OOTP Grand Championship League Reports!

[BradC]

(This thread will reproduce the blog posts that can also be found on the OOTPGCL web site.)

The OOTP Grand Championship League has shaken off the winter doldrums and started to get ready for its inaugural season, which will crown the best of OOTP’s online leagues. Participants are a “who’s who” of the OOTP online world, and all of the GMs worked long and hard to draft the best team they could.

But first, some background: The OOTP Grand Championship League is a fictional setting that was simmed for a decade before the participants got involved. All the players were released into a free agent pool from which the GMs made their draft picks. There were 50 rounds in the draft, which enabled GMs to focus not only on the top players but also those late-round gems who could play key roles during the season.

As spring training progresses, the GMs will make assessments and whittle their rosters down to 25 men in time for Opening Day on April 9, 2013. All other players will be released and the minor leagues will be deactivated, but GMs won’t have to worry about injuries because those have been turned off. The goal is to see who will emerge victorious without worrying that a team might win because of late-season fluke injuries.

The top pick in the inaugural OOTP Grand Championship League draft (scroll about a quarter of the way down the page) was third baseman Dan Clark, who was selected by LRS (League of the Rising Sun). Clark was a 2006 second round pick who blossomed into a major threat, hitting 75 home runs in 461 games over five seasons, with a .311 batting average and just 136 strikeouts.

Right fielder Ira Lynch went to VBL with the second pick. His numbers are similar to Clark’s, although he has struck out a lot more (406 Ks in 405 games) and he’s a base stealing threat, unlike Clark.

Starting pitching was the focus of the next three picks, setting the tone for a first round that saw starters selected by 15 of the 26 teams. Angelo Valentin is a former number one pick who was taken in the third slot by WWBL. In four big league seasons, he’s 32-25 with a 4.46 ERA, but he has put up steady numbers and remains highly rated by scouts.

In contrast, Jim Barker, who ULB took with the fourth pick, has hit his stride after eight big league seasons, posting a sub-3.00 ERA the past two years. He’s a dominating pitcher who has struck out 989 batters in 843.1 innings, although he has just two complete games, both shutouts (the only shutouts of his career), in 139 starts.

Starter Howard Hanson, who was the first overall pick when the league began, has been a big league mainstay over the past decade, posting a 107-60 record with a 2.82 ERA in 220 starts. He began his career at the AAA level and made just one start before being promoted to the bigs – he never looked back. Hanson was chosen in the fifth slot by the Seamheads Laundry League.

Hanson is projected to be one of the OOTP Grand Championship League’s top 10 pitchers by the end of the season, putting up a 14-3 record with a 2.20 ERA. Barker didn’t make the list, but Valentin did – he’s expected to go 11-7 with a 2.58 ERA.

On the hitting side, Clark and Lynch are both expected to make big contributions to their teams and are on the top 10 hitters list.

The OOTPGCL’s Preseason Predictions Report goes on to predict that USBL will post the league’s best record at 62-38, winning the Heinsohn Division by four games. ULB and Federal International are expected to put up the league’s second best records at 61-39, winning the Raht and Palkowski Divisions, respectively, by three games each. Seamheads Laundry League was seen as the winner of the Cook Division with a 59-41 record, three games ahead.

All of the divisions are expected to be competitive, except the Heinsohn Division, where World Baseball Hierarchy is projected to finish 32 games out of first place, with MBWBA behind them with a 33-game deficit.

Which players and teams will perform according to expectations and which ones will fall short of or exceed the goals set for them? We’ll start to answer that question when Opening Day happens next week. Best of luck to all the GMs.

[BradC]

With one week out of the way in the Grand Championship League (GCL), three teams – MLBPro, PEBA, and WWBL – sit atop their divisions with 6-1 records. Those three teams lead the Weekly Team Power Rankings as they look to establish themselves as the clubs to beat this season.

However, the Player of the Week award went to the LRS’ number one draft pick, Dan Clark, who posted a .393 batting average with four home runs and 10 RBI. LRS is currently 3-4 in the Raht division, three games behind PEBA.

Clark’s average didn’t even crack the top five on the batting leaders list after the first week. ACBA right fielder Sergio Salas leads the league with a cool .500 average, and RIBC second baseman John Hubbard is right behind him at .484.

RIBC used a mix of strong hitting and pitching en route to a 5-2 first week record, coming in second int he GCL with a .307 team batting average and third with a 2.49 team ERA. GM Jay Wolfe said the team got off to a good start with “shockingly good offense thus far. This team’s offense is built behind speed: eight of the top batters average 80 in speed, 92 in stealing ability, and 87 in base-running instincts.” Indeed, their 12 steals lead the GCL.

Wolfe continued: “The team is leading all 26 teams in steals, doubles, and triples. We have some aggressive runners. Don’t like it? Throw us out.”

Addressing the team’s only flaw so far, Wolfe commented: “There is a weakness versus left-handed pitching from the hitters. So? Four of the five competitors in the Palkowski Division have one left-handed starter combined. Nineteeen righties to one lefty, so batter up!”

[BradC]

The Grand Championship League may be just three weeks old, but MLB Pro has posted the best record at 18-3, four games ahead of second place USBL in the Heinsohn Division. The other three division leaders are clinging to one-game leads.

Asked about the keys to his team’s dominance so far, MLB Pro GM Dave Lockar replied, “The pitching. The bullpen has been lights out when they needed to be, in particular [closer] Ken Reed. The starting pitching has done a good job of minimizing damage, and getting through seven innings. If we keep up this success, the pitching will be the reason why.”

Reed, who was chosen in the third round of the GCL draft, has posted eight saves and a 1-0 record, with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP, in ten games. Among the starters, Miguel Angel Venegas is 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts and Robby Hawkins is 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA in four starts.

Of course, every dominant team has its weaknesses, and MLB Pro’s hitting has not produced the way the pitching staff has. Lockar, however, took such an observation in stride. “There are some concerns, but nothing I’m worried about,” he said. “It’s still early, the hitters are still finding their stroke, and we’re still trying to get the order down to where it will maximize production. [Ismael] Chavez is a concern right now, but we believe he’ll pick himself up in the coming weeks.”

Chavez, the team’s 28-year-old third baseman who was a fifth round GCL draft pick, came into this season with a .246 career batting average and is currently hitting .227, but he’s coming off four seasons in which he hit . 291, .261, .276, and .277, so Lockar was obviously expecting better production from him. Left fielder Keith Cook leads the team with a .306 average so far.

Of the other division leaders, BML and RIBC have both racked up 15-6 records while Seamheads Laundry is 13-8. Seamheads GM Gary Graves said his team is performing according to his pre-draft plans. “I built this team around pitching and I can happily say, so far so good,” he said. “The team ranks fourth overall in ERA and I just hope the offense can provide enough runs to translate their efforts into wins.” The team’s .257 batting average ranks tenth, but its 5-3 record in one-run games shows that Graves’ “just good enough” philosophy may pay off in the end.

[BradC]

Week five of the 2013 Grand Championship League season is in the books, but let’s take a step back and set the scene at the end of week four:

Heading into week five, Dave Lockar’s MLB Pro club had racked up an impressive 24-4 record, the best in the league. That prompted Jay Wolfe, GM of the 21-7 RIBC, to contact the GCL head office with these thoughts:

“The Rude Island Baseball Congregation (RIBC) continues their parade of thrashing tonight. They finally get a crack at the pretenders, MLB Pro. ‘But puppy kisses, MLB is at the top and is 24-4.’ So? Who have they played? Not the RIBC, for one.”

He continued: “The Palkowski Division is the toughest division out there, period. Three of the top eight teams in the latest power rankings are Palkowski teams. Five of the top 15 are, too. A full third of the top 15 teams in the land all come from the Palkowski Division. Tonight we will see how the MLB Pro handles the league’s top pitching/defense team and the zany basepath mischief of those wacky Rude Islanders.”

Asked for comment, Lockar had this to say:

“Oh, that’s what the RIBC stands for? I always thought it stood for Rookies In Baseball Camp, my mistake. You can see where I got that name from though: they’re getting lucky. Beginners’ luck. We all know their luck will run out, and when it does, I’ll be sitting in my chair with a half-hearted smile.

“They’re taking on the Major League Baseball Pros this week. Rookies vs. Pros: Who will win that one? I’ll be surprised if you get any fan attendance after our first game, as you’ll be laughed out of your own stadium, and this is after our number five starter humiliates you. So, might as well tell your fans to not even show up for the first one, unless they want to see how a real team wins ball games.

“Divisions mean nothing, as we play everyone an equal amount of times. The rest of the GCL is wondering how you’re this high up in the standings. I, for one, know, however, that this will not last.

“Your season in hell starts this week. Just don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out of the division lead.”

MLB Pro ended up getting the better of that exchange when the games were played, defeating RIBC by 8-6 and 8-3 scores en route to a 6-1 week five that ended with them 30-5, eight games ahead of USBL in the Heinsohn Division.

Meanwhile, RIBC went the opposite direction, posting a 1-6 record in week five and ending the week at 22-13, tied with WWBL for first place in the Palkowksi Division. Federal International is just a game behind them.

After the week five results were posted, Lockar commented: “It seems we have the right mix of players. Good to see my hard work hasn’t gone for nothing.”

However, he then went on to observe with a laugh: “But don’t worry, the best team is usually eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.”

By the end of the inaugural GCL season, how will we view MLB Pro? As comparable to the 1984 Detroit Tigers, who started the season 35-5 and won the World Series in convincing fashion? Or will they follow the lead of the 116-win 2001 Seattle Mariners, who were knocked out in the ALCS?

We shall see.

[BradC]

With just 30 games left in the inaugural Grand Championship League season, MLB Pro continues to dominate the competition, posting a 52-18 record and commanding an 18-game lead over second-place VBL in the Heinsohn Division.

Asked for thoughts on how to handle such a fearsome opponent, GM Joe Woodring of last-place World Baseball Hierarchy could only say: “WBH plans on throwing down fisticuffs in hopes of injuring their vastly superior team!”

Meanwhile, the races in the other three divisions remain tight, with ULB at 44-26 and maintaining a slight one-game lead over PEBA and BML in the Raht Division.

“It is clear that pitching is going to be the key for us if we are going to be able to contend for a playoff spot,” said PEBA GM Aric Kinast. “We are giving up 4.2 runs a game and both our starting pitching and bullpen have been disappointments so far.

“We knew that our bullpen was young but we thought it would be a strength anchored by an elite closer in Stanley Farrell. He has been decent with 20 saves but he has blown 3 saves and had career lows in most categories. The rest of the bullpen has been unreliable and will need to improve for us to compete.”

Kinast continued: “Our top of the rotation starting pitching has actually been very good. Gerald Blevins and John Ross have both been pitching well and are two starters we can rely on. The biggest disappointment has been our number three starter, Dale Hobbs. We had very high expectations for him and he has been worse than we could have imagined. Last season he was 10-3 with a 2.95 ERA and this year he was 1-7 with a 7.39 ERA before we took him out of the rotation. Our 4th and 5th starters have been solid enough. Finding a replacement for Dale Hobbs will really be a key for the stretch run.

“Overall we are happy with the team and it all starts with our best player and leader, Bill Haynes. At 25 years old he is the heart of the team and one of the main reasons we are even competitive. Along with two other young star hitters, Arturo Martinez and Jack Ibarra, we have had enough offense to average 4.7 runs a game. We are pleased with the offense and do not plan on any adjustments to it.”

Kinast concluded: “The two main adjustments that have to occur will be fixing the bullpen and finding an effective number 3 starter. Our first attempt was making one move that we hope will address both problems. We recently moved Johnny Hollis into the rotation and put Dale Hobbs into the bullpen. Hobbs pitched well in both appearance in the bullpen and Hollis pitched well in his last start, giving us 8 scoreless innings to get his first win as a starter. He has tremendous stamina but with only two pitches, he would probably be better off in the bullpen. However, we had to try something. Ultimately this move may determine the rest of the season for PEBA.”

As PEBA dukes it out at the top of the Raht Division, third place Action Packed Baseball League (APBL) is still holding out hope, thanks to a recent 7-3 run that left the team five games out of first place.

Asked for comment, APBL GM Steve Canham said: “While the team lacked focus in April, things have been much better after the slow start, and APBL is playing as well as anyone in the league. We do have some work to do to get out of a strongly contested Raht division.

“There have been a few lineup changes to reflect some performances this year as everyone knows they earn their spot on this team. The starters have been phenomenal in the last month or so, and now it’s up to our hitters to give them the support to win games. In the bullpen, James Reynolds and Foster Gordon have been great this year and they will be getting the ball more as a reward for their hard work and performance.” Reynolds and Gordon have posted ERAs of 1.88 and 1.82 and WHIPs of 1.21 and 0.88, respectively.

Canham continued: “There have also been changes to the lineup as well, as Jorge Guzman has shown APBL what he has and will be starting against both LHP and RHP now. The lineup order has also been shuffled to help give those who have not played up to expectations a chance to get their swing back in less pressure situations.” Batting in the clean-up spot, Guzman is hitting .268 for the season, with 7 HR and 17 RBI.

The big question, though, is whether APBL can weather the storm recently caused by third baseman Brian Wilkinson, who claimed to have hurt his back while chopping wood. That story turned out to be an attempt to cover up an affair.

Asked about the controversy, Canham could only sigh and remark: “As for Wilkinson, he knows he has the support of his teammates. It’s not good when things of this nature come out in a public way, but he is a member of this team and will not be punished for things off the field. He has apologized to me and the boys for the distraction, but said his focus is on getting to the playoffs now. We are focused and ready for the task at hand, a final push this season.”

[BradC]

The OOTP Grand Championship League (GCL) regular season has come to a close, and MLB Pro concluded its wire-to-wire dominance of the Heinsohn Division with a league best 70-30 record, 18 games ahead of second place VBL, which didn’t make the playoffs. The GCL’s two worst teams, BCB and World Baseball Hierarchy, occupied the bottom of the Heinsohn Division, 41 and 43 games, respectively, behind MLB Pro.

“In the final weeks, we tried optimizing our lineup in order to get as much production as possible,” said MLB Pro GM Dave Lockar. “We believe we succeeded in this, as our offensive numbers increased the way we were hoping.”

However, Lockar realized that a dominant regular season means little once the playoffs start. “The playoffs can be won by any team,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we lose in the first round, as we’ve played some sloppy baseball as of late. Couple that with how well Play at the Plate is playing, and it doesn’t add up well for us. Some smart baseball, and a bit of luck, we may be able to make a run.”

Play at the Plate finished fourth in the Raht Division and drew MLB Pro as its first round opponent, since its record was the worst of the playoff teams. “I went on a 15-3 run in July to make the playoffs with a 58-42 record, and now I am rewarded with getting to face the Goliath MLB Pro (70-30) team,” Play at the Plate GM Scott Sherry said. “With no Davids on the team, we will still do our best to slay the beast.”

Sherry saw a glimmer of hope, however: “We played four close games against them in the regular season, going 1-3. Heck, we beat them the last time we played them, winning 4-1 in 13 innings.”

ULB won the Raht Division with a 64-36 record, two games ahead of BML. ULB GM Scott Jeffries commented: “My plan for the playoffs is the same as my plan for the season: put my best squad out there. I drafted my team with a purpose, frequently oriented around platoons, and I did not make changes as the season went on. We stumbled out of the gate and for a while it looked like a lost cause, but I was confident in the players we had and stuck with them. The team came together, caught up and never looked back. I see no reason to alter course now. The only difference will be a shorter rotation.”

He added: “If there’s one change I wish I’d made, it would have been juggling my rotation for the final sim when we clinched the playoffs so my ace Jim Barker would be rested for game 1. As it is, he won’t be available until the 3rd game, so I’m going to need a couple big starts from my #2 and #3 guys.”

Over in the Palkowski Division, Federal International won three of its final four games of the season to pull out a one-game lead over WWBL, which split its final four. The two teams will face each other in the first round of the playoffs.

“I had to make very few moves to get my team ready for the playoffs outside of my rotation,” said Federal International GM Caleb Henstein. “Like it is always said, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.”

He added: “Despite a poor last month of the season, I have confidence that my team has as good of a shot as any to go all the way. My hitting has been great (4th in Runs Scored), and my starting pitching has been great (4th in ERA), but my bullpen has been my one Achilles Heel. My bullpen’s performance may very well decide how far I go into the playoffs.”

The other two first-round match-ups involve PEBA squaring off against ULB while BML takes on Asahi2, which won the Cook Division by two games over Seamheads Laundry League, whose 55-45 record left them out of the playoffs. Four of the playoff teams came from the ULB-led Raht Division.

Despite MLB Pro’s dominance and its high league rankings in pitching and hitting, the team didn’t dominate the top of every stat chart. Asahi 2′s Teodoro Fuentes led the league with a .352 batting average while Afzal Siddiqui of WWBL racked up the most RBIs with 87. Seamheads Laundry League’s Howard Hanson posted a 2.03 ERA, the best in the league.

MLB Pro saw Pancho Pineda lead the league with 28 home runs, while starter Miguel Angel Venegas tied with ULB’s Jim Barker and WWBL’s Angelo Valentin at the top of the wins chart with 14. Venegas was 14-2 during the season.

Who will emerge victorious after three rounds of GCL playoff action? Stay tuned.

[BradC]

The first round of the OOTP Grand Championship League playoffs saw its share of drama, with PEBA, MLB Pro, and Asahi2 all needing six games to get past their opponents, ULB, Play at the Plate, and BML, respectively. (Federal International disposed of WWBL in five games.) In game six of its series against Play at the Plate, MLB Pro mounted a dramatic five-run eighth inning rally, highlighted by slugging right-fielder Fred Rogers’ three-run homer with two outs, to win the game, 9-8. ULB was the only division winner eliminated in round one.

The next round of semi-final series now has MLB Pro taking on PEBA, with Federal International battling Asahi2. Both series are currently deadlocked at two games apiece, with the pivotal Game 5 to be played today. The winners of those series will meet in the finals.

MLB Pro vs. PEBA

“It’s time for a change,” said MLB Pro GM Dave Lockar, whose powerhouse club has managed to score only seven runs through the first four games. “We need to shake things up, or else we’ll be heading home in two games. We’ve been brutal at the plate, but I promise a big change, and more runs, next game.”

Lockar is counting on a stellar performance from left-handed starter Miguel Venegas (14-2, 2.70 ERA in the regular season) in Game 5. He sparkled in Game 1 of the series, throwing 6.2 innings while striking out nine batters en route to a 2-1 victory.

“We’re going to put out the same lineup against left handed pitchers that we have all year,” commented PEBA GM Aric Kinast. “We had a .714 winning percentage against left-handed pitchers and feel like that lineup is the best we have.”

He added: “Veneges is going to be very tough no matter what we do but we actually had a lot of scoring opportunities in Game 1. Veneges was dominant and had nine strikeouts but we did have some scoring opportunities. We left 18 men on base and actually stranded a baserunner on 3rd base in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th innings of that game. We only lost by one run and had a chance to win. That is all we can hope for against the top seed in the playoffs and one of the best pitchers in the league.”

PEBA will counter Veneges with right-hander John “Prophet” Ross, who threw 7.2 strong innings in the team’s 6-2 win in Game 2. During the regular season, Ross was 11-5 with a 3.31 ERA.

Asahi2 vs. Federal International

Meanwhile, Asahi2 will put Ed “Goat” Slaughter on the mound for Game 5 as the team tries to bounce back from a 5-3 loss in Game 4. He last pitched in Game 1′s 5-4 loss to Federal International. Slaughter was 12-7 with a 3.30 ERA during the regular season.

“All the season long, Asahi2 has been able to count on two pitchers: ‘Goat’ Slaughter and ‘Grinder’ Yamamoto (25 GS, 11-6, 3.69 ERA),” said team GM Phil Barrett. “At the ages of 36 and 35, respectively, I asked those long-time lockdown bullpen arms to anchor a starting staff that was short on starting pitchers following the GCL draft. Both men have done just that with only two pitches.” Yamamoto was brilliant in the team’s 1-0 win in Game 3, going the distance while allowing just two hits and three walks and striking out four batters.

Barrett added: “Asahi2 has a simple philosophy for their converted bullpen arms : ‘Throw strikes and let your defense do the rest.’ The vaunted and stylish Asahi2 defense will take the field behind Slaughter in Game 5 of the Championship Series. Should the contest extend to a Game 7, Yamamoto will take the hill.”

He concluded: “The question is, can a team that didn’t draft a single starting pitcher during the first two days of the draft actually make it to the finals?”

Federal International GM Caleb Henstein has seen his team run hot and cold this series, scoring five runs in Games 1 and 4 but being shutout in the middle two contests. “I may switch up the lineup a bit based on whose hot and whose cold, but the changes will only be slight, as I feel the cold bats are now behind us,” he said. “I’m expecting my team to come back and put some crooked numbers on the board the next few games to counteract the poor offense in Games 3 and 4.”

He added: “I am very happy with how my pitching has performed this series. We’ve been able to keep them in check the entire series, and hopefully that will continue the rest of the way. Can’t wait for tomorrow!”

[BradC]

Both of the OOTP Grand Championship League semi-final series went the full seven games, with PEBA and Federal International emerging victorious in the end. They'll battle for the championship in the final round of the playoffs.

All of the playoff games have been available live on the web with OOTP's Real-Time Sim feature, which can be broadcast to a web site. "Live sims were new to me and really impressive," said Asahi2 GM Phil Barrett, who saw his team fall in seven games to Federal International.

Semi-Finals: MLB Pro vs. PEBA

MLB Pro's bullpen ERA was 2.96 during the regular season, good for third in the OOTP GCL, but their relievers proved to be their undoing in Games 5 and 7 as PEBA mounted late-inning rallies both times. In Game 5, a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning sealed the win for PEBA.

In Game 7, MLB Pro clung to a 6-5 lead entering the top of the ninth inning, thanks to a pair of two-run rallies in the sixth and seventh innings. In the bottom of the sixth, MLB Pro center fielder Tim Werner's first-pitch triple drove in a run. Two batters later, third baseman Ismael Chavez knocked in Werner with a single. That knotted the score at 4-4.

In the top of the sixth, PEBA took a one-run lead as catcher Ed Rutherford, who had singled, raced home on first baseman Julio Villarreal's double. Rutherford is a typical slow-footed catcher, but he was able to slide around Sam Aldridge's tag attempt at the plate.

After a scoreless eighth, the stage was set for some PEBA heroics in the top of the ninth. Left fielder Bill Haynes and Rutherford both walked off closer Ken Reed and slugger Brent "Fang" Perry was summoned to pinch-hit for Villarreal. Perry typically started games against left-handed pitchers but only managed a .230 average with eight home runs during the regular season, despite having some power in his swing.

Reed ran the count to 1-2 against Perry before surrendering a 390-foot bomb that put PEBA ahead, 8-6. A dejected Reed handed the ball to his manager before taking a slow walk to the dugout in front of a silent sell-out crowd.

The crowd came alive again as Aldridge led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, but three consecutive outs shut down any hope of a rally and the PEBA dugout emptied onto the field to celebrate. MLB Pro had posted the best regular season record at 70-30 and had won the Heinsohn Division by 18 games, but they couldn't advance against a scrappy PEBA team that finished 60-40, third in the Raht Division.

"We were very fortunate to beat MLB Pro," said PEBA co-GM Aric Kinast. "They were obviously very good and most of the games could have gone either way. One key was shutting down OOTP GCL home run king Pancho Pineda, who had just two hits during the series, neither of which was a home run."

He added: "Of course, Tim Werner compensated for that with three home runs during the series, which we weren't expecting. We also really feared starter Juan Barbosa (10-6, 3.17 ERA during the regular season) and were pleased to only face him once, when we won Game 4 by a 2-1 score. It was a really exciting series."

MLB Pro GM Dave Lockar said: "Well, we can't win them all. That's baseball, it was bound to happen eventually. In a seven-game stretch, we lost more than we won only once all season. The odds were against us, as anyone can win at any time. We were up against a good opponent, so that didn't help. We wish PEBA the best of luck.

"As far as next season, we'll be back stronger than ever. We will defend our regular season title, and hopefully have a better playoff record as well. You haven't heard the last of MLB Pro."

Semi-Finals: Federal International vs. Asahi2

In the other series, Asahi2 led 3-2 after five games. Federal International built a commanding 9-0 lead early in Game 6, only to see Asahi2 chip away at the deficit and then mount a furious comeback attempt in the eighth and ninth innings. The top of the eighth saw Asahi2 bat around as they used a double, two run-scoring singles, three walks (including one with the bases loaded), and a run-scoring ground-out to plate four runners. The Fed's lead was now just 10-8.

In the top of the ninth, Asahi2 DH Teodoro Fuentes singled with one out. First baseman Jimmy Wrixon singled next, setting the stage for catcher John Kelly's two-out, line-drive double that knocked in Fuentes. Wrixon, whose running speed is average, was held up at third base, a decision that will likely be debated by many Asahi2 fans during the off-season. Third baseman Jason Martin grounded out to end the rally and the Federal International fans erupted.

The fans were rewarded with a thrilling finish to the series in Game 7. Federal International got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a run, but they failed to mount another meaningful rally through the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Asahi2 managed to score a run with two outs in the top of the ninth as Fuentes doubled and Wrixon drove him home with a single. Federal International closer Sal Wright suffered the blown save.

The game moved to extra innings, and Asahi2 hushed the crowd in the top of the 11th with a run. Right fielder Bryce Mitchell walked but was picked off first base, a move that seemed huge at the time but proved to be meaningless by the end. Mitchell was picked off after the first pitch to the next batter, Fuentes, who eventually drilled a solo home run on a 3-1 count.

In the bottom of the 11th, Asahi2 put Ricard Miranda and his 1.68 regular season ERA on the mound. Center fielder Raul Gallo coaxed a one-out walk and came home on left fielder Frank Harris' triple, tying the game once more at 2-2 and sending Fed fans into a frenzy. Pinch hitter Aaron Benjamin was intentionally walked to set up a double play opportunity, and Asahi2 brought in Jose Velasco (1.37 regular season ERA) to face Fed DH Alberto Gonzalez, who was third on the team with 15 home runs during the regular season.

Gonzalez hammered the second pitch he saw for a 427-foot three-run home run that gave Federal International a 5-2 victory and a berth in the finals. Those who were in attendance later said the stadium was shaking as Gonzalez rounded the bases.

"Those were tough losses in Games 6 and 7," Barrett said. "I have to give props to the Feds for those wins."

"I would like to congratulate Asahi2 for making it to the semi-finals and ending up within a half-inning of making it to the finals," said Federal International GM Caleb Henstein. "That was an amazing series, with each and every game an exciting and nerve-wracking one.

"The semi-finals round was, simply put, a laptop throwing and hair pulling series. Down two games to three, I was extremely nervous that this was the end of the road for me. Luckily for me, the thrilling games six and seven were able to go my way, but not without more laptop throwing and hair pulling."

Henstein added: "For the most part, I was very happy with how my starting rotation performed during the series, as they kept me close in almost every game. My lineup was shaky at times, but they were able to come up clutch during the times I needed it the most. The bullpen was, well, the bullpen I have come to expect. Downright awful in some games, but luckily good enough in others to get me the win."

[BradC]

PEBA and Federal International are ready to square off in the finals. Both teams had similar records: PEBA's 60-40 mark was good for third place in the Raht Division, four games behind ULB. Federal International won the Palkowski Division with a 62-38 record, but WWBL ended just a game behind them.

Game one will feature PEBA starter John "Prophet" Ross (11-5, 3.31 ERA during the regular season) against Federal International's Eric Flynn (11-7, 3.39 ERA during the regular season). Ross won both of his starts against MLB Pro during the semi-finals, but he was a bit shaky in Game 5, allowing six hits, five walks, and four earned runs in 5.2 innings of work.

Flynn won his pair of starts against WWBL during the first round of the playoffs, putting up solid numbers aside from the eight walks he allowed during one of the games. However, he lost both of his starts against Asahi2 during the semi-finals, allowing a total of 20 hits, five walks, and nine earned runs, with just three strikeouts, during 13.1 innings of work.

"The upcoming series between us and PEBA has all the markings to be just as exciting as the semi-finals," said Federal International GM Caleb Henstein. "After taking out the league's regular season juggernaut MLB Pro in seven games, they have a whole lot of momentum going for them. I am going to stay true to my philosophy all season by making very few changes to get ready for this series. I can't wait for this series to get started. Good luck to PEBA, and let the best team win!"

Aric Kinast, PEBA co-GM, said: "We are not planning on making any changes for the finals. We feel we can compete with the Fed after surviving the last two series against the teams with the top two regular season records. Unfortunately, the Fed throws out all right-handed starters, which doesn't necessarily play to our strengths. We are honored to represent the PEBA and to make it to this series and looking forward to it."

OOTP GCL co-commissioner Michael Branda observed: "If The Fed can get out to early leads and keep their bullpen from deciding this series, then they will win the series in five. If PEBA can attack early with their significant home run power and force the Fed to use their Achilles heel, their bullpen, then this series will go seven with it being a coin flip."

[BradC]

Two singles and a sacrifice fly provided all the scoring in Game 1 of the OOTP Grand Championship League Finals as PEBA slipped past Federal International, 2-1. John "Prophet" Ross earned the win with eight solid innings, running his post-season record to 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA, while closer Stanley Farrell shut the door in the ninth for his sixth save of the playoffs.

PEBA left fielder Jack Ibarra led off the top of the second inning with a single and advanced to third two batters later on first baseman Julio Villarreal's double. Third baseman Derek Segrave hit a sacrifice play that scored Ibarra, and shortstop Yoritoki Goto followed that up with a first-pitch single that brought Villarreal home.

The Fed tried to answer in the bottom of the inning, but left fielder Alberto Gonzalez was left stranded at third as catcher Stephen Anderson struck out. The Fed finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth as first baseman Henry Watson doubled with one out, moved to third on Anderson's single, and scored when DH Aaron Benjamin hit a sacrifice fly.

Second baseman Mike McKnight was stranded at third in the bottom of the sixth, and that turned out to be the Fed's last chance to score a run for the rest of the game.

Eric Flynn pitched 7.1 innings and took the loss for the Fed, dropping his post-season record to 1-3 with a 3.79 ERA.

In Game 2, PEBA will summon Bill Chambers to the mound. He was a pedestrian 8-8 with a 4.18 ERA during the regular season, but he has pitched well during the playoffs: In three starts, he is 1-1 with a 1.37 ERA.

The Fed will counter with Daniel Murray, owner of a 10-3 record with a 2.68 ERA during the regular season. In the playoffs, however, Murray has struggled, lasting just 14.2 innings in three starts and posting a 4.91 ERA. He was the winning pitcher in the Fed's thrilling 10-9 victory over Asahi2 in Game 6 of the semi-finals.

[BradC]

Federal International DH Alberto Gonzalez belted a two-run home run to highlight a four-run sixth inning as the Fed beat PEBA, 4-2, to tie the OOTP Grand Championship League Finals at one game apiece. Neither starting pitcher made it through six innings, but the Fed’s Daniel Murray worked his way through five innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks. His team was behind when he exited the game, however, leaving reliever Dale Curran to pick up the win.

As in Game 1, PEBA struck first, again in the top of the second inning. Catcher Ed Rutherford and first baseman Julio Villarreal singled with one out, and third baseman Derek Segrave followed that up with a base hit that scored Rutherford. Shortstop Yoritoki Goto struck out and second baseman Jose Perez walked to load the bases, but DH Jonathan Moxon struck out to end any chances for more runs.

In the bottom of the sixth, first baseman Harry Watson walked to lead off the inning for the Fed. Third baseman Gabriel Phillips walked too, and right fielder Raul Gallo, batting clean-up, woke up the crowd with a double that plated Watson. Left fielder Claudio Negron’s single scored Phillips, and that was it for PEBA starter Bill Chambers, who took the loss. He ended up pitching 5.1 innings, with three runs allowed on five hits and four walks.

Reliever Johnny Hollis retired center fielder Ernesto Acosta on a strikeout, but he surrendered Gonzelez’s two-run blast that gave the Fed some breathing room and led the crowd to believe their team can handle PEBA during the Finals.

PEBA closed the gap in the top of the ninth as right fielder Arturo Martinez singled and moved to second when left fielder Jack Ibarra grounded out, after center fielder Bill Haynes had struck out. Rutherford hit a single that scored Martinez, and Villarreal followed that up with a single that moved Rutherford to third. However, Segrave grounded out to end the game and send a sigh of relief through the stadium.

After a day off, Game 3 will see the Fed send Fraser Bullard (5-6, 3.07 ERA during the regular season) against PEBA’s Gerald Blevins (8-4, 2.20). Bullard’s ERA is 5.04 in the playoffs, but he settled down during his last three playoff starts. His previous pitching performance saw him shut out Asahi2 over seven innings as the Fed won, 5-2, in Game 7 of the semi-finals.

Blevins is 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA during the playoffs. His last start was a no decision against MLB Pro, when he lasted six innings and allowed five runs as PEBA won a wild semi-final Game 7, 8-6.

[BradC]

PEBA again got on the board early and added some late insurance runs as the team blanked Federal International, 4-0, in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead in the OOTP Grand Championship League Finals. Gerald “Warrior” Blevins nearly went the distance, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out nine batters in 8.1 innings.

PEBA opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as catcher Ed Rutherford, who is batting .300 during the playoffs, doubled in a pair of runs.

In the bottom of the eighth, DH Jonathan Moxon and right fielder Arturo Martinez singled to lead off the inning. Center fielder Bill Haynes grounded into a fielder’s choice that moved Moxon to third, and Haynes easily stole second base during left fielder Jack Ibarra’s at-bat. Two pitches later, a wild pitch scored Moxon and sent Haynes to third. Ibarra’s eventful at-bat ended with a sacrifice fly that scored Haynes without a throw.

In the top of the ninth, Fed second baseman Mike McKnight reached first via an error with one out. Blevins seemed to be running out of gas, so reliever Markus Woodard was brought in to throw just one pitch that resulted in a double play to end the game.

Game 4 will feature a rematch of the Game 1 starters: John “Prophet” Ross for PEBA and Eric Flynn for the Fed. PEBA edged the Fed 2-1 in the first game of the series.

[BradC]

John “Prophet” Ross pitched six strong innings, allowing one run on four hits and four walks while striking out nine, as PEBA broke open the OOTP Grand Championship Finals with a 7-2 Game 4 victory over Federal International that put them one win away from the title. Right fielder Arturo Martinez helped power the offense with a 3-for-5, 3 RBI performance that included a two-run home run.

Martinez’s home run came during the first inning as PEBA again set the tone early in the game by striking first. DH Jonathan Moxon singled to lead off the bottom of the first, and Martinez followed up with a two-run home run on a 1-2 count. PEBA almost added to their total in the bottom of the second inning when third baseman Derek Segrave doubled on the first pitch he saw to open the action. He advanced to third on a ground-out, but when Moxon flied out two batters later, the catch was not deep enough to score Segrave, who isn’t known for his fleet feet.

However, PEBA broke through again in the bottom of the third when Segrave singled in left fielder Jack Ibarra. The Fed countered in the top of the fourth with right fielder Claudio Negron’s solo homer and almost cut into the lead more, but shortstop Micah Jenkins struck out with runners at second and third.

The score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth, when PEBA second baseman Jose Perez walked with one out. Moxon singled and Martinez followed that up with another base hit. Perez raced for home and collided with Fed catcher Stephen Anderson just after the ball arrived on a strong throw to the plate. The players ended up sprawled on the ground, and the crowd erupted in a roar when the umpire pointed to the ball lying nearby and signaled “safe.”

Moxon and Martinez took third and second, respectively, on the throw, and center fielder Bill Haynes was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Fed starter Eric Flynn ran the count to 2-2 against left fielder Jack Ibarra before surrendering a double that plated Moxon and Martinez. With the crowd in a frenzy, Flynn left the game – his final pitching line was 5.1 innings and 11 hits and five walks allowed. After catcher Ed Rutherford singled to drive another run home and put PEBA up, 7-1, all seven runs ended up charged to Flynn.

DH Aaron Benjamin got one of those runs back with a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning off reliever Markus Woodard. First baseman Harry Watson doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth, but he was left stranded, and the Fed’s batters went one-two-three in the top of the ninth to end the game and put PEBA on the brink of securing the first OOTP Grand Championship League title.

[BradC]

Pinch hitter Brent “Fang” Perry, whose pinch-hit three-run home run defeated the mighty MLB Pro in Game 7 of the Semi-Finals, came through again with more heroics: his eighth-inning double scored Jonathan Moxon from first and sent PEBA to a 2-1 victory over Federal International in Game 5 of the OOTP Grand Championship League Finals. PEBA wrapped up the series, 4-1.

While PEBA had set the tone with early-inning runs during the series, this time it was the Fed that struck first in the top of the second inning. Left fielder Claudio Negron worked a full-count walk off PEBA starter Bill Chambers, who was the losing pitcher in Game 2, and advanced to second when center fielder Ernesto Acosta grounded out.

DH Alberto Gonzalez then flied out, but catcher Stephen Anderson pounded the second pitch he saw for a single that scored Negron, who was running on contact with two outs. Shortstop Arthur Jones grounded out to end the threat, however, and Chambers could be seen breathing a sigh of relief as he walked off the mound.

“We decided to go with a three-man rotation and chose Bill Chambers to be the third starter,” said PEBA co-GM Aric Kinast, citing that as one of two key strategic decisions made to get the team ready for the playoffs. “All year we were very pleased with Blevins and Ross but suffered a huge drop-off after our two aces. Chambers filled that void and responded with five starts, 32.1 IP, 1.95 ERA, and 23-8 K/BB.”

PEBA tried to respond in the bottom of the second inning when first baseman Julio Villarreal singled with one out, but he was left stranded. Citing the second key strategic decision made before the playoffs started, Kinast said: “We decided to play Villareal, who was our back-up catcher, at first base and he responded with a very solid line of 28 ABs, .357 / .571 / .951. That was the second major move that we made that seemed to pay off.”

He added: “We really thought our team underachieved most of the year but did have hope that we were built for the postseason.”

PEBA Ties the Game Up

In the bottom of the third, PEBA second baseman Jose Perez worked a full-count walk off Fed starter Daniel Murray, who was the winning pitcher in his team’s 4-2 victory over PEBA in Game 2. Moxon followed that up with a single to right field that sent Perez to third. Fed right fielder Raul Gallo threw a strike to third baseman Gabriel Phillips, but Perez was safe by a hair as he slid in just under the tag.

Right fielder Arturo Martinez singled to plate Perez and move Moxon up to second, but center fielder Bill Haynes struck out and left fielder Jack Ibarra grounded into a double play that left the teams tied at one run apiece.

Eighth and Ninth Inning Drama

Fed center fielder Ernesto Acosta doubled with two outs in the top of the fourth, but he was left stranded. That was the last runner in scoring position for either team until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Moxon singled with one out and came home on Perry’s first-pitch, pinch-hit double off Fed reliever Antonio Garcia, who had not allowed a run during the playoffs until then.

Haynes was intentionally walked, and the strategy paid off as Ibarra grounded into a double play that left PEBA in the lead, 2-1, heading into the ninth inning.

In the top of the ninth, PEBA closer Stanley Farrell was summoned. He had slammed the door on the Fed in Game 1, another 2-1 victory by PEBA, but this time he got off to a shaky start when he walked first baseman Harry Watson on four pitches. Frank Harris came into the game to pinch run, but he could only watch as Phillips and Gallo struck out.

“Strikeouts were a huge problem this series, especially from the middle of the lineup,” said Fed GM Caleb Henstein. “For example, Gallo, my second round pick in the draft and my third hitter in the lineup, struck out 12 times though out the series, including three games with three strikeouts apiece.”

He added: “And Negron, my best hitter during the regular season, continued his unbelievably bad slump, which lasted the end of the season and through the playoffs — he had an .070 average over the past 20 games before his 0-for-3 performance in Game 5. He only contributed two hits in the five games. It definitely went through my mind before every sim whether or not I should sit him, but I just had to hope he would snap out of it at some point.”

Farrell then ran the count to 3-and-1 against Negron before the batter smacked the ball right at Perez, who watched it bounce off the heel of his glove. A normally sure-handed second baseman who had committed just seven errors during the regular season, Perez could only shake his head as the raucous crowd fell quiet.

Acosta now stepped up with runners on first and third and two outs. Farrell threw a first-pitch strike and the crowd began cheering again. The count reached 2-and-2 before Farrell unleashed a wicked curveball that nicked the corner of the strike zone as Acosta watched it sail by.

The home plate umpire issued an emphatic strikeout call and a crowd that had been holding its collective breath let their screams out in a mighty roar. Farrell pumped his fist as catcher Ed Rutherford rushed toward him. Soon the rest of the team joined them, and they celebrated on the field for several minutes as the crowd continued cheering.

The After Party

“We are obviously thrilled with the results and really enjoyed the league,” said Kinast. “Jon and I both have a deep affection for PEBA and so to be able to represent PEBA successfully was very gratifying.”

He noted that the road to the title came with a significant problem during the final round of play: “In the championship series, our offense was non-existent — 3.4 runs per game in the series — but we held them to 1.6 runs per game due to our starting pitching.” Kinast pointed out that PEBA starters threw 35 innings during the series and allowed just four earned runs, with no earned runs allowed by the starters after the second game.

“Then our closer Stanley Farrell came in and got saves in seven out of seven save opportunities,” Kinast said.

“Our offense was just simply non-existent all series. It was a pain to watch,” said Henstein. “Scoring eight runs over five games will never win you a championship. But you also have to give credit where credit is due: PEBA’s pitching was phenomenal.”

He added: “On a happier note, I was very happy with how my pitching performed. Besides Game 4, they gave me a great chance to win each and every game. If I were given the chance to do replay the series again, I don’t think I would do anything differently. I played the players that would give me the best chance to win every game, but unfortunately it just wasn’t good enough.

“Once again, congrats to PEBA on your amazing victory, and I hope to see you guys again next year!”

OOTP GCL co-commissioner Michael Branda summed up the playoffs: “We had 42 playoff games, and just five could be labeled ‘blow-outs.’ I think this league proved to have a ton of parity and all teams were fairly close in talent. Fed’s offense just went ice cold at the wrong time, and PEBA was able to get the clutch hit when they needed it. That was the difference.”