July Madness - Game Under the Spotlight

[Cuss16]

I agree with Muppetus Galacticus, I watched the game every step of the way. (sorry guys, but i just couldn't miss this game ) It was one of the most exciting game I have ever seen. For a while there i though XBL was home free but C2C came back as usual and made it a game. In the bottom of the 9th when C2C had 2 on and only 1 out i was almost certain that it was going to be extra innings. And as everyone knows now, K-Rod came through and saved XBL's butt.

Just when you think this can't possibly get any better, it got better...Final Four Starting on Tuesday!! Can't wait.

[potatoman]

GO XBL! lol

[Cuss16]

Game one for both series ended close and exciting. Both game were within saving range. NBL, the favorite coming in to the playoffs, lost to the red hot XBL who just keep upsetting everybody in the tournement. They may be the most dangerous team right now in the cup.

MaxLB wins again agianst NBA, who had a lot of time off since they were the first to get past the Elite Eight. Even thought MaxLB had great pitching, NBA still managed to score 5 runs off the only 5 hits they had all game, proving that they are one of the best in offence. Les Lamoureaux Jr, a 26 year old second basebman, son of former MaxLB allstar, is showing off his talent to the rest of the world. Coming off back to back 180+ RBI seasons in the MaxLB, Lamoureaux does not look like a 2 year pro youngster in this tournament. I personally didnt think he would have done this good in the tournament, in fact, he barely made the roster and didn't start until almost mid way through the round robins. When a guys is batting .545 with 3 HR and 17 RBI's, you can be sure "this kid is gonna go far..."

Les Lamoureaux

Game 2's will be tomorrow but at 12:00 Pacific time. Stay Tuned, the Cup just got better!

[Muppetus Galacticus]

The Semi Finals Get Under Way (All stats are postseason)

With the teams whittled down from 18 to just 4 in just three weeks, the stakes become higher and the nerves are frayed to breaking point.

First up were the NBA against MaxLB. The NBA swept the NLB and had some extra rest days to their advantage; but would it make them stale when action started again?

The rampant MaxLB side destroyed the TPL 3-1 scoring 25 runs in the last two games to their opponents 5. In round robin action the two teams are even at 1-1.

Cliff Hass (0-1 6.48ERA) took to the mound for MaxLB after looking for better luck than in his last playoff outing. Facing the TPL he struck out 18 batters but still collected the loss after the teams offense had a rare day being unable to keep up with their counterparts.

The starting pitcher for the NBA was Bill Powell. "Red" Powell (1-0 0.00ERA) has yet to lose a game in the World Cup and is the true leader of this teams pitching staff.

With the stadium packed and the players set it was time to play ball. It was MaxLB who got off to the better start when 2B Les Lamoreaux Jr. hit a 2-run homer (3) with 2 outs. After last night's game, Lamoreaux Jr. is now batting .545 with 3 homeruns and 17 RBIs and has become the fans' favourite of the World Cup.

In the top of the 3rd inning the game ignited when Hass loaded up the bases with walks before 2B Ryan Davies hit a bases clearing double to give his side the lead. "Pudge" Davies, 26, is also hitting extremly well in the playoffs with a BA of .571, 2 HR's and 7 RBIs.

MaxLB had an answer though and in the bottom of the inning CF Jimenez brought home Krom for just his 2nd RBI of the playoffs before Lamoreaux Jr. grabbed his 3rd RBI (17) of the game. The score now stood at 4-3 to MaxLB.

The NBA stuck with them though and in the very next inning they tied the game when SS Jolbert Vega hit a solo bomb (1) 445ft over the wall. Vega has struggled since the round robin stage with a shoulder injury and a BA below .100 Maybe this is his turning point.

MaxLB then turned on the afterburners and sent themselves surging ahead with RF Krom getting a homer (1) before Karem Jimenez scored the 3rd run out of the 4 he scored in the game and going 5 for 5. At the end of 5 the score was 6-4 to MaxLB. They then scored again in the 6th to make it 7-4.

Both sides would match each other by scoring a run each in the 7th to end the days scoring and give MaxLB an 8-5 victory and take the first game in the best of 5 series.

Cliff Hass kept his big arm on show for 7 innings striking out 11 and taking his record to 1-1 with an ERA of 6.46 after giving up all 5 NBA runs. Thomas Mctaggart picked up his 3rd save of the World Cup and only his 1st of the playoffs.

Bill Powell struggled at times as he threw 125 pitches in just 6.1 innings picking up the loss and taking his record to 1-1 with a 5.14ERA.

Tonight Paul Klein will be looking to lead his team to a 2-0 lead in the series when he takes to the mound for MaxLB. He gave up just 1 run in the win against the TPL and has completed all three matches he has started. He also has 2 shutouts and the NBA will have to work very hard to get anything off him.

Carlos Anthony is also 1-0 in these playoffs only giving up the 1 run. He also holds a win against MaxLB this year.

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The second semi-final was between the hot XBL and the tournament favourites the NBL. The NBL finished 9-1 in the round robin and made quick qork of the FLB 3-1, only dropping Game 2 in extra innings. Their starting pitcher yesterday was Jake Nahgler (1-0 1.13ERA).

James Stone was up on the mound for the XBL who had an horrific time against the C2C in Game 2 of that series. He lasted 2.1 innings giving 7 runs off 6 hits. The 18yr old is already something truly special but as the World Cup progresses we will just have to see if he can handle the big stage.

The game was tied after 1 inning with XBL's shortstop Jose Reyes hitting a solo homer (1) and Wendell Aldwin coming home for the NBL thanks to a wild pitch by Stone.

The XBL just exploded in the 2nd going 5-1 up with a solid effort through the batting order. Including RBIs from J.D. Closser (3), Rickie Weeks (4) and 2 from DH Alex Romero (6).

The NBL responded in kind again with 4 runs of their own in the 3rd with a two run single from RF Derek Ingram (4), a ground rule double RBI for Wendell Aldwin (5) and a a sacrifice fly for NBL catcher Zack Rozway (9).

The game was 5-5 going into the 4th when the XBL took the lead for the third time thanks to Jose Reyes' RBI (3) triple. The scored stayed like this until the 7th where both sides managed another run each including a Jack Cust 400ft homerun (2) for the XBL. Then in the 8th the XBL took the gap to 2 runs with another homer, this time from player of the geams Rickie Weeks (1).

Nahgler had a torried time, lasting just 3.2 innings and goving up 8 hits and 6 runs. His opposite number, James Stone, went 6.2 innings also giving up 6 runs but not before doing enough at the mound to get the W.

Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 7th save of the campaign and 3rd of the playoffs.

Tonight the teams clash again with P.J. Bevis (0-0 7.72) taking to the mound for the XBL after coming in for just over 2 innings of work against C2C a week ago.

His counterpart will the much feared Greg Rymon. So far in this World Cup he has pitched as good as anyone. In his other playoff match he gave up 11 hits and 4 runs and will be looking to get back on track tonight.

[potatoman]

XBL continues rolling....! P.J. Bevis pitched 7 1/3 innings of 7 hit ball and only allowed one run. Crain finished up the game allowing only one hit and no runs as XBL wins its 2nd consecutive game against NBL! Pujols led the offense with one homerun in the 2nd inning and 2 rbi single in the 6th.....

"I don't know HOW your team keeps winning" says Cuss16.....commish of this tourney......

"Don't ask stupid questions, XBL dominates the league!"

[Cuss16]

Game 2's finished with 2 teams facign elmination heading into tomorrow. XBL, the underdog throughout the playoffs, has just been phenomenal, they beat the first seed NBL today 5-1. NBL, who has only lost once in the round robins is now facing elimination tomorrow as the team will look to Lucas "Bubba" Alford to get them back in the series. An interesting side note: NBL's only loss in the round robins came against XBL, 12-0.
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MaxLB won today by just 1 run over the struggling NBA. NBA has been held pretty good by MaxLB so far in the series. Both games they have only managed to get 5 hit, but as they have been doing all tourney long, they made the hits count. Still they will need a lot more runs to beat the offensive powerhouse in the likes of Karim Jimenez and Les Lamoureaux. Also the NBA pitching has to step it up, they have been allowing way too many hits for the MaxLB, the MaxLB has double digit in hits in both games played. So far MaxLB is just outplaying NBA and NBA is pretty lucky to be able to stay in the previous games considering their stats.
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Game three's will be tomorrow, and who knows maybe the Finals will start earlier than expected...

[Muppetus Galacticus]

The NBL and the NBA are being pushed to the brink...

And their opponents are quite happy to go into tonight with the chance to push them over and knock them out of the World Cup.

P.J. Bevis (0-0 7.72ERA) started for the first time in these playoffs. Greg Rymon (0-0 4.50ERA) makes his second start.

The pitchers were doing their job through 5 innings with just the one XBL run thanks to an Albert Pujols homerun (1). The bats then tried to take advantage of a little pitcher fatigue in the 6th with XBL increasing their lead with 3B Pujols bringing another 2 runs home to take his postseason tally to 5 RBIs. A Wendell Aldwin RBI single (6) makes the score 3-1.

After a pitching change from the XBL to replace Bevis with Jesse Crain who only gave up the one hit in 1.2 innings of work to shut down the NBL and condemn them to a loss. The final score was 5-1.

Many had predicted a 2-0 series lead at this point, although not many would have said it would be the XBL who would now be one game away from the World Cup Finals.

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NBA v MaxLB - Game 2. The MaxLB just had too many good things happening for the NBA to win. The teams were tied in the middle of the 8th when MaxLB scored two huge runs with Demaio and Giglio being the RBIs of Giglio (4) and Spartaro (1) respectivly. So now going into the 9th MaxLB's closer Mctaggart came in to close. Things proved shaky when leadoff hitter Gilliam hit his 1st homer of the playoffs to take his side to just one run behind. But a quick 1-2-3 soon put an end to a comeback and the NBA go 2-0 in the series.

(Sorry for such a short review guys, I'm not up to much today but hopefully with a days rest I'll be able to do more tomorrow )

[Cuss16]

XBL pulled off anotehr upset and is now waiting for the MaxLB and NBA series for their opponent in this year's summer world cup. This is now a team not to be underestimated. They have no true superstar but they win for some reason. . Stay tuned for today's huge game between NBA and MaxLB as a winn for MaxLB will end NBA's great run in the cup.

[potatoman]

series tied 1-1 with MaxLB

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Hi all. Sorry for the absence but, for those who don't know, I have M.E. and have had a really sh*te week, hence the lack of reviews. And no OOTP for almost a frelling week!

Just wanted to thank Cuss16 for putting together a highly enjoyable tournament Looking forward to the next one already.

Why the lack of posts here btw? Was a new thread created that I missed?

Muppetus Galacticus

[Cuss16]

Nah, this is the right thread. And almanac will come out sometime next week.

thank you for participating.