Transcontinental Baseball League (TBA)

[HumanRainDelay]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Amen to that brother and thanks for following.

In my main save I am the Manager / GM of my beloved Oakland A's and handle every aspect, playing out every game in one-pitch mode. Same with my college league, the ACBA. SO I know exactly what you mean.

In the Footnote League I am merely the reporter / Commish.

For this one I am trying something completely different, setting lineups, depth charts and strategy for team and players then just letting the game sim out a week at a time in the background. Sure does reduce the game-by-game stress levels!

BTW that handle of yours is the best. Any story behind it?

Those are unique challenges with each. Haha yes, that is a good stress relief approach with this one. What happens the previous week is just done and there is no reason to worry.

The nickname of "Human Rain Delay" was given to Mike Hargrove during his playing days. While hitting, he would annoy hurlers between pitches by stepping out of the batter's box and spending inordinate amounts of time messing with his batting helmet, shirt, batting gloves, cleats, etc. This author walks readers through Hargrove's comical routine: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-human-rain-delay-mike-hargrove-used-to-drive-opposing-pitchers-insane-video-2013-7

Keep up the good content.

[luckymann]

Perfect, thanks for sharing!

[luckymann]

Erik Edwards gives us the perfect start with 8+ shutout innings in a 2-0 Opening Day win over Hilo. That sets the tone as we get off to an absolute flyer with a string of 11 wins before dropping a game to Lanai.

All the big names have hit the ground running. Erik Edwards is 3-0 with an 0.34 ERA and of our rotation only Rob Moore is struggling. Strickland and Hackett are both hitting .400+ and Moulton (6), Malone (5) and Strickland (4) are giving us plenty of power. Ethan Williams and Roland Taylor have had slow starts and our pen is still a bit too generous with runs for my tastes, so there are aspects of our game not 100% satisfactory. That said, we couldn’t in our wildest dreams have expected starting the season in such a way.

We drop two straight to the Juice as reality reasserts its sway, but then Erik Edwards steadies the ship with another shutout win to make him 4-0 with an ERA of 0.27. The next night we lose a wild one to Hilo, giving up 9 runs over the last 3 innings to blow a big lead. The bullpen is obviously our weak point, as its 5.08 ERA shows. I’ll let it go for a bit but will need to act should that persist. That starts a run of outs for us, including a 10-inning 1-0 loss in which we get just 3 hits. Malone is having a bit of a sophomore slump, batting just .221 and really curbing our ability to score runs. Another one to watch, not that I’d ever trade him but perhaps some lineup adjustments might be needed if he doesn’t turn it around.

We lose Rob Moore for a week with a back strain and call up JD Bell. Word comes through from the CAL that Josh Alfonso, whom you’ll remember we were in talks with over the offseason, has no-hit Riverside. C’est la guerre. Erik Edwards proves he’s only human as he posts his first poor start and cops his first loss for us. We have lost 8 of our last 10 and now sit at 13-8. Hilo has overtaken us and now lead by a game.

It’s anything but panic stations, but it goes without saying I much preferred it when we were 11-0.

We lose two 10-inning heartbreakers in a row, the second despite Jonno Moulton going deep twice to take his total for the season to 11, equal second in the HAL. No wonder he comes a-knockin’ and wants to talk large domestic fowl about his contract. He wants a slight raise to $40k but I pitch $35k, the same as he’s on this year. I think he’ll bite but he doesn’t immediately. That’s OK, I’ve got nothin’ but time. In the end, he doesn’t keep me waiting long, signing, sealing and delivering his contract just before month’s end.

The group gets a huge lift when Erik Edwards hurls a no-no against Lanai City, the first recorded in the league. Malone and Moulton (with the bags full) both go yard and Taylor goes 4-5 in an 8-0 win. Let’s hope Brian can get hot, as his BA has dropped to an alarming .220. We pinch one the next day as we score 3 in the top 9th to win it 6-5, again at Lanai City.

Moore’s return is delayed indefinitely, so we’ll have to make do with Bell for the foreseeable future.

We finish the month off in fine style with a 7-6 comeback win at Kaunakakai. Moulton again stars with HR #13 and 3 ribbies. That might have been an astute investment we just made. That means we’ve split our last 10 and with a 17-11 record still trail the Volcanoes by a game.

HAL Batter of the Month: Chris North (Kahului) .247 / 12 HR / 25 RBI / 33 R

HAL Pitcher of the Month: Erik Edwards (Honolulu) 5-1 / 1.10 / 35 K / 49 IP / OBA .108

[luckymann]

Just realised I forgot to post a pic of this year's squad...

[HumanRainDelay]

You are having a great and balanced start with your starters dominating and all the home run balls being generated by your offense.

Using "C'est la guerre" in describing your feelings as to the player whom you courted during the offseason throwing a no-hitter was very well-played.

Typically, I have mixed feelings when a player who got away does well. Like you, I accept it as part of the game, but I also get a jolt of excitement. It is evidence that my process of identifying players who can contribute works. The reinforcement of "hey, I knew that guy was going to do well," helps moving forward.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by HumanRainDelay

You are having a great and balanced start with your starters dominating and all the home run balls being generated by your offense.

Using "C'est la guerre" in describing your feelings as to the player whom you courted during the offseason throwing a no-hitter was very well-played.

Typically, I have mixed feelings when a player who got away does well. Like you, I accept it as part of the game, but I also get a jolt of excitement. It is evidence that my process of identifying players who can contribute works. The reinforcement of "hey, I knew that guy was going to do well," helps moving forward.

Thanks bud, still not getting the consistency I'd like from the group but we're headed in the right direction.

I always shortlist my potential recruits, which results in their performances cropping up in my news feed. One of the handiest features of OOTP I reckon.

[HumanRainDelay]

I should use the shortlist feature more often--thanks for the reminder.

[luckymann]

Don't forget to check the "News involving shortlisted players" option in your mail settings.

[luckymann]

The first game of May is a red-letter day for Jonno Moulton, who goes yard 3 times and knocks in 6 as we take down the Juice 10-7, although Dave Klasen giving up 4 runs on 5 hits in ½ of an inning’s work is less enjoyable. We run up 5 wins on the trot before losing the final game of a home series with Hilo, leaving the two of us tied in first place at 21-12, 4 ahead of Kahului.

Malone bombs out 2 HR and bags 7 ribsters in a game against the Bay Hawks, but there have been so many false dawns for Brian this season i don’t get ahead of myself by seeing this as the beginning of his turnaround. It’s not as if he isn’t contributing. This performance gives him 10 HR and 25 RBI in 34 games, which projects to 30 / 75 for the season. But that BA of his is stubbornly remaining in Mendoza land.

The good tidings continue when Rob Moore is finally cleared to resume playing. Bell is shuttled back to the Reserve Roster. But our results over the next week are mixed. The day after we smash the Sugar Cane 15-2, with Greg Collette going yard twice and driving in 5, Erik Edwards pitches 8 innings of one-hit ball only for Art Zachry to blow the save by giving up a 2-run walkoff HR. That sort of thing. Meanwhile, Hilo have put their foot down, going a torrid 11-3 in the leadup to the Draft. After our games on Draft Day they have slipped away from us by 3.

I’ll keep the editorialising about the Draft brief and just give you the 5 players we end up selecting, along with a brief description of each. We had the 92nd pick this time around.

• ROUND 1: LHP Steve Hart – we made the executive decision to use all 5 picks for pitchers, and Steve projects to be a beauty. His best pitch is a knuckler but his slider is also plus. Fairly handy with the bat as well. Will initially be on the RR waiting for injury or form to open up a spot for him.
  
• ROUND 2: RHP Junior Hoffman – will begin as a reliever but if he keeps coming along we see him as rotation potential. Either way he has an elite fastball and plus slider and splitter.
  
• ROUND 3: RHP Danny Gaiser – an absolute flamethrower who’ll take a few seasons to reach his peak. Scouting reports say he is a bit vulnerable to the longball but hopefully we can work on and eradicate that in the interim.
  
• ROUND 4: RHP Rich Valento – as you’d expect from these lower picks Rich will need for everything to go his way if he’s to have a meaningful future in this or any other professional league.
  
• ROUND 5: RHP Kyle Crewe – we’re gonna need a bigger stadium...

It is absolutely crucial that we don’t let the Volcanoes increase their lead. The best way of ensuring this is to keep winning. We get out of jail in one against the Juice. Trailing by 4 heading into the 8th after a rare shocker from Erik Edwards, Malone bombs one out with one on in the 8th and then rally again in the 9th with two more on singles by Strickland and Taylor to send the game into extras. Solo shots by Taylor and Collette in the top 11th put us ahead and the pen shuts them down to get us the win.

It looks like we’ve repeated the feat the following day when we score late to knot it at 3 and then post 3 in the top 10th. But Marc Struebing, who is having a godawful season (12.27 ERA...), gives up 4 runs as they win it walkoff. That forces my hand and I send him off for some R&R and call up Junior Hoffman. I also flip the underperforming Jonathan Paulsen and his .115 BA for Blaine Luecke, and bring Steve Hart into the bullpen in place of Gabe Bernal. While I’m at it I shop Ryan Vann around and trade him away for a handy backup outfielder by the name of Jonathan Parsons. Because we simply don’t have enough Jonathans in the squad already... He’ll keep on ice for a while as we see how things progress.
Next day we begin a key series at Hilo, who now lead us by 4. The opening game is perhaps our best of the season, a 17-5 romp as we rack up 21 hits (although, quite amazingly for this group, all but three of them are singles). Strickland homers and drives in 5 while Williams continues to give us plenty from the leadoff spot. We take them down again the following day by 11 to 8 and complete the sweep with a 4-1 win behind an excellent Tyler Canty start, with Hoffman pitching 3 scoreless to record his first save. We’re now just one behind Hilo, with the Sugar Cane still keeping us both within reach just 3 back from us.

After a league-wide three-day hiatus (I tell the lads to spend it thinking about anything but baseball, yet myself somehow pass it doing nothing but: do as I say, blah blah blah...) we get back amongst it with a homestand against Kapaa. We take 2 of 3 and then sweep Kahului as Malone finally strings some good performances together, homering in 4 straight games. That draws us level with Hilo going into the final game of the month, with us on the road to Lanai City. Unfortunately we drop a shutout loss and the Volcanoes win at home to the faltering Sugar Cane, leaving us one adrift again at month’s end. All in all, however, I’m pleased both with our 18-9 month and where we seem to be heading. If we can get Malone to keep improving then we are in this up to our proverbials.

HAL Batter of the Month: Mike Staron (Hilo) .351 / 8 HR / 24 RBI / 33 R

HAL Pitcher of the Month: Chris McCall (Hilo) 5-0 / 2.03 / 52 K / 48.2 IP

[HumanRainDelay]

I am enjoying the level of thought and detail you put into your descriptions.

I did cringe at your mention of separating the players by position for intensive drills though as I had a flashback to HS baseball. During our pre-season practices (when it was colder outside), the pitchers and catchers would go do stuff, the infielders would go do their thing, and for us outfielders it was always like: "Oh yeah, the rest of you go play long toss, or shag balls or practice dry swings or something." Then a couple of hours later, we might actually be included in something entertaining. It made for long boring days.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by HumanRainDelay

I am enjoying the level of thought and detail you put into your descriptions.

I did cringe at your mention of separating the players by position for intensive drills though as I had a flashback to HS baseball. During our pre-season practices (when it was colder outside), the pitchers and catchers would go do stuff, the infielders would go do their thing, and for us outfielders it was always like: "Oh yeah, the rest of you go play long toss, or shag balls or practice dry swings or something." Then a couple of hours later, we might actually be included in something entertaining. It made for long boring days.

Consider yourself lucky you weren't brought up playing cricket like we Aussies - that stupid sport consists entirely of long, boring days.

As opposed to my other saves and associated reporting, I'm trying to keep this one hopping along at a brisk pace but still with enough details for others to feel some level of immersion. Glad you're enjoying it - thanks for following along and for the feedback!

G

[luckymann]

We start the month off in positive fashion by winning 4 of 5, with the highlight being a 13-3 romp over Lanai City in which Moulton goes yard twice to take his season total to 24 and Paul Arcila chimes in with 3 hits and 3 RBI. I get a call from Travis Avila, GM of the Beaverton Bishops in Oregon offering up quality outfielder Jose Self for Joe Douglass. While there’s little doubt the player they are offering would be more useful to us this season, Joe is rated the #1 prospect in our league for a reason. I politely decline his offer. Another solicitation from Aurora a couple of days later in which they are looking to trade Jason Edwards and Nolan Fadely for an expensive, if quality, centrefielder gets shorter shrift.

In the middle of this run, Ethan Williams wins Player of the Week honors for his .483 / 1 HR / 6 RBI performance.

Hilo, meanwhile, have fallen into a bit of a rut, and by the time we host them for a three-game series we are two in front of them. A sweep could really put the cat among the pigeons.
We take a convincing 8-2 win in the first game behind an excellent Tyler Canty outing and 4 ribbies by the red-hot Roland Taylor. But we drop the next one 9-5 and are one-hit in the decider, which they take 4-0 to cut the gap to a single game. This one looks to be going to the wire.

I’m still unconvinced our pen is strong enough to get us through a tight pennant race, so I trade JD Bell away to Jackson for Jason Spurgeon, a hard-throwing righty I’ve had my eye on for some time. He comes in at Brian Phillips’ expense and makes his presence felt almost immediately when he sends 10 hitters down in order against Kapaa in a 3+ inning save.

By mid-month the league has sorted itself out into two distinct divisions, and it looks almost certain that ourselves, Hilo (2 GB) and Kahului (4 GB) will be fighting it out for the title.
One aspect working in our favour is that Malone seems to finally be putting things together. His BA is back above .250 now and he knocks out his 18th dinger of the campaign in a tight win over the Bay Hawks.

We travel to Kahului for a key series with the Sugar Cane and take the opener comfortably 9-1 with Jason Edwards spinning a gem. But the win costs us large as Strickland tweaks his back and will miss a couple of weeks just at the time we can least afford to lose him. He goes on the IL, Jonathan Parsons comes onto the AR. This will test our gumption. We respond fantastically the very next game, scoring 4 in the top 9th to pinch it 7-5, with Luecke bringing in 3 of them on a clutch two-out double. On such hits are championships won and lost. A crushing 11-0 win the next day shows we mean business, with Moulton going yard twice and driving in 3, and Arcila getting 4 hits and two ribbies. The win puts us 8 ahead of them, but only 2 ½ in front of the Volcanoes, who seem unwilling to give an inch.

We get lucky a couple of times over the ensuing week, squeezing out a pair of extra-inning wins after trailing going into the 9th. Luecke is proving a revelation at first base, hitting .485 in 33 AB, which makes the news that Strickland will be out longer than expected a little easier to bear. But only a little.
When we head to Hilo for another crucial series to kick off the final week of the month, our lead is 3½ games. We knock them off 5-1 in the opener behind a fantastic outing by Jason Edwards (he hits a solo HR as well), but then lose a 16-inning epic the following day. An 8-1 win in the decider comes at a massive cost, as Jonno Moulton is hit on the hand by a pitch and it doesn’t look good. It’ll take a few days for the diagnosis to come through but we need to cover him in the meantime. Paulsen (.115 / 3 RBI in 26 AB) hadn’t been working out anyway, so I call up Corey Hanes for his first look-see this season.

When the news comes back it’s about as bad as it could be, but not quite. His thumb is fractured, but not broken. The doc thinks it’ll keep him on the sideline for 6 weeks or so, which means his season is over. But he shouldn’t have any long-term issues, so we’ll have him good as new for 1952.
However, we’re trying to win 1951. Suddenly the 4 ½ games we’ve put on Hilo seems way too few. I don’t want to let this thing slip from our grasp. So I go to Scouting Director NAME and tell him to find me the best replacement he can without us having to sell the farm. And to do it quickly.

Within 24 hours he has a candidate. And boy, what a candidate. Fidel Vasquez from Kenosha. A beast. Won the Wisconsin League MVP last season and is putting together another beauty this time around, with a slash of 372 / 445 / 582, 13 HR and 55 RBI. The demands are more than reasonable: infielder Greg Collette, pitcher Andy English and outfielder Joe Boone. The cherry on top is that he’s only on league min and still has some team control years left. I plunge into that sundae with gusto. He’ll be with us in 48 hours.

When Fidel arrives I decide to put him in at 3 and shift Malone to 4. Brian has been hitting OK of late but perhaps this will spark him into finally recapturing his 1950 form. We all get a lift when Marcus Strickland finally returns, and he and Malone both homer as we sign off the month with a 5-4 walkoff win, with Chris Blair bombing one out in the bottom 9th to give us the dramatic victory and keep us 4 ½ clear of Hilo with 22 games left.

HAL Batter of the Month: Aaron Mecham (Kahului) .393 / 13 HR / 29 RBI / 29 R

HAL Pitcher of the Month: Tyler Canty (Honolulu) 5-0 / 2.01 / 34 K / 40.1 IP

[luckymann]

As per usual, a flurry of trade proposals flies in on the eve of the deadline. I’m not really looking to make any moves but it would be foolish of me not to at least take a look. The Aurora Suns are one team soliciting us. They want Blaine Luecke and Joe Douglass for a guy I have no interest in. But one of their players does catch my eye: Dustin White, an absolute gun CF who also acquits himself well at every other position except catcher and third, is fast as a heart attack on a fat man and hits a ton. He’s not pricey, either, just $12k with years of team control ahead. Just for fun – a guy can dream, right? – I see what they’d want for him. They throw Shane McBride into the mix along with the two in the original package. Now this would be a serious upgrade at the position but it would also be throwing away the farm to a certain degree. In the end my short-term desires win out and I make the deal. Tomorrow never knows.

Roster expansion sees squads increase to 28 from 25. After the trade we’re at 23, so I call up pitchers Phillips and Gaiser, infielder Rick Clayton and the two able-bodied outfielders named Jonathan – Paulsen and Parsons. Arcila will move to LF to accommodate White’s arrival and Hackett will come off the bench.

Both Hilo and ourselves drop the first two games of the month. 20 games to play, 4½ in front, magic number 17. Plenty of baseball left in this season. Kahului are 8 back, the rest are at the travel agent booking their end of season trips.

July 4th sees us win at Lanai City 5-3 with Malone going deep twice and driving in 4 to give Jase Edwards his 10th win, while Hilo loses. Eric Edwards gets us a shutout win the next day for his 10th of the season, while Hilo drops another one. Suddenly we are 6½ clear and out MN is 13.

White has hit the ground running and knocks out his first dinger for us the next game as we beat the Juice back in Honolulu. The Volcanoes win their first in 5, so it’s a wash. The following day we score 5 in the first en route to a 10-3 win as Hilo loses 12-10 in 10 at home to Lanai City. Then we squeeze by Kahului 6-5 with both Malone and Strickland homering as Hilo smashes Lanai City 11-3. Malone, coming good just at the ideal juncture, wins PotW honors for his .409 / 4 HR / 13 RBI effort.

Next we have a three-game homestand against our nearest rivals. A sweep would really put us in the box seat. 2-1 would be acceptable. Anything less, not so. An 8-4 win in the opener bodes well for us, with White, Taylor and Strickland all homering. In Game 2 they take an early lead as Erik Edwards struggles and go into the bottom 9th trailing 4-3. Arcila ties it with a leadoff homer, which takes the pressure off. Chris Blair, next up, doubles, and after Hackett singles and Williams is HBP we have the sacks full with none out and White due up. He calmly cracks a base hit into center and we walk it off 5-4. But we drop the final game as Jason Spurgeon gives up his first earned runs since joining us.

13 games left, magic number is a paltry 5.

We travel to Kapaa for three and open with a hard-fought 5-4 win as White goes 4-for-5 with a trip and two ribsters and Junior Hoffman, who – given the porous state our pen was in when we acquired him – might well be the most important acquisition we have made (1.23 ERA over 51+ IP), gives us a 3-inning save. Hilo wins both games of a doubleheader at home to the Juice. Another tight win the next day behind Tyler Canty and then a 12-5 cakewalk as Vazquez bombs out his first 2 HR for us and drives in 5, while Jase Edwards breaks the club strikeout record with 15, leaves our MN at just 2 with 9 to play. White deservedly wins the PotW Award, going .583 / 1 HR / 9 RBI over that period.

We travel to Kahului next, winning the first game thanks mainly to Fidel Vasquez’s 4-hit night and posting a 5-spot in the 6th. Just one to go, as Hilo beat Kapaa 7-2. The lads take no chances, bashing out 16 hits with Malone driving in 4 runs to win 13-5 and clinch the pennant.

We go 4-3 over the final week to finish at 72-33, 8 games clear of Hilo, with the Sugar Cane a further 3 games back. Kahului shortstop Scott Pierce breaks Brian Malone’s HR mark of the previous season, ending up with 36. Brian just pips Jonno Moulton with 28 to lead our club, while Marcus Strickland has our highest BA at .342 and batting WAR with 3.9. Erik Edwards’ 2.79 ERA and 5.2 pitcher WAR are both the best for our squad, while Tyler Canty leads the way with 14 wins.

We’re off to the Lincoln Cup!

The seedings are released the next day and we end up at #16, which means our first-round opponents will be #49 Overland Park (KS). The big news is that last season’s winners Brunswick failed to repeat in the Maine League, finishing 5 adrift of Sanford, and therefore won’t be back to defend their Championship. They’re not alone; in fact, just 13 teams managed to do so (another 4 will be returning for the second time, but via the WC route either this season or the prior one). This is perhaps to be expected with such a new competition. Interestingly, we won’t be the only Seahawks making an appearance, as the Yonkers side of the same name also won their New York League with a 68-37 record. There was only one tiebreaker needed, in the Arizona League with Gilbert getting past Tucson to take their place at the Big Dance. And Bethlehem can consider themselves extremely unlucky, missing out on a countback when they finished equal with Chester for the Pennsylvania WC spot.

[HumanRainDelay]

Your debate over whether to trade for CF White is something all GMs can relate to in OOTP. Win now vs. improving the chance of sustained winning over the long term is always an agonizing decision for me. With limited rosters and how good defenders are essential, I can understand his appeal with the versatility though.

Congrats on qualifying.

As for fans living in Bethlehem and their team just missing advancing, I say they are tough after overcoming lots of disappointments over the years with the decline of the steel industry. I am sure they are already looking forward to next season.

[luckymann]

It will only make it hurt more that their team is called the Steelers...

The temptation in this sort of exercise is to just win now at any cost. I want to avoid doing that as much as I can. I'm going to keep track of the teams I've been in control of and will take great pride at any sustained success they have after I've moved on. But I do want to keep moving on, so there's no doubt I'll have to resort to the occasional tomorrow-sell-for-win-today action.

[luckymann]

FYI I have made the executive decision – mainly for time’s sake – only to play out games should the team I am controlling make the Final. For all other rounds I will simply set the lineups and sim it.

64-Ann Arbor Democrats (MI) v 1-Hamilton Tiger-Cats (NJ)
64-Ann Arbor Democrats (MI) win series 3-1

63-Canton Terriers (OH) v 2-Orlando Palms (FL)
2-Orlando Palms (FL) win series 3-1

62-Cicero Statesmen (IL) v 3-Macon Peaches (GA)
3-Macon Peaches (GA) win series 3-2

61-Austin Outlaws (TX) v 4-Parma Progressives (OH)
61-Austin Outlaws (TX) win series 3-1

60-Utica Blue Sox (NY) v 5-Greenville Greenies (NC)
5-Greenville Greenies (NC) win series 3-1

59-Chester Bobcats (PA) v 6-Lake Charles Explorers (LA)
59-Chester Bobcats (PA) win series 3-2

58-Kent Comets (WA) v 7-Madison Bulls (WI)
7-Madison Bulls (WI) win series 3-0

57-New Bedford Millmen (MA) v 8-McCandless Moose (PA)
8-McCandless Moose (PA) win series 3-1

56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) v 9-Charleston Palmettos (WV)
56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) win series 3-1

55-Ft. Lauderdale Pirates (FL) v 10-St. Joseph Autos (MO)
55-Ft. Lauderdale Pirates (FL) win series 3-0

54-Hampton Marauders (VA) v 11-Riverside Rubes (CA)
11-Riverside Rubes (CA) win series 3-0

53-Fremont Bulldogs (CA) v 12-Yonkers Seahawks (NY)
12-Yonkers Seahawks (NY) win series 3-1

52-Newark Colonials (NJ) v 13-Kirkland Crawdads (WA)
52-Newark Colonials (NJ) win series 3-2

51-Columbus Senators (GA) v 14-Virginia Beach Captains (VA)
14-Virginia Beach Captains (VA) win series 3-1

50-Bend Berserkers (OR) v 15-Hattiesburg Guards (MS)
50-Bend Berserkers (OR) win series 3-2

49-Overland Park Hunters (KS) v 16-Honolulu Seahawks (HA)

Game 1: Overland Park 5, Honolulu 1
A poor start to the series for us as Erik Edwards struggles and our offence all but disappears. They go out to an early 3-0 lead from which we never recover, with just 5 hits all game.

Game 2: Honolulu 9, Overland Park 1
The perfect response from the group as we get 5 in the first and go out to an 8-0 lead before they get on the board in the 5th. But we cancel that run out with one of our own and cruise to the win. White a massive game going 4-5 with a solo HR and Taylor also goes deep, knocking in 3, while John Leon gives us 7 quality innings.

Game 3: Honolulu 3, Overland Park 0
This one is all about Tyler Canty, who pitches a sublime one-hitter over 8 innings before Hoffman tidies it up for the save. Only 8 hits ourselves, but we made them count.

Game 4: Honolulu 11, Overland Park 5
We fall behind early and wobble late, but the 8 runs we score in the middle innings see us through to the next round. Strickland has a double, a dinger and 4 RBI and Arcila goes 4-for-5 with two two-baggers and an RBI. A nervy start to our Lincoln Cup campaign but our quality and application win out in the end.

16-Honolulu Seahawks (HA) win series 3-1

48-Moore Resolutes (OK) v 17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT)
17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT) win series 3-1

47-Rockville Regals (MD) v 18-Cranston Rays (RI)
47-Rockville Regals (MD) win series 3-1

46-Rock Springs Chargers (WY) v 19-Fall River Indians (MA)
19-Fall River Indians (MA) win series 3-0

45-Paradise Pirates (NV) v 20-Tuscaloosa Entrepreneurs (AL)
20-Tuscaloosa Entrepreneurs (AL) win series 3-0

44-Montpelier Green Mountain Boys (VT) v 21-Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM)
21-Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM) win series 3-2

43-Evansville Triplets (IN) v 22-Georgetown Baptists (KY)
22-Georgetown Baptists (KY) win series 3-1

42-Bismarck Willows (ND) v 23-Grand Rapids Brewers (MI)
42-Bismarck Willows (ND) win series 3-2

41-Ketchikan Bootleggers (AK) v 24-Maple Grove Sawmillers (MN)
24-Maple Grove Sawmillers (MN) win series 3-0

40-Lakewood Archers (CO) v 25-Dallas Navigators (TX)
40-Lakewood Archers (CO) win series 3-1

39-Watertown Bombers (SD) v 26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL)
26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL) win series 3-2

38-Harrington Shooters (DE) v 27-Hastings Kool Kids (NE)
38-Harrington Shooters (DE) win series 3-1

37-Jackson Cottons (TN) v 28-Billings Mustangs (MT)
28-Billings Mustangs (MT) win series 3-2

36-Gilbert Geckoes (AZ) v 29-Waterbury Timers (CT)
36-Gilbert Geckoes (AZ) win series 3-0

35-Sanford Papermakers (ME) v 30-Summerville Pines (SC)
30-Summerville Pines (SC) win series 3-0

34-Concord Graniteers (NH) v 31-Ames Aggies (IA)
34-Concord Graniteers (NH) win series 3-0

33-Idaho Falls Spuds (ID) v 32-Conway Collegians (AR)
32-Conway Collegians (AR) win series 3-1

Obviously the huge upset is the #1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats being bundled out by #64 Ann Arbor. Other top-ten fizzlers include #4 Parma, knocked out 3-1 by #61 Austin; #6 Lake Charles, who lose the deciding Game 5 in 10 to #59 Chester; #9 Charleston, who lose in 4 to Wilmington; #10 St. Joseph, who go out in straight sets to #55 Ft. Lauderdale.

The #39 Watertown v #29 Waukegan ends in the most dramatic style, with Waukegan winning Game 5 2-0 on a walkoff home run by 3B Andrew McMahan.

[luckymann]

34-Concord Graniteers (NH) v 2-Orlando Palms (FL)
34-Concord Graniteers (NH) win series 3-1

30-Summerville Pines (SC) v 3-Macon Peaches (GA)
30-Summerville Pines (SC) win series 3-1

28-Billings Mustangs (MT) v 5-Greenville Greenies (NC)
28-Billings Mustangs (MT) win series 3-0

26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL) v 7-Madison Bulls (WI)
26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL) win series 3-1

40-Lakewood Archers (CO) v 8-McCandless Moose (PA)
8-McCandless Moose (PA) win series 3-0

22-Georgetown Baptists (KY) v 11-Riverside Rubes (CA)
11-Riverside Rubes (CA) win series 3-2

21-Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM) v 12-Yonkers Seahawks (NY)
21-Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM) win series 3-2

19-Fall River Indians (MA) v 14-Virginia Beach Captains (VA)
19-Fall River Indians (MA) win series 3-2

17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT) v 16-Honolulu Seahawks (HA)

Game 1: Sandy 3, Honolulu 0
As in the previous series, we begin poorly as we are shut out on just 3 hits.

Game 2: Sandy 2, Honolulu 0
We are even worse in this one, shut out on 1 hit as our bats go completely Arctic.

Game 3: Sandy 8, Honolulu 6
We get runs and hits in this one, but it is our pitchers’ turn to have a shocker as we go out three on the bounce. Canty doesn’t last 5 and Hoffman gives up 3 in the 6th to put us behind for good. A most disappointing finish to what has been a great season for the club.

17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT) win series 3-0

52-Newark Colonials (NJ) v 20-Tuscaloosa Entrepreneurs (AL)
52-Newark Colonials (NJ) win series 3-1

56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) v 24-Maple Grove Sawmillers (MN)
56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) win series 3-1

64-Ann Arbor Democrats (MI) v 32-Conway Collegians (AR)
64-Ann Arbor Democrats (MI) win series 3-2

61-Austin Outlaws (TX) v 36-Gilbert Geckoes (AZ)
36-Gilbert Geckoes (AZ) win series 3-2

59-Chester Bobcats (PA) v 38-Harrington Shooters (DE)
59-Chester Bobcats (PA) win series 3-2

55-Ft. Lauderdale Pirates (FL) v 42-Bismarck Willows (ND)
55-Ft. Lauderdale Pirates (FL) win series 3-2

50-Bend Berserkers (OR) v 47-Rockville Regals (MD)
47-Rockville Regals (MD) win series 3-2

Utter carnage among the top seeds, with only #8 McCandless surviving. Underdogs #52 Newark and #56 Wilmington dispatch their more-fancied opponents with little fuss, while bottom seed Ann Arbor continue on their merry way winning a see-saw series 3-2 over #32 Conway. #19 Fall River and #14 Virginia Beach play out a classic, with Game 5 going to the Indians in 12 innings on a Joe Icenhour solo shot.

[luckymann]

56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) v 8-McCandless Moose (PA)
56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) win series 4-3

59-Chester Bobcats (PA) v 11-Riverside Rubes (CA)
11-Riverside Rubes (CA) win series 4-3

64-Ann Arbor Democrats (MI) v 17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT)
17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT) win series 4-2

30-Summerville Pines (SC) v 19-Fall River Indians (MA)
30-Summerville Pines (SC) win series 4-1

28-Billings Mustangs (MT) v 21-Las Cruces Golden Sombreros (NM)
28-Billings Mustangs (MT) win series 4-0

55-Ft. Lauderdale Pirates (FL) v 26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL)
26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL) win series 4-3

47-Rockville Regals (MD) v 34-Concord Graniteers (NH)
34-Concord Graniteers (NH) win series 4-0

52-Newark Colonials (NJ) v 36-Gilbert Geckoes (AZ)
52-Newark Colonials (NJ) win series 4-1

It seems almost mundane when the upsets continue. #56 Wilmington need all 7 to beat the highest remaining seed, #8 McCandless. #11 Riverside survive a massive scare against #59 Chester, winning Game 7 by 7 to 2.

[luckymann]

30-Summerville Pines (SC) v 11-Riverside Rubes (CA)
11-Riverside Rubes (CA) win series 4-3

56-Wilmington Quicksteps (NC) v 17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT)
17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT) win series 4-2

34-Concord Graniteers (NH) v 26-Waukegan Whistlepigs (IL)
34-Concord Graniteers (NH) win series 4-1

52-Newark Colonials (NJ) v 28-Billings Mustangs (MT)
52-Newark Colonials (NJ) win series 4-0

#52 Newark continue their amazing run by sweeping #28 Billings. #17 Sandy ends the brave challenge of #56 Wilmington in 6, while #11 Riverside stages an amazing comeback to get past #30 Summerville in 7 after trailing 3-1.

[luckymann]

34-Concord Graniteers (NH) v 11-Riverside Rubes (CA)
34-Concord Graniteers (NH) win series 4-1

52-Newark Colonials (NJ) v 17-Sandy Spelunkers (UT)
52-Newark Colonials (NJ) win series 4-1

Two somewhat anticlimactic series see both underdogs win in 5, leaving #52 Newark and #34 Concord to fight it out in the Lincoln Cup final for 1951. Obviously the state of the game in the northeast is fairly robust.