(Apologies for the weird characters... I had typed this up elsewhere and copy-pasted and the occasional weird character shows up)
I run
The Dugs. The majority of our content centers around OOTP driven simulations that we then show the highlights for in the form of a half drunk Sportscenter that weaves in a lot of interesting baseball stories and jokes.
Youtube's not for everyone, so I thought I'd write up of the initial rounds of our latest tourney here. If this, however, sounds interesting to you, please consider checking the videos out and getting a free subscription to the channel, hitting the thumbs up button, and leaving us some comments as IÂ’d love to make this channel a thing and thatÂ’s the quickest way to go about that.
The theme of this season is second chances. The tourney starts with a group stage consisting of 2 groups of 4 teams a piece. Those teams are:
(Links lead to the videos giving an overview of the rosters, or you can check out the playlist which has all of the videos in order and will update as new videos get released).
Group A:
The 1981 Reds - Finished the regular season with the best record in the MLB but due to a strike that divided the season into two halves, they did not qualify for the playoffs.
The
Six Outta Fives - A team of the players most frequently cited as overrated, getting a second chance to prove that they wereÂ…properly rated.
The 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords - The best negro league team of all time who are getting a crack at major league talent in the prime of their careers for the first time.
The Diamonds in the Rough - A team of great players who spent most or all of their career without the proper support. Team captain: Mike Trout
Group B:
The Black Sox - The 1919 White Sox that had 8 players who threw the World Series and were subsequently banned by baseball. TheyÂ’re back, and weÂ’ve digitally made honest men out of them.
Club Snub - The biggest Hall of Fame snubs, attempting to snub the snubbers.
1994 Montreal Expos - They were having a season that was head and shoulders above any other season in their history when the ‘94 strike killed the season. By the time baseball came back, they had to dismantle their team, and eventually moved to a swamp.
The Tucson Too Soons - Players whose career endedÂ… you guessed itÂ… too soon.
Every team in each group plays each other twice, once home and once away, so letÂ’s get into it. The links lead to the relevant video of the games if you want to go that route, or you can just bookmark
this page as this has all of the videos in order and updates as we add new videos.
Group A Game 1s:
1981 Cincinnati Reds @ 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords
PittsburghÂ’s firing their ace out of a cannon early as Satchel Paige gets the start in the opening matchup. No one is less happy about that than Bruce Berenyi. This dude struggles with run support (e.g., pitched 1 hitter - lost, 4 losses in 9 games when overall ERA was below 1.5, 3.36 ERA - led league in losses). Welp, itÂ’s happening again. We enter the 8th still scoreless after the starters combine for 24 Ks, but Oscar Charleston nets a clutch single and Josh Gibson sacrifices his fly to make it 2-0. ThatÂ’ll be your final. Poor Bruce.
Final: PIT 2 - CIN 0
Diamonds in the Rough @ The Six Out of Fives
Another stellar matchup as the Six Out of FivesÂ’ Gaylord Perry takes on the Diamonds in the RoughÂ’s Walter Johnson. Perry blinks first. Doubles by Ernie Banks and Joe Mauer and homers by Nap Lajouie and Mike Trout put the Diamonds up 3. ThatÂ’s all that Gaylord gives up but Walter Johnson was just better. He finishes the game with 8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER and 8 Ks. Among the stories we tell in the video is how Gaylord Perry is less afraid of sticking his fingers in questionable substances than my small children. Well, he should have skipped the WD 40 as a critical E1 allowed a crucial run home.
Final: DIA 5 - SIX 1
Group B Game 1s:
Club Snub @ The Black Sox
You know, I said that I digitally erased the Black SoxÂ’s propensity for cheating, but IÂ’ll admit, IÂ’m having my doubts. Eddie Cicotte (Black Sock, banned for life) gave up a home run to the very first batter. A few innings later, he botched a sac bunt. A few innings after that, Swede Risberg (Black Sock, banned for life) threw one away that would have ended the inning but instead broke a 3-3 tie in favor of the Snubs. Eddie Collins, who was considered the leader of the clean side of the club, to be fair, dropped a fly ball in that same inning. So, who knows, maybe theyÂ’re all just pissed off that theyÂ’re hanging out together again. All those blunders are enough to hand the Black Sox a four run loss despite the fact they outhit their competition 12-9. Shoeless Joe Jackson did all he could, going 3-5 with an RBI. Brett Saberhagen was excellent for the other side, going 7.1 and only giving up three runs.
Final: SNUB 7 - SOX 3
1994 Montreal Expos @ Tucson Too Soons
A young Pedro Martinez is taking the bump for the Expos but TucsonÂ’s Josh Hamilton does not care. He hits a two run home run in the first to get Tucson out to an early lead and follows with a second home run later in the game to come out of the gates strong. Pedro Martinez has the star power, but itÂ’s Smoky Joe Wood from the Too Soons that made headlines with his pitching, going 8, striking out 10, and leading his team to a shutout. Tucson appears to be content with using Rick Ankiel the closer duties, who we included in the pen to see if he can rewrite his yip-filled history. Today is a good start as he cleanly closes it out.
Final: TUC 4 - MON 0
Group A Game 2s:
(0-1) 1981 Reds @ (0-1) The Six Outta Fives
In my research, Nolan Ryan was the most frequently cited player as being overrated. We could sit here and argue about it, or we can shut up and let the man prove himself. I for one prefer action to thinking 10 out of 10 times, so let’s get it on. The Reds’ Johnny Bench is not sold. He goes yard off of Ryan to give the Reds an early two run lead. This may have been more significant if the Reds’ Mario Soto, a pitcher known for his temper highlighted by an incident where he punched someone with a ball still in his hand, didn’t completely lose his **** after Harold Baines hit a home run off of him. Walks and hit by pitches (3 in total… hitting Jason Varitek twice) started coming early and often and eventually help the Sixes tie it. We’re off to extras. This one ends controversially as it’s a balk that sends the winning run to third and it’s Jason “Please Stop Hitting me with Baseballs” Varitek winning it for the Sixes with a sac fly.
FINAL: SIX 4 - CIN 3
(1-0) 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords @ (1-0) Diamonds in the Rough
This is another game where you think you’re going to have a lot to say about one pitcher (the Diamonds’ Felix Hernandez) and end up talking about the stellar performance of the other (the Crawfords’ Leroy Matlock). The Crawfords were not phased by the big name of Felix Hernandez as legendary slugger Josh Gibson went yard for the first time this tourney and Rap Dixon cleared the loaded bases with a double to stake the Crawfords to a 6-0 lead. A home run later in the game allowed me to utilize what might be my favorite home run call yet, “I hope you like being teabagged by rodents because here’s another gopher ball.” Sports announcing at its finest. They eventually win 9-3 but the big story here is Leroy Matlock. He set a Dugs record by recording 17 strikeouts in the game.
Final: PIT 9 - DIA 3
Group B Game 2s:
(0-1) Black Sox vs. (1-0) Tucson Too Soons
Surprising pitching results seems to be a theme. Sandy Koufax is going for the Too Soons but the Black Sox want to try to erase the embarrassment of their first game. They are staked to a 3-0 lead after two. The Too Soons fire back on the back of a two run Nomar Garciaparra home run. Then the 8th inning happens and everything goes ass over kettle. The Black Sox appear to be well on their way to victory as an unsuccessful relief performance out of Chris Carpenter stakes them to a 6-2 lead. But itÂ’s not over. We fielded a team of 25 offensive legends last yearÂ… which meant they also had to pitchÂ… and despite that, I still think that this Sox relief appearance is the worst IÂ’ve seen in our channelÂ’s history. Charlie Robertson came in in relief with the bags loaded and immediately surrendered a Tony Conigliaro grand slam to make it a tied ball game. Jackie Robinson followed him with a second home run. Josh Hamilton makes it back to back to back with his third homer of the tourney. Robertson comes out. So he saw 3 batters, surrendered home runs to all of them, and left. ItÂ’s no wonder his occupation after baseball was buying and selling nuts (true story). Rick Ankiel closed out the game for the Too Soons and they go to 2-0 while the Black Sox are still looking for their first win.
Final: TUC 8 - SOX 6
(0-1) 1994 Expos @ (1-0) Club Snub
Halfway through the game, things are looking good for the Expos as theyÂ’re up by two, highlighted by a Wil Cordero home run. In the first 5.2 IP Jeff Fassero was looking untouchable for the Expos. Something then snaps and he becomes an apparatus in the McDonalds play area. Despite having the bases empty with two outs in the fifth, he surrenders the lead as he gives up three runs highlighted by a Reggie Smith double. Felipe Alou doesnÂ’t care. EverythingÂ’s fine. He leaves Fassero in there who records 0 outs in the first three batters of the seventh, including 2 walks. Felipe Alou doesnÂ’t care. Jeff will get them out of this. Jeff does not get them out of this. Bill Dahlen hits a two run double, and THEN they take him out. Felipe has not heard the parable about horses and barn doors. ThatÂ’s enough to get it done and Club Snub remains undefeated.
Final: SNUB 7 - MON 2
So, let’s take a quick gander at the standings.
If there seems to be interest, I’ll be back next Friday with the next two group stage rounds in this thread. Thanks all for reading!