New York Black Yankees (103-59) v Cuban Stars East (95-67)
Best of seven, Black Yankees with home-field advantage.
As more often than not is the case, it works out that the two best - and therefore most deserving - teams end up playing the title decider. Neither had things all their own way in the Conference Championships, and will each be better for the experience.
Look for mine it is impossible to go past the Black Yankees. A record 103 wins, dominant from go to whoa, CC Sabathia and co in rare form, a squad with few apparent weaknesses. The loss of Hank Thompson is a tough one to fill, but Ivan Calderon has certainly done his bit to soften the blow.
That said, if they underestimate the East it will be at their own peril. They are a quality side with arguably the EL's best player right now in Ruppert Jones and a host of big bats that mashed nearly 200 taters during the season and will give even the most steadfast pitcher the willies. Their rotation, with Carlos Zambrano as its ace, has the ability to shut offences down and keep them so.
Neither side is the best defensively, and this may well prove key to the outcome of this series.
New York in six for mine.
I mean come on.
For once, words nearly fail me as I try to describe what has unfolded over these seven games. In the end, it wasn't the defence that was key, or even the offence, really. What it ended up coming down to was the Black Yankees' early Conference Championship Series win, which allowed them to align their rotation 1-2-3.
What it ended up coming down to was a 6'7" southpaw by the name of Carsten Charles Sabathia.
In a seesaw series dominated by one team's pitching and then the other's (in only one game - the 11-inning Game 6 - did both sides score more than 2 runs and only 40 runs were scored in the entire series), Sabathia stood tall. Not only did he win his three starting assignments, he also won that Game 6 I mentioned when he came on in relief and pitched 2 innings of one-hit scoreless ball.
All up he went 4-0 with an ERA of 0.67 and 28 strikeouts. It goes without saying he was named Series MVP.
The East gave it everything and will be bitterly disappointed they couldn't close it out after taking a 3-2 lead. But there's no shame in what they've done here and I'm sure they'll be back to have another crack or two in the next few years.
But this was the Black Yankees year, and they are most deserving winners of their first Eclipse League Championship. Congratulations to owner Adam Johnson, GM Ryan Payne, Manager Bob Honeycutt and all at the BYs club for an outstanding achievement.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
