Season Pass Series Preview
The first-ever Season Pass Series is upon us as the Far Harbor Ghoul Whales (46-38, 1st in Vim! League Harbor Division) meet up with the Grape Painted Ghouls (46-38, 2nd in NWL). The seven-game series will feature a 2-3-2 format with the first two games held at King Cola Park at Kiddie Kingdom, the next three at Last Plank Park, and the final two games back at King Cola Park at Kiddie Kingdom. Grape is expected to win the series in five games.
The Painted Ghouls are among the hottest teams in the Commonwealth universe. They won their final five games of the regular season to propel themselves into 2nd place before defeating 1st place Orange in the Nuka Series.
The Ghoul Whales, aka the Gwhales, outmaneuvered the Dalton Farm Fog Crawlers to win their division by a game. Then, they swept the Fog Division champions, the Brooke's Head Behemoths, to win the first-ever Vim! Series.
Because of the experience as a professional league, the Painted Ghouls are expected to have the advantage, though both teams are near in talent. Pitching-wise, Far Harbor may have the advantage in their three-man rotation of Alex Ruder, Keith Lighthouse, and Tanner Kern over Grape's Matty Lamplight, Steven Nebraska, and Robert Stubbs.
In the lineup, though, the Painted Ghouls should have the advantage. 1B Ham Porter is one strong player, but Rich Troike, Nick Homebody, and Willy Mazehaze can all generate runs for Grape. The Gwhales are led by Drew Buntrock, but he may be their best bet for a series MVP should Far Harbor win it all.