The Magpies

[Paulie123]

15 September 2046

GM’s notebook - Series 50 and 51

Magpies 9-3 Sacramento
Magpies 3-7 Sacramento
Magpies 8-1 Sacramento
Austin 5-3 Magpies
Austin 2-3 Magpies
Austin 2-4 Magpies

- Bob Miller had a career day at the plate (4-5, HR, 2 DBL, 6 RBI) as we won the first game in Sacramento to confirm our wildcard spot.
- We were the better side in the second game, but failed to take our chances, leaving 14 men on base.
- Miller was at it again in the rubber match, hitting 4-6. Del Hill (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) and Fernando Martínez (2-5, HR, DBL) were also very good.
- Philip Givens’s excellent day (8.2 IP, 9 H, 2 ER) against Austin looked like being in vain as we headed into the bottom of the 9th. But the previously quiet offense produced 3 runs from nowhere, Fernando Martínez getting the walk-off 2-RBI base hit.
- St. Paul still haven’t clinched the North Division. With 9 games remaining, we can’t catch them, but the Brown Bears, on a 7-game winning streak, can tie with the Rockets. However, the Rockets’ magic number is only 1.

These series: 4-2
Record: 93-60
Position: 3rd place, 10 GB from St. Paul

[Paulie123]

14 September 2046

Bartholomew Whistlestop
@therealbartman
We’re going to the #wildcardgame!! Great season from the lads. Epic performance. So did not expect it
11:04PM - 14 Sep 2046

Bart Wardrobe
@MagpiesMad
In Billy I trust! #keepthefaith #Magpies
11:15PM - 14 Sep 2046

Zebedee Stethoscope
@glasshalfempty
@therealbartman yea lads dun well bt still no prspects & Dillman off soon, gonna b tuff nxt yr #notgettingcarriedaway
11:17PM - 14 Sep 2046

Mannix Glowstone
@rayoflight
@glasshalfempty cheer up, chicken! 93 wins, and we’re in the playoffs! #niceonebilly #Magpies
11:22PM - 14 Sep 2046

[Paulie123]

21 September 2046

GM’s notebook - Series 52 and 53

Lansing 2-6 Magpies
Lansing 3-4 Magpies
Lansing 2-1 Magpies
Magpies 6-1 Baton Rouge
Magpies 4-2 Baton Rouge
Magpies 5-1 Baton Rouge

- Del Hill will get the nod over Mal Brown and Philip Givens to start in the wildcard game. He’ll get one more start against Lansing and then I’ll shut him down so he’s completely fresh for the big day.
- Lansing were another team who couldn’t cope with our running game; we stole 5 bags in the series opener. We easily lead the SCL with 202 steals. Second is Santa Fe with 145.
- Bob Miller won the plaudits as Western League player of the week. He was 12-26 with a HR and 7 RBIs.
- Hill’s final start was reassuringly solid: 8 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
- Givens then went 8 IP for 1 ER on our first day in Baton Rouge. He now has 18 wins this year, which is third in the SCL behind only St. Paul’s Ferdinando Bosio (22) and Brian Duffy of Trenton (19).
- Fernando Martínez hit 2-4 with 2 doubles to inspire the 4-2 win versus the Deltas.
- The rotation has hit excellent form. P.J. Hendrickson threw 7 IP for only 1 ER in the last game of the week.
- If we can win 2 of 3 in the final series of the regular season against Santa Fe, we’ll reach 100 wins. I would never have predicted that in a million years at the start of the season.
- The Brown Bears were just swept by Santa Fe, and now we only need to avoid that fate ourselves to get home advantage in the wildcard fixture. We’re 13-3 over our last 16 games.

These series: 5-1
Record: 98-61
Position: 2nd place, 9 GB from St. Paul

[Paulie123]

25 September 2046

GM’s notebook - Series 54

Santa Fe 4-5 Magpies
Santa Fe 6-2 Magpies
Santa Fe 9-0 Magpies

- Fernando Martínez was excellent again against Santa Fe, going 3-3 with a double and a walk. The win guarantees us home-field advantage in the wildcard game.
- Del Hill skipped his turn in the rotation in the second game, and Ángel Martínes made a spot start instead. It didn’t go so well: Martínes was withdrawn after only 2.2 innings.
- We fell just short of the 100-win mark after the 9-0 hammering by the Outlaws. Hopefully the team have got that out of their system.
- We finish with the third best record in the SCL, behind only St. Paul (108-54) and Tallahassee (100-62). What a season!

This series: 1-2
Record: 99-63
Position: 2nd place, 9 GB from St. Paul

[Paulie123]

27 September 2046

(Reproduced courtesy of SCL At-Bat, the number one app for all the latest SCL news and scores)

Teams head into another exciting SCL postseason
Mustangs beat Eagles in playoff to claim EL Central Division
By Tim Curtain, 9:54AM, 27 Aug 46

So, there you have it. Last night’s elimination playoff saw Annapolis overcome Richmond to win the Eastern League Central Division crown, and with it the tenth and final postseason berth for the 2047 SCL season.

It all kicks off tomorrow with the wildcard games. In the Western League, it’s an all-North Division match-up as surprise package Des Moines host Madison, while over in the east, Hartford travel to Atlanta.

From the Western League, many observers find it hard to look past the 108-win Rockets, who displayed astonishing consistency throughout the campaign. But keep an eye on the Brown Bears, who, if they can get past the Magpies in the wildcard game, post a 3-man rotation that will trouble any team in a best-of-5 or best-of-7 series. In the Eastern League, Tallahassee won 100 games and are the favourites. But what price Augusta, runners-up in the last two SCL Cup Final Series after qualifying as a wildcard, and who have just won their first North East Division pennant for nineteen years? The Romans will probably get the backing of many neutrals. They are another team with three excellent starters who will be extremely tough to beat.

Not in the playoffs are defending champions Austin, who produced one of the worst Cup Final defenses ever, crashing to a 62-100 record, the second-worst in the entire league. But any rotation led by hyper-talented pitcher Lee Cox is dangerous, so don’t count them out again next season.

Western League
North Division: St. Paul (108-54)
West Coast Division: Salem (94-68)
South Division: Santa Fe (86-76)
Wildcards: Des Moines (99-63), Madison (97-65)

Eastern League
North East Division: Augusta (94-68)
Central Division: Annapolis (84-78, won after playoff)
South East Division: Tallahassee (100-62)
Wildcards: Atlanta (90-72), Hartford (85-77)

[Paulie123]

28 September 2046

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Wonderful wildcard game win marred by Hill injury
By Maggie Pye | 28 September | 3,892 comments

The Western League wildcard game posed the expected starting match-up, with the Magpies’ Del Hill (14-12) facing Madison’s ace Al Harper (14-10).

The Magpies got off to a fast start in the bottom of the 1st, taking the lead as Jim Dillman’s RBI single brought home Enrique Limón. But Hill struggled with his control in the 2nd, allowing the Brown Bears to hit back immediately and tie the game at 1-1. Hill seemed to be having difficulty with his throwing arm and got into a bases-loaded, 1-out jam in the 3rd. He escaped trouble with a pair of strikeouts but didn’t appear back on the mound for the top of the 4th.

The Magpies bullpen responded magnificently, putting the shackles on the Brown Bears’ offense, and eventually throwing 6 innings for no runs and just 2 hits. Fernando Martínez gave the Magpies back the lead against the tiring Harper with an RBI double in the 7th, and put them in complete command at 4-1 with a 2-RBI single in the 8th. Júlio Martínez nervelessly secured the save to put the Magpies through to the division series against Salem.

After the game, Magpies club officials confirmed that Hill was suffering from acute elbow soreness. The impending free agent is done for the season, and has probably played his last game for the club. The Magpies will face the rest of the playoffs without their most effective pitcher of the year.

[Paulie123]

There probably won’t be many posts on this thread over the next couple of weeks. I primarily play MLBM on my daily commute, but I’m off work for the holidays and won’t get much time to play until the new year. When regular service resumes... it’ll be the division series against Salem. In the meantime, happy Christmas to all fellow MLBM fans!

Paulie123

[Paulie123]

30 September 2046

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Division Series, Game 1: Magpies offense splutters in opening loss to Salem
By Maggie Pye | 30 September | 912 comments

Mal Brown (12-11) and Salem’s José Márquez (11-11) duked it out at Iowa Ballpark in an excellent pitching duel to open the Des Moines vs Salem division series. The Ironclads got their noses in front early, going 1-0 up in the top of the 1st inning when slugger Armando Rodríguez singled home left fielder Chris Walker. But thereafter, Brown and Márquez took control of proceedings.

Scoring chances were few and far between as the score stayed 1-0 through 6 innings. The decisive score came in the 7th, when the Ironclads’ all-star first baseman Mauro Marquis extended their advantage with a huge 2-run home run. Brown stayed in to eventually get through 8 innings, but with the Magpies batters mustering only 6 hits all day, the damage was already done. Rodríguez added an insurance run to make the score 4-0 in the top of the 9th with a homer of his own, but it wasn’t needed. An uncharacteristic fielding error from shortstop Matt Anderson, who committed only 5 all year during the regular season, summed up a frustrating day for the Magpies.

[Paulie123]

1 October 2046

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Division Series, Game 2: Ironclads take control of division series with comfortable 5-2 win
By Maggie Pye | 01 October | 2,161 comments

Philip Givens (18-9) took the ball for the Magpies in a must-win game. But things started to unravel immediately, when Salem batters Bill Norman and Rich Nelson put the first two pitches Givens threw into the deep seats for a 2-0 head-start. The Ironclads added a further run in the 3rd, before Carlos Zúñiga’s RBI double in the bottom of the 4th inning plated the Magpies’ first run of the series.

Givens hadn’t brought his ‘A’ game, and Salem extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the 6th. Zúñiga’s second RBI double of the day in the bottom of the inning gave the Magpies just a glimmer of hope. Both managers turned the game over to their bullpens after that, but that was the end of the scoring. The teams now head to Salem with the Ironclads needing just one more win from the remaining three games to progress, and the Magpies staring elimination in the face.

[Paulie123]

3 October 2046

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Division Series, Game 3: Magpies keep division series alive with extraordinary comeback
By Maggie Pye | 03 October | 9,551 comments

It was win or bust for the Magpies, as P.J. Hendrickson (18-6), installed as the third starter on the postseason roster after Del Hill’s injury, faced the Ironclads’ talented young lefty Chris Faulkner (14-7). But Hendrickson ran into trouble in the bottom of the 3rd, giving up four singles in a row, and escaping the inning only after Salem had put the first 3 runs on the board.

The Magpies desperately needed their big names in the lineup to dig them out of the 3-0 hole, and Bob Miller and Jim Dillman duly obliged, each hitting solo home runs in the top of the 4th to immediately cut the Ironclads’ lead to 3-2. When Salem stretched their lead to 4-2 in the 6th, the Magpies needed the offense to respond again. In the top of the 8th they did, tying the game on Rubén Merced’s RBI triple, and taking the teams to extra innings.

With both bullpens dominating, it remained that way until the 14th, when the Magpies took the lead in a game for the first time in the series on Miller’s 2-RBI single. Manny Gallegos had pitched scoreless 11th, 12th and 13th innings, but it was still surprising that the Magpies kept in the tired righty for the bottom of the 14th to finish the job. Gallegos, however, needed just 6 pitches to send the Ironclads down in order and secure a vital victory.

[Paulie123]

4 October 2046

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Division Series, Game 4: Chigi masterclass sets up 5th game decider
By Maggie Pye | 04 October | 12,373 comments

Magpies GM Billy DePodesta opted to start with Tommaso Chigi (12-10) rather than an 84% fit Mal Brown, and it proved to be an excellent decision. Chigi was every bit as good as his 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB line suggests.

The Magpies put the first run on the board in the 1st inning, and extended the lead to 3-0 in the 2nd through Matt Anderson’s RBI single and Guillermo Díaz’s double. Anderson and Díaz both burst out of recent slumps with 3 hits each on the day. Mauro Marquis pulled a run back for Salem with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but the Magpies restored their 3-run lead on Díaz’s second RBI hit of the day in the 4th.

Salem huffed and puffed but, with Chigi in imperious form, struggled to get runners on base. They pulled a run back again in the 6th to make the score line 4-2 on Fernando Martínez’s throwing error, but that was the end of the scoring. The win for the Magpies takes the series to 2-2. The teams head back to Des Moines for the series decider in two days’ time.

[Paulie123]

6 October 2046

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Division Series, Game 5: Brown and Miller seal epic series comeback and send Magpies into WLCS
By Maggie Pye | 06 October | 33,118 comments

The Magpies will play the St. Paul Rockets in the Western League Championship Series after securing a sensational 3-2 series win over the Salem Ironclads in Des Moines. Their 6-1 victory meant they prevailed after overcoming a 2-0 series deficit.

Bob Miller was the offensive star, hitting 4-4 with 3 doubles. The Magpies opened the scoring in the 4th when Orlando Gonzáles’s sacrifice fly brought Miller home. Salem levelled the game in the top of the 5th, but the Magpies got after Ironclads starter Manolo Muñóz in the bottom of the inning. Fernando Martínez singled home Guillermo Díaz and Jim Dillman’s double scored Miller for the second time to make the score 3-1. The Ironclads left Muñóz on the mound to start the 6th inning, but quickly regretted it. The Magpies piled on 3 more runs, with Miller’s third double of the day scoring 2 of them.

Mal Brown had pitched well in defeat in the series opener, and was excellent again in this game. Pinned to a 6-1 lead after 6 innings, he was in no mood to let this one slip. He eventually completed 8 superb innings for the loss of just the 1 run. The Magpies were sufficiently comfortable that they sat their high leverage relievers for the 9th and let Ángel Martínes wrap up the game.

[Paulie123]

6 October 2046

Trevor T. Trevorson Jr
@tripleT
Another surprise in a season full of surprises #Magpies. Bring on the Rockets! #WLCS
11:01PM - 6 Oct 2046

Severino Guadalajara-Smith
@sabermetricjedi
We were 6-6 head to head with the #Rockets this year. Their lineup was much more potent (.761 team OPS vs .693) but our run prevention was better (3.12 team ERA vs 3.35).
11:11PM - 6 Oct 2046

Warren Bunney
@jivebunney
I thought we were dead and buried after game 2, but what a comeback!
11:13PM - 6 Oct 2046

Dietmar Uberfan
@magpiesobsessive
Was supposed to be going on honeymoon next week but gonna reschedule so I don’t miss the #WLCS. Come on Magpies! #inthedoghouse #sleepingonthecouch #wontgetanyforawhile

[Paulie123]

6 October 2046

(Reproduced courtesy of SCL At-Bat, the number one app for all the latest SCL news and scores)

Rockets and Magpies advance to WLCS
Romans fail in bid for third straight EL championship after deciding game defeat to Mustangs
By SCL At-Bat postseason staff, 10:33PM, 6 Oct 46

Division series results:

St. Paul Rockets 3-0 Santa Fe Outlaws
Des Moines Magpies 3-2 Salem Ironclads

Tallahassee Islanders 3-1 Hartford Tarantulas
Annapolis Mustangs 3-2 Augusta Romans

[Paulie123]

8 October 2046

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League Championship Series, Game 1: Rockets edge out Magpies after late comeback
By Maggie Pye | 08 October | 4,101 comments

After finishing the regular season with 108 wins and crushing the Outlaws 3-0 in their Division Series, St. Paul entered the Western League Championship Series as hot favourites. Philip Givens took the mound for the Magpies against the vaunted Rockets lineup, led by 7-time Outstanding Hitter Sam Jordan, that were top-scorers in the SCL this season with 792 runs. The Rockets will likely play an all-lefty 3-man rotation, as a result of all-star Héctor Álvarez being suspended for the series after an ejection for brawling in the division series.

The Rockets took an early 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning, but the Magpies struck back immediately on Guillermo Díaz’s 2-run home run in the top of the 3rd. Givens allowed the run back in the bottom of the inning and the game was tied at 2-2. The Magpies edged ahead in the 7th on António Fernández’s pinch-hit double which brought home Enrique Limón, but their bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. St. Paul centre fielder Tony Whitaker’s 2-RBI single in the bottom of the 8th put them 4-3 ahead, and the Magpies couldn’t respond.

[Paulie123]

9 October 2046

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League Championship Series, Game 2: Hendrickson and Zúñiga shine as Magpies win 7-1 to tie series
By Maggie Pye | 09 October | 24,448 comments

It was an all-lefty battle on the mound as the Magpies’ P.J. Hendrickson (18-6) took on the experienced Canadian Francis Drolet (14-6). The tone was set in the top of the 1st inning when Guillermo Díaz took Drolet’s very first pitch and dispatched it 437 feet away into the bleachers.

Hendrickson was sensational, dominating the powerful Rockets lineup throughout, and eventually finishing with a line of 8.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. Drolet, meanwhile, was under constant pressure from the Magpies lineup, but the game was only made safe in the top of the 7th when the Magpies loaded the bases with only 1 out and plated 3 runs to take the score to 5-0 and force Drolet out of the game. Hendrickson finally gave up a run in the bottom of the 7th, but the Magpies kept the momentum going against the Rockets bullpen, Zúñiga’s home run giving the scoreline a lopsided look.

[Paulie123]

11 October 2046

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League Championship Series, Game 3: St. Paul regain series lead with comfortable victory over Brown
By Maggie Pye | 11 October | 11,560 comments

As the teams travelled to Iowa for Game 3, the Magpies opted to go with 98% fit Mal Brown to start in preference to fully-fit Tommaso Chigi, and quickly wished they hadn’t. The damage was done in the second inning. After walking the first two batters, Brown was plunked into the seats for a 3-run homer by Rockets slugger Norberto Cividanes. He then went for a solo shot to make the score 4-0 to St. Paul. The deficit could have been even greater, as a shell-shocked Brown then loaded up the bases on another walk, a single and a hit batter, but a timely strikeout got him out of the jam.

The Magpies kept Brown in, and he visibly regained confidence, only allowing a fifth run in the 6th inning. They scored consolation runs in the 8th and 9th innings, but the Rockets were never in any danger and won far more comfortably than the 7-3 final scoreline may suggest. For the Magpies, Jim Dillman’s postseason slump continued, as he hit 0-3 and is now batting .194.

[Paulie123]

12 October 2046

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League Championship Series, Game 4: Magpies level series again with thumping win
By Maggie Pye | 12 October | 5,384 comments

Tommaso Chigi finally got the nod to start for the Magpies in game 4, and didn’t disappoint, producing a fine display to keep St. Paul scoreless over 6 innings. The Magpies offense, meanwhile, kept the Rockets pitching staff under pressure and the runs came regularly and often. They scored in each of the first three innings, culminating in Fernando Martínez’s solo home run in the 3rd. When the impressive Martínez, now batting .302 with 10 RBI in the postseason, went deep for the second time in the 5th, the game was effectively done and dusted right there.

Chigi finished with a stat line of 6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K and a 7-0 lead. Manny Gallegos allowed a consolation run in the top of the 9th, but it didn’t matter. The only grey mark on an excellent day for the Magpies was that Orlando Gonzáles came out of the game late on with hamstring soreness. Jeremiah Harvey will deputise in tomorrow’s final game in Des Moines, but Gonzáles will return for game 6 in St. Paul.

[Paulie123]

13 October 2046

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League Championship Series, Game 5: St. Paul take 3-2 series advantage after nervy win
By Maggie Pye | 13 October | 17,668 comments

Making his second start of the series, Magpies righty Philip Givens couldn’t find his rhythm early on, giving up a single, double and home run in the top of the 1st to gift the Rockets an early 3-0 lead. The Magpies offense showed some hustle to get 2 of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. Guillermo Díaz attempted to steal 3rd base, but ended up scoring on the play after a wayward throw from Rockets catcher Norberto Cividanes, and then Fernando Martínez smacked his third homer of the series.

Givens let the Rockets widen the lead to 4-2 in the top of the 2nd, but settled down after that. Unfortunately for the Magpies, St. Paul’s Francis Drolet was on much better form today, and after that point both offences barely threatened. In the 5th, Sam Jordan made the scoreline 5-2 after bringing home a further run on a ground out, and that was it for the scoring today.

[Paulie123]

15 October 2046

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League Championship Series, Game 6: Zúñiga keeps Magpies alive and sets up deciding game
By Maggie Pye | 15 October | 30,050 comments

The Magpies will go to another series decider this postseason. They won game 6 against the Rockets 9-6, and it will all come down to tomorrow’s final game to determine which team will win the Western League championship and progress to the SCL Cup Final Series. The victors will face the Tallahassee Islanders, who today won the Eastern League pennant after beating Annapolis 4 games to 2.

The Magpies looked like cantering home easily after jumping out to an 8-0 lead after 2 innings. Carlos Zúñiga’s clutch 2-out grand slam in the top of the 1st set the tone, and the Magpies continued to pile on the runs in the 2nd. They went 9-1 in front in the top of the 5th, but then the Rockets’ powerful lineup started to find their range. They closed the gap to 9-6 in the 7th, and Magpie nerves were jangling. But in-form relievers Don Rich, Júlio Martínez and Jorge Cruz closed out the final two innings to secure the vital win. Martínez, however, picked up a forearm strain and will not be available for the decider.