203 hits and 41 doubles while swiping 33 bases and hitting .319. Yes Jake Lamb did hit 29 homers to lead the team but whiffed 154 times to make his use less effective. Brandon Drury at 23 years old hit 16 homers and hit .280 to show real promise as did 25 year old Yasmany Tomas who showed an .820 OPS with 30 doubles. Wellington Castillo is a good hitting catcher and Chris Owings the most used bat off the bench even if he slugged only .416. Robbie Ray was well before his modern dominance losing 15 games but still working on things at age 24. Zack Grienke can be what would be considered the team ace but he dealt with some issues and only threw 158 innings with a 4.37 ERA. Patrick Corbin was hit har with an ERA over 5 making many scratch their heads while Shelby Miller was even worse in his 20 starts. The 5.09 ERA as a team just wasnt good enough but Brad Zeigler did his best as team closer with 18 saves and a 2.82 ERA. Chip Hale will have to have his pitchers at their best in this series and the Arizona offense will surely need to score a ton of runs to stay in this series.

Game 1 At Fenway Park
Clear 56
2016 Diamondbacks...............3
2005 Red Sox.........................4
WP: M. Timlin (1-0) LP: B. Ziegler (0-1)
HR: B. Drury (1), M. Bellhorn (1)
POG: Bill Mueller
2005 Red Sox lead series 1-0
Manny Ramirez lined a single to right field scoring a walk off run as the 2005 Red Sox take game one in dramatic fashion. Brando Drury had given the visiting Dbacks a three run lead when he homered with a man on in the 4th inning off David Wells. Boston chipped away at the lead and came full circle in the 7th when Bill Mueller tied the score on an RBI double. Robbie Ray had pitched decently but the lead was lost when Daniel Hudson coughed up the tying run. Brad Ziegler was the loser in the 9th after Edgar Renteria got on base setting the stage for Ramirez.

Game 2 At Fenway Park
Clear 63
2018 Diamondbacks...................10
2005 Red Sox..............................7
WP: Z. Grienke (1-0) LP: M. Clement (0-1)
HR: M. Ramirez (1), K. Millar (1)
POG: Jean Segura
Series tied at 1
The 2016 Dbacks knocked out Boston starter Matt Clement in the fourth inning and ended the game with 18 hits in a three run win at Fenway. Jean Segura went 4-5 and drove in two runs and Nick Ahmed had 4 RBI including a bases loaded double. Kevin Millar hit a grand slam in the ninth to make the score closer but it would not matter, Arizona gets the win they wanted to split the series heading home.

Game 3 At Chase Field
Roof closed
2005 Red Sox.....................2
2016 Diamondbacks...........4
WP: R. De la Rosa (1-0) LP: T. Wakefield (0-1) S: A. Bradley (1)
HR: B. Drury (2)
POG: Rubby De la Rosa
2016 Diamondbacks lead series 2-1
David Peralta had a two run double and Brandon Drury hit his second home run of the series as the 2016 Dbacks put four runs on the board for in form starter Rubby De La Rosa who needed help from his pen to close the two run lead out. De la Rosa struck out six but was pulled in the sixth inning when he ran into trouble; four different Arizona relievers got the job done with Archie bradley closing down the ninth by striking out two. Arizona now has an upstart two games to one lead in the series and a good deal of confidence to go with it.

Game 4 At Chase Field
Clear 83
2005 Red Sox......................4
2016 Diamondbacks............2
WP: C. Schilling (1-0) LP: T. Clippard (0-1) M. Timlin (1)
HR: D. Ortiz (1)
POG: Bronson Arroyo
Series tied at 2
A tight ball game crucial to this series went into the 8th inning all even at two, Mark Bellhorn doubled with men in the corners scoring both of them and marking the difference in this one. Bronson Arroyo struck out three in five innings but it was Curt Schilling who pitched two scoreless innings out of the pen and earned the win.

Game 5 At Chase Field
Roof closed
2005 Red Sox.................2
2016 Diamondbacks.......5
WP: R. Ray (1-0) LP: D. Wells (0-1) S: B. Ziegler (2)
HR: P. Goldschmidt (1), C. Owing2 (1)
POG: Chris Owings
2016 Diamondbacks lead series 3-2
A thirteen hit effort and a two run home run by Paul Goldschmidt set the stage for Robbie Ray and the Diamondbacks who are one game away from upsetting the Red Sox. The Goldy homer came in the while Chris Owings had three hits and scored three runs. Ray worked into the sixth with 7 strikeouts and the Arizona pen took it the rest of the way with Brad Ziegler closing things out. Now back in Boston the Red Sox are up against it and need to win out.

Game 6 At Fenway Park
Clear 48
2016 Diamondbacks............9
2005 Red Sox......................10 (10 inn)
WP: J. Halama (1-0) LP: B. Ziegler (0-2)
HR: P. Goldschmidt (2), N. Ahmed (1), W. Castillo (1), D. Ortiz (2), B. Mueller (1)
POG: Matt Clement
Series tied at 3
A classic battle at Fenway Park saw an incredible comeback from the visiting side and a walk off base on balls from the Sox to keep the series alive. Boston built an 8-0 lead with Matt Clement on the hillbut when Mike Timlin came on in the ninth he allowed five runs to completely lose the lead. Yasmany Tomas had the game tying two run single and the game was forced into extras. Wellington Castillo hit a go ahead home run in the 10th Brad Ziegler came on to try and close it out. Two sigles and a base on balls loaded the bases and Ziegler then walked Manny Ramirez to tie the score and Jason Varitek to end the game. A great series goes to game seven.

Game 7 At Fenway Park
Partly cloudy 47
2016 Diamondbacks...............4
2005 Red Sox.........................6
WP: T. Wakefield (1-1) LP: R. De La Rosa (1-1) S; J. Halama (1)
HR: Y. Thomas (1), J. Lamb (1), P. Goldschmidt (3)
POG: Tim Wakefield
Arizona scored three runs in the top of the first inning off Tim Wakefield and looked good out of the gate. The Sox scored two in the bottom of the frame however when Trot Nixon hit a two run double. Boston added two more in the second and two more in the fourth after a Mark Bellhorn single as they pulled ahead and way from Rubby De La Rosa. Wakefield would work 8 innings settling in well with 5 strikeouts. John Halama allowed a home run in the ninth but closed the frame out and Boston win the series the hard away with the final two at home breaking Arizona hearts.

Series MVP:

Paul Goldschmidt
(.444, 5 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB, 1.278 OPS, .778 SLG)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #79
1973 Los Angeles Dodgers (95-66) vs 1916 Washington Senators (76-77)

A 95 win Dodger team just couldn't catch the Reds but were setting the ground work for a good decade of competitive play even if Walter Alston was soon in the way out as skipper. Dodger pitching and defense remained strong as Don Sutton went 18-10 with a 2.42 ERA and Andy Messersmith 14 wins in the same amount of starts of 33. Claude Osteen and Tommy John rounded off the 4 man rotation with 16 wins a piece and ERA's under 3.50. The team ERA of 3.00 was upheld by the pen with Jim Brewer saving 20 games and knuckle specialist Charlie Hough keeping hitters down. Dodger batters will have to be at the top of their game when facing the likes of Walter Johnson. It all starts with Davey Lopes who stole 36 bases and had a .352 OBP but catcher Joe Fergusen lead the club in home runs and RBI with 25 and 88. Young Bill Buckner hit .275 with 20 doubles and was only getting more confident while Willie Davis remained steady hitting .285 while slugging 16 home runs. Manny Mota only struck out an impressive 12 times in about 300 atbats while Ron Cey made his mark at the hot corner with good defense and 80 runs driven in. Finally Bill Russell stole 16 bases but only hit .265 with a .638 OPS. One may surely expect a pitching battle between the Dodgers and the Senators, and the setting of Griffith Stadium and Dodger Stadium should enhance that fact. LA will have to find a way to beat the Big Train at least once.

Walter Johnson by many has been argued as one of the top in not the top right hander ever to throw. In 1916 he was in his prime throwing 369 innings with an excellent 1.90 ERA and 28 wins. Johnson struck out 228 and allowed zero, yes zero, home runs all season long. Much of the pressure was off the rest of the rotation and Bert Gallia won 17 games with a 2.76 ERA along with Harry Harper who in 34 starts had a 2.45 ERA settling in. Lefty Joe Boegling struggled a bit more as a fourth starter while Doc Ayers was an extra rubber arm that was used in multiple roles. The Senators offense was anemic as the 20 losses assigned to Johnson would indicate, the club scored only 536 runs and could struggle big time against LA. The club under Clark Griffin did steal 185 bases with Clyde Milan leading the way with 36. No one drove in over 50 runs but Eddie Foster did score 75 and had 153 hits as the best semblance of a hitter in the order. Danny Moeller and Howie Shanks each had averages around .250 and the latter only played in 80 games. First baseman Joe Judge had a great future but at 22 years old really was trying to get acclimated hitting only .220 for the season. Sam Rice was another star to be who didnt play everyday hitting .299 but may be needed much more in this series. John Henry and Ray Morgan were very unimpressive as starters at catcher and at short. Griffin will have to have his club manufacture runs as the pitching only needs a handful to win any given game. Just the spectacle of Walter Johnson at Dodger Stadium should be a memory to savor.

Game 1 At Dodger Stadium
Clear 66
1916 Senators………………5
1973 Dodgers……………….2
WP: G. Dumont (1-0) LP: J. Brewer (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Don Sutton
1916 Senators lead series 1-0
Don Sutton and Walter Johnson pitched the type of game one would expect from Hall of Famers and the Senators behind the Big Train held a 1-0 into the 7th. Bill Buckner tied the game with a double and Manny Mota drove him in with two down as Johnson left the game looking like he had lost it. In the 8th however catcher John Henry cleared the bases with a 3 run double off Jim Brewer and the Senators plated four in the inning to hang on for the unexpected win.

Game 2 At Dodger Stadium
Partly cloudy 64
1916 Senators………………..3
1973 Dodgers…………………5
WP: J. Boehling (1-0) LP: A. Messersmith (0-1)
HR: S. Rice (1), W. Davis (1)
POG: Andy Messersmith
Series tied at 1
Willie Crawford singled in a run in the first and Bill Russell hit a 2 run single in the second as the 73 Dodger got back on track to even this series. Andy Messersmith goes the distance striking out none but walking only two while allowing three runs.

Game 3 At Griffith Stadium
Partly cloudy 60
1916 Senators..................3
1973 Dodgers...................2
WP: H. Harper (1-0) LP: T. John (0-1) S: G. Dumont (1)
HR: J. Ferguson (1)
POG: Harry Harper
1916 Senators lead series 2-1
Another well pitched tight game and the Senators are proving that they have every intention of winning this series. Harry Harper pitched 6 quality shutout innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Ray Morgan had given the home team an early lead with a two run double and Joe Ferguson hit a solo home run to set the table. George Dumont pitched 2 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball to earn the one run save and nudge the Senators up a game.

Game 4 At Griffith Stadium
Clear 60
1973 Dodgers...................2
1916 Senators..................6
WP: J. Shaw (1-0) LP: C. Osteen (0-1)
HR: G. McBride (1), R. Morgan (1)
POG: George McBride
1916 Senators lead series 3-1
George McBride went 3-4 with a home run as once again the Senators hold down the Dodgers just enough to get a win behind Jim Shaw. Washington had 12 hits and it was a McBride solo home run off Claude Osteen in the 5th that broke a 1-1 tie. Bill Buckner went 3-4 with 2 runs scored but overall LA hitting has been a major factor in why the Senators are on the brink. Now Walter Johnson looks to close out the series in front of the Washington faithful in what would be an impressive upset.

Game 5 at Griffin Stadium
Partly cloudy 56
1973 Dodgers...................0
1916 Senators..................1 (19 inn)
WP: M. Goodwin (1-0) LP: G. Culver (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Don Sutton
An epic battle of pitching brilliance between these two teams went 19 inning of scoreless baseball before a winner was decided. Don Sutton went 11 innings of shutout baseball and pitched his heart out while Walter Johnson lived up to all the billing matching Sutton pitch by pitch. The Dodgers left 14 men on base in the game, 7 of them by Bill Russell and as the game carried on, it seemed there would never be a winner. In the bottom of the 19th, 2 walks and a single loaded the bases on George Culver with no one out. Danny Moeller then singled past a drawn in infield and the Senators walked off a five game series stunner. Washington pithing allowed 11 runs in 45 innings.

1916 Washington Senators Win Series 4 Games to 1

Series MVP:

Walter Johnson
(15.1 IP, 1.17 ERA, 4 BB, 10 K, 1.11 WHIP, 341 ERA+)

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #80
1996 Los Angeles Dodgers (90-72) vs 1935 Philadelphia Phillies (64-89)

In his final run as manager, Tommy Lasorda lead the team until June but they went on to win 90 games and make a postseason appearance. The Dodgers on the field were lead by one of Lasorda's favorite players, slugging catcher Mike Piazza. Piazza hit .336 and .563 with 35 home runs and 105 driven in, any lapse in his defense was made up by his dynamic bat. Right there with Piazza was first baseman Eric Karros who drove in 111 runs to lead the team banging 34 long ones and playing well at first. Todd Hollandsworth was a dependable bat with hitting .291 with a .350 OBP and Raul Mondesi not only brought a nice bat with 245 home runs and 188 hits buit also a rifle for an arm in right field. Delino Deshields stole 48 bases although he only scored 75 times and wasnt the same hitter he was in Montreal while shortstop Greg Gagne was also well past his prime. The team lacked a quality centerfielder and Tim Wallach along with Brett Butler were two veterans on the bench that were closing in on 40. Hideo Nomo was the next big thing in Hollywood as the Japanese hurler with the corkscrew delivery won 16 games with a 3.19 ERA and a ton of fans. Ismael Valdez and Pedro Astacio pitched over 200 innings with similar results displaying some fine control but inconsistency. Ramon Martinez, the older brother of Pedro looked sharp and should see at least a start in this series striking out 7.1 per nine while Tom Candiotti at 38 years old gave the rotation depth. Chan Ho Park was another good arm out of Asia at 23 years of age while Todd Worrell saved 44 games and struck out 66 in 65 innings, Pitching was always a strong point for the Dodgers and this club was no different, if Karros and especially Piazza could be contained in the lineup this team had few answers to generate runs. The draw is a good one however and the Dodgers will be overwhelming favorites over the Phills.

The Philadelphia Phillies were a bit of a mess in 1935 and fielding a consistent lineup and pitching staff seemed like a challenge as they lost 89 games. The most consistent, but over used arm was that of Curt Davis who started 27 games with 3 shutouts but also earned two saves and was used in every which way if there was a chance at a win. Bucky Walters had one of his down years and only pitching in just over 150 innings with a 109 ERA+ and 9-9 record. From there the rotation has a number of arms contributing like Joe Bowman who went 7-10 and Orville Jorgens who lost 15 games with a 4.83 ERA in 24 starts. Syl Johnson and Jim Bivin were among others that were used but all arms were used in all roles in a team that was looking for answers sporting a 4.76 team ERA. Dangerous hitter Dolph Camilli slugged .440 with 25 home runs and 83 RBI in the middle of the order. George Watkins patrolled centerfield and hit .270 with 70 RBI and 80 runs scored while right fielder Johnny Moore hit 19 out and had an impressive .323 average with 194 hits in 600 atbats. Ethan Allen had 198 hits with 90 runs to impress and Al Todd was a decent hitting catcher hitting .290 in 107 games striking out only 30 times. The remainder of the bats were quite quiet with Johnny Vergez and Lou Chiozza not playing better then replacement in the order. This Phillies team will really have to show us something we haven't seen from them to win this series as manager Jimmie Wilson is creative, but had little talent to work his magic with.

Game 1 at Dodger Stadium
Clear 67
1935 Phillies..................1
1996 Dodgers................2
WP: I. Valdez (1-0) LP: C. Davis (0-1) S: T. Worrell (1)
HR: R. Mondesi (1)
POG: Ismael Valdez
1996 Dodgers lead series 1-0
Ismael Valdez was spot on in the opening game of this series showing impeccable control and allowing one earned run in 8 innings worked. Curt Davis allowed two runs in his 9 innings of work for the Phillies but it was once too many, Raul Mondesi drove in both runs for LA including a solo home run in the 2nd. Todd Worrell pitched a perfect ninth to preserve the typical Dodger win.

Game 2 At Dodger Stadium
Clear 68
1935 Phillies...................6
1996 Dodgers.................1
WP: S. Johnson (1-0) LP: H. Nomo (0-1)
HR: J. Moore (1), J. Vergez (1)
POG: Syl Johnson
Series tied at 1
The Phillies picked themselves right up to tie the series behind Syl Johnson who threw 6 strong innings while the Phlly offense pulled away from loser Hideo Nomo. Johnny Moore launched a two run home run in the first inning and Johnny Vergez imitated the trick with a 2 run shot of his own in the 4th. The Dodgers made two errors and had only six hits against very competent Phillies pitching.

Game 3 At Baker Bowl
Clear 60
1996 Dodgers..................1
1935 Phillies....................0
WP: R. Martinez (1-0) LP: J. Bowman (0-1) S: T. Worrell (2)
HR: None
POG: Ramon Martinez
1996 Dodgers lead series 2-1
Eight innings of shutout baseball with 8 strike outs and no walks allowed, Ramon Martinez looked like his younger brother in this one as the Dodgers barely get the win at the Baker Bowl nipping the Phils 1-0. Mike Piazza drove in the only run of the ballgame in the 3rd inning when his deep sacrifice fly scored Delino Deshields for the one and only tally. The Phillies had four hits, three of them by Lou Chiozza, but the breakthrough would never arrive. Joe Bowman is the hardluck loser in this one as the Dodgers regain control of the series.

Game 4 At Baker Bowl
Cloudy 50
1996 Dodgers..................11
1935 Phillies....................10 (10 inn)
WP: T. Worrell (1-0) LP: H. Kelleher (0-1)
HR: E. Karros (1), D. Camilli (1), G. Watkins (1)
POG: Todd Hollandsworth
1996 Dodgers lead series 3-1
Todd Hollandsworth had 5 extra base hits going 5-6 with 3 RBI on a monster night where LA hammered out 17 hits. Still the Phillies paced right with them as Dolph Camilli and George Watkins each drove in three runs. The Phillies overcame an Eric Karros grand slam in the first inning and the game was tied at 7 heading into extras. In the 10th LA put four runs on the board with Hollandsworth helping with a 2 run triple. The game had everything but the Dodgers will take it and look to end the series in five.

Game 5 at Baker Bowl
Partly cloudy 53
1996 Dodgers...................2
1935 Phillies.....................7
WP: C. Davis (1-) LP: I. Valdez (1-1)
HR: D. Camilli (2), J. Vergez (2)
POG: Dolph Camilli
1996 Dodgers lead series 3-2
Lead by Dolph Camilli, the Phillies extend the series back to LA with a convincing 7-2 win at the Baker bowl. The Philly first baseman had a day going 3-3 with 4 RBI and a home run. Johnny Vergez added a two run home run as part of a three run 6th inning that knocked Ismael Valdez out of the game. Curt Davis went seven innings for the win striking out four while allowing six hits.

Game 6 At Dodger Stadium
Partly cloudy 62
1935 Phillies....................3
1996 Dodgers..................6
WP: H. Nomo (1-1) LP: S. Johnson (1-1) S: A. Osuna (1)
HR: M. Piazza (1), T. Hollandsworth (1), D. Camilli (3)
POG: Hideo Nomo
Dolph Camilli hit a two run home run off Hideo Nomo in the top of the first inning but the Japanese star would settle down and the Dodgers would put five runs up in the 3rd and 4th inning to pull away. Mike Piazza hit a three run home run and Delino Deshields added a 2 run single as Syl Johnson could not hold the lead. Nomo struck out 11 in the end showing dominant movement on his fastball. It is all Dodgers in six.

1996 Los Angeles Dodgers Win Series 4 games to 2

Series MVP:

Todd Hollandsworth
(.440, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, .720 SLG, 1 SB)

[Nick Soulis]

Tournament Progress Report

Every 10 series I will give a progress report on the competition including stats.

Leaders (single series)
Hits...................George Stone (1907 Browns) 17
Home Runs.......Andrew McCutchen (2014 Pirates) 6
RBI...................Eduardo Escobar (2018 Twins) 14
Strikeouts.........Jim Bunning (1964 Phillies) 25
Longest HR.......Billy Herman (1941 Cubs) 504 FT

Managerial Leaders
Most Wins...........Davey Johnson 15
Winning %...........Al Dark (100%)

Hall of Famers
Culminative leaders for all Hall of Famers for every series they play (includes Pujols, Rose, Bonds, Joe Jackson, Clemens, Trout, Verlander, Cabrera)
Avg..................Earl Averill (.667)
HR...................Jim Thome (6)
RBI..................Joe Medwick (25)
Runs...............Al Lopez (19)
Hits.................Al Lopez (28)
SB..................Rickey Henderson (8)
2B...................Joe Medwick (7)
3B...................Pie Traynor (2)
AB..................Al Lopez (84)
SLG................Earl Averill (1.167)
Wins...............Jim Bunning (4)
IP....................Jim Bunning (41)
K.....................Jim Bunning (43)
ERA................Warren Spahn (0.00)
K/9..................Juan Marichal (10.52)
BB/9................Dennis Eckersley (0.00)
Saves..............Mariano Rivera (4)

Championship Clubs
1. 1959 Dodgers (defeated 1989 Dodgers 4-2 in prelim) Still Alive
2. 1908 Chicago Cubs (Lost to 1919 Giants 2-4 in prelim) ELIMINATED
3. 1985 Kansas City Royals (Lost to 1995 Padres 1-4 in Prelim) ELIMINATED
4. 1973 Oakland Athletics (defeated 1920 Braves in Prelim) Still Alive
5. 1919 Cincinnati Reds (Lost to 1973 Reds 3-4 in Prelim) ELIMINATED
6. 1998 New York Yankees (Defeated 1926 Cubs 4-2 in Prelim) Still Alive
7. 1991 Minnesota Twins (Defeated 1909 Highlanders 4-2 in Prelim) Still Alive
8. 1951 New York Yankees (Defeated 1923 Athletics 4-1 in Prelim) Still Alive


Franchise Records
Arizona Dbacks....................0-2
Atlanta/Mil Braves................3-1
Baltimore Orioles..................1-5
Boston Braves/Beans...........1-3
Boston Red Sox...................6-1
Brooklyn/LA Dodgers...........6-8
Chicago Cubs......................2-4
Chicago White Sox..............4-4
Cincinnati Reds...................6-7
Cleveland Indians/Naps......0-4
Colorado Rockies................0-0
Detroit Tigers......................4-5
Florida/Miami Marlins......... 1-0
Houston Astros....................0-1
KC Royals...........................1-1
Los Angeles Angels.............1-4
Milwaukee Brewers.............2-3
Minnesota Twins..................2-2
Montreal Expos...................3-0
New York Mets....................1-0
New York Yankees...............4-2
New York/SF Giants.............4-3
Philadelphia Phillies.............4-2
Philadelphia/Oak A's............4-5
Pittsburgh Pirates.................4-2
San Diego Padres................4-3
Seattle Mariners...................1-1
St. Louis Browns..................2-1
St. Louis Cardinals...............2-3
Tampa Bay Rays..................1-0
Texas Rangers.....................1-1
Toronto Blue Jays.................2-0
Washingtion Nationals..........0-0
Washington Senators...........3-2

Records By Decade
1900's.............................1-4
1910's.............................9-4
1920's.............................1-5
1930's.............................2-7
1940's.............................5-4
1950's.............................10-4
1960's.............................8-3
1970's.............................10-9
1980's.............................6-6
1990's.............................11-12
2000's.............................11-6
2010's.............................5-14


Achievements
Series 2 - Jim Longborg 19 scoreless innings pitched
Series 5 - Gil Hodges 5-5, 2 HR, 7 RBI in game 2 of series
Series 15 - Mark McGwire hits 3 HR in one game at Braves Field.
Series 31 - Glendon Rusch throws a Maddux. A two hit shutout on only 95 pitches without a walk.
Series 48 - Ron Fairly goes 5-6 with 3 doubles and a home run in 13-10 win.
Series 58 - Joe Lake throws a shutout on 93 pitches allowing five hit and no walks.
Series 62 - Joe Adcock hits three home runs in the deciding game seven with 5 RBI including the walk off series clinching winner,
Series 73 - Joe Medwick goes 4-5 with 7 RBI in one game. He hit two three run home runs.

[Nick Soulis]

PRELIMINARY ROUND
Series #81
1990 Chicago White Sox (94-68) vs 1946 Boston Braves (81-72)

Jeff Torborg had quite the ballclub in Chicago in 1990 winning 94 games when they wernt expected to compete. Ultimately the Athletics would prove to be too much, but this Sox team had a number of storylines that are worth noting. First off their closer Bobby Thigpen set the MLB record for saves with 57 and was quite unhittable for the duration of the season. He held a 1.83 ERA and a 211 ERA+. Blackjack Jack McDowell could be considered the ace of the team striking out 165 and winning 14 games. Melido Perez actually lost 14 games but along with Greg Hibbard helped bring a stability to the rotation with the lefty Hibbard only walking 2.4 per 9 innings with a 3.16 ERA. Twenty year old Alex Fernandez had 13 starts and looked like a bulldog when given the chance while Eric King had the best winning percentage in his 25 starts going 12-4. Don Pall and Scott Radinsky were two more good arms out of the pen making the Sox overall pitching roster an underrated one. Putting aside a young 22 year old phenom who turned heads and hit .330 in limited action, Frank Thomas was demanding attention with mature approach at the plate. The team didnt have much power but could move as Lance Johnson stole 33 bases and hit .285 while playing a good centerfield and Ivan Calderon had 32 steals while driving in 74 runs. Ozzie Guillen provided very steady work at shortstop while young Robin Ventura drove in 55 runs and won the job with some excellent glove work at third. Another immense young talent in the lineup was 22 year old Sammy Sosa, who was quite skinny and undisciplined but played the game with intensity driving in 70 runs and striking out 150 times. Finally, the glue of it all was veteran 42 year old catcher Carlton Fisk who at his advanced age actually lead the Sox in WAR. Fisk was a mentor and more to all the talent on this team and the perfect presence to keep the team winning and diciplined. Pudge hit .285 with 18 home runs and could still do it all defensively at the position, truly he was one of a kind. This White Sox club is just so interesting, and will need to be on top of their game to overcome a good Braves club.

Most baseball clubs were not sure what they were getting after the war in 1946. The Braves club lead by the solid leadership of Billy Southworth exceeded expectations and finished 4th in the NL winning 81 games despite being overshadowed by the beantown neighbor Red Sox who won the pennant. The roster was deep with alot of good but not alot of great; teh team only managed 44 home runs and had only 6 players play over 100 games. Lefthanded outfielder Tommy Holmes lead the offense hitting .310 with 79 RBI and 35 doubles, Holmes really had a season to take notice of. Phil Masi was a good hitting catcher with a .715 OPS and 62 RBI that was good enough for second on the team. Johnny Hopp played allover the diamond but managed 21 steals and hit a cool .333 in 129 games. Dicik Culler was nothing special at short but struckout only 18 times all season and third baseman Nanny Fernandez did not make the most of his over 400 atbats with only 95 hits. Connie Ryan had 28 doubles but could have been better at second and 36 year old Billy Herman still had something left hitting .306 with 23 doubles in limited action. The strength of the team was on the mound, Johnny Sain won 20 games and had a WAR of 8. His 2.21 ERA and 1.17 WHIP make him an ace in any era and the White Sox will struggle to solve him. Mort Cooper was 13-12 with a 3.12 ERA that was nothing the laugh at as was Bill Lee and Ed Wright who combined for 42 starts. Making his first real contribution was a 25 year old lefty named Warren Spahn who went 8-5 with a 2.94 ERA and likely will be used by Southworth in this series. The final patchwork was done by 39 year old Si Johnson who threw 127 innings in all types of roles for his team. Stage is set for an intriguing matchup with a ton of stars and everything to play for.

Game 1 At Comiskey Park
partly cloudy 51
1946 Braves...................6
1990 White Sox..............1
WP: J. Sain (1-0) LP: M. Perez (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Johnny Sain
1946 Braves lead series 1-0
Johnny Sain meant nothing but business in the opener of this series going nine innings and allowing only four hits and one earned run proving his mettle. Left fielder Max West went 2-3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. A five run 5th inning did in Melido Perez as the Sox were as flat as can be committing three errors in the loss.

Game 2 At Comiskey Park
Clear 55
1946 Braves....................3
1990 White Sox...............4
WP: G. Hibbard (1-0) LP: M. Cooper (0-1) S: B. Thigpen (1)
HR: D. Pasqua (1)
POG: Tommy Holmes
Series tied at 1
Down 3-0 the 1990 Sox broke through in the 6th inning against Mort Cooper and the Braves and hung on to tie the series. Dan Pasqua hit a two run home run and RBI hits by Robin Ventura an Ozzie Guillen did the damage. Winner Greg Hibbard went 8 striking out six and Bobby Thigpen struck out two in the ninth to close the door and move the series to Boston.

Game 3 At Braves Field
Partly cloudy 49
1990 White Sox...............3
1946 Braves....................2
WP: J. McDowell (1-0) LP: E. Wright (0-1) S: B. THigpen (2)
HR: R. Ventura (1)
POG: Jack McDowell
1990 White Sox lead series 2-1
The home Braves took a 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning thanks to a Dick Culler RBI hit but Chicago would bounce back. As starter Jack McDowell settled down, the White Sox one in the 4th and a solo home run by Robin Yount in the 6th tied the game. Along with McDowell, Boston starter Bill Lee kept the game tied until the ninth inning. In the frame, Daryl Boston walked and was moved to second before Ron Kittle singled him in to set up the Sox. Bobby Thigpen closed the door again for his second save in as many games.

Game 4 At Braves Field
Clear 51
1990 White Sox................11
1946 Braves......................1
WP: E. King (1-0) LP: A. Jevery (0-1)
HR: F. Thomas (1)
POG: Ivan Calderon
1990 White Sox lead series 3-1
The 1990 Sox win their third game in a row and do so in convincing fashion overrunning Al Javery and the Braves. Javery didnt make it through the 2nd inning as the Sox exploded for 8 runs in the frame helped by 2 bad errors by the hosts. Lance Johnson went 3-6 with 2 runs and Ivan Calderon 3-4 with 3 RBI while young Frank Thomas hit his first home run of the series. Sox starter Eric King had an easy win with all the support but pitched well into the 8th. Now Jeff Torborg and his club look to close things out in 5.

Game 5 At Braves Field
Partly cloudy 48
1990 White Sox..................5
1946 Braves.......................4
WP: S. Radinsky (1-0) LP: E. Wright (0-2) S: B. Thigpen (3)
HR: None
POG: Johhny Sain
A late rally by the Sox turned this clinching game around as the Braves and Ed Wright could not close out the ninth. Johnny Sain had another great start for Boston going 8 innings and allowing only 2 earned runs. Tommy Holmes had driven in two and the Braves were three outs away from sending the series back to Chicago. In the ninth the Sox had other ideas, Scott Fletcher doubled in the tying run and Lance Johnson beat out an infield hit to give Chicago the lead. Bobby Thigpen shutdown the Braves in the ninth again and after losing game one, the White Sox ran off four wins in a row.

1990 Chicago White Sox Win Series 4 games to 1

Series MVP:

Lance Johnson
(.417, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 R, 1.042 OPS, 2 SB)