#4 Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (59-49) vs #5 University Point Deathclaws (56-52)
Season Series: University Point 7, Jamaica Plain 5
April 20-22 @UP: UP 7-1, UP 17-2, UP 11-2
May 4-6 @JP: JP 10-7, JP 12-1, JP 13-9
July 13-15 @JP: JP 10-3, JP 9-2, UP 10-4
August 24-26 @UP: UP 7-5, UP 7-5, UP 8-4
Jamaica Plain Home Page
University Point Home Page
Game 1 Matchup
Analysis
Both Jamaica Plain and University Point make their playoff debuts in 2300. The Red Rockets started their franchise history towards the bottom of the Minutemen League, while the Deathclaws had never finished above 4th place in the ML. Jamaica Plain finally started making progress in 2399, finishing in 3rd place, before jumping into 2nd place this season. The Claws had their best finish in 3rd place and qualify thanks to the expanded playoffs model.
The Rockets have been more successful as a pitching team this season, with a 3.96 Starters ERA, good for 2nd in the South Charles Association. Both Digger Vadim (14-9, 3.96) and Chris Deathclaw (16-11, 3.23) pitched well. Jamaica Plain was also busy in making trades this season, shoring up their bullpen by acquiring Doug Deel El (25 SV, 4.06), Bus Paula (17 SV, 3.02), and T-Bone Heagy (25 SV, 3.86). On offense, the team does not hit well but can generate runs via the long ball. Six players hit at least 10 home runs, led by 1B Cody Flatt (.267/35/79) and LF Carney Cornseed (.292/25/69).
Where the Rockets excel in pitching, the Claws excel more in offense. First in the SCA in every category but home runs (3rd with 155) and sotlen bases (tied for 8th with 56), University Point generates a lot of runs. Their 613 runs (5.7/game) was 21 better than the next best team in the SCA, Goodneighbor. Easy Town was the next best in the CBO with 598. The offense is led by some stars in RF Tomas Jones (.385/35/129), 1B Barker Cocoa (.346/25/77), and CF Jukebox Luttrell (.300/22/58). In all, six players hit at least 15 home runs with five hitting 20 or more. Where the offense excels, the pitching struggles. University Point was 10th in Starters ERA (5.28) with a more respectable 4th in Bullpen ERA (4.12). Every starter will struggle in the playoffs, starting from staff ace Gary Stallworth (9-9, 5.30). Marc Pondsip (26 SV, 3.23) leads an OK bullpen, but UP must outhit its opponents to win.
Prediction
University Point is the hotter team. Assuming they can take one of the games in Jamaica Plains, they will finish the series at home, winning the series 2 games to 1.