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THE NBBO & PCBL PLAYOFFS ARE SET
PIONEER HAS BEST RECORD; DEFENDING CHAMPS ARE BACK; PHILA. READY FOR FIRST TITLE SERIES

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (Aug 18, 1872) – Now that the one-game playoff to decide the winner of the New York City Championship has been decided, the playoff fields in both the National Base Ball Organization and the Philadelphia City Baseball League are set.

For the NBBO, this will be the second Tucker-Wheaton Cup since returning to the playoff format. For the PCBL, this will be its first ever championship series.

NATIONAL BASEBALL ORGANIZATION

NYL BROOKLYN – Eckford of Greenpoint (44-26) won all five games against Bedford, and in the process increased their one-game lead to a final margin of four over Atlantic. The defending cup champions were just one win off last year’s pace, and worryingly for everyone else their form over the final five weeks was quite similar to that of last year (18-7 v 20-5).

KEY PLAYER: Isaac Kelly (3B) – .381, .873 OPS, 68 R, 129 H, 26 2B, 3 3B, 60 RBI, 8 BB, +12.1 ZR, 3.0 WPA, 4.5 WAR

NYL NEW YORK CITY – It took excellent late-season form and a one-game playoff, but Metropolitan (42-29) is in the playoffs for the second time in three years. All of their strength is in offense, thanks in no small part to the Oberst/Peterson/Smith trio, with both their pitching & defense ranking in the middle of the pack in the New York League.

KEY PLAYER: Troy Oberst (LF) – .361, .833 OPS, 75 R, 125 H, 17 2B, 6 3B, 68 RBI, 15 BB, 6 SB, 3.5 WPA, 2.5 WAR

NYL UPSTATE N.Y. – Utica (45-25) was in 1st by five games with five games left, but they didn’t ease up and went 8-2 over their final ten games. The team was solid everywhere. Runs: 5th in the NYL. Average: 5th. Steals: 2nd. Runs Against: 5th. Defense: 2nd. Eckford might look more dangerous and Pioneer might have a better record, but Utica is the most complete team in the cup playoffs.

KEY PLAYER: Fox Ellis (3B) – .340, .758 OPS, 65 R, 113 H, 14 XBH, 3 HR, 73 RBI, 3 BB, 11 SB, 4.4 WPA, 2.3 WAR

NEL COASTAL – Quaker State (43-27) lost their last three against National, but Trenton Utd. also struggled in their final series and thus they took the region by one game over the surging Port Jersey, who went 14-1 over their final 15. Q.S. is nowhere as strong on offense as it was the previous two seasons, but their pitching & defense still ranks in the top two of the NEL.

KEY PLAYER: Ross Gill (P) – 27-11, 2.50 ERA, 356.2 IP, 31 CG, 1 SHO, 31 K, 2.4 K/BB, 1.14 WHIP, 6.6 WAR, 9.4 rWAR

NEL INLAND – Pioneer (46-24) is not only in the playoffs for the first time, but they also finished with the NBBO’s best record. Batsmen #2-7 in their lineup all hit over .300, but it was their pitching that shone the brightest as those who took the ball for Pioneer had a collective ERA of 2.47, #1 in the NBBO.

KEY PLAYER: Charles McCormick (P) – 23-11, 2.23 ERA, 302.2 IP, 20 CG, 1 SHO, 37 K, 2.2 K/BB, 1.19 WHIP, 4.6 WAR

NEL NEW ENGLAND – Portland (41-29) played like they didn’t want to hold onto their New England lead but nonetheless they did, and the Maine men are in the playoffs for the third year in a row. Offense is where this team is at its best, but their formidable pitching duo of James Dressman & Grover Wright makes Portland very dangerous in a playoff situation, as proven in their historic upset of Quaker St. in the NELCS just last year.

KEY PLAYER: Enda Reed (1B) – .362, .889 OPS, 60 R, 109 H, 30 XBH, 1 HR, 75 RBI, 12 BB, 10 SB, 4.6 WPA, 2.8 WAR

THE 1872 TUCKER-WHEATON CUP

SEEDING

• NYL #1: Utica – 45-25; +144 RD
• NYL #2: Eckford – 44-26; +112 RD
• NYL #3: Metropolitan – 42-29; +21 RD

• NEL #1: Pioneer – 46-24; +121 RD
• NEL #2: Quaker State – 43-27; +134 RD
• NEL #3: Portland – 41-29; +34 RD

FORMAT & SCHEDULE

• LSF, LSCF, & TWC all best of five games
• All series follow 2-2-1 schedule
• Higher seed has Home Field Advantage

• NYL SEMIFINALS: Metropolitan v Eckford
• NEL SEMIFINALS: Portland v Quaker State

• NYL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MET/ECK v Utica
• NEL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PORT/QS v Pioneer

• TUCKER-WHEATON CUP: NYL Champion v NEL Champion (NEL has HFA)

WRITERS POOL PREDICTIONS

• NYL SEMIFINALS: Eckford (WWWWWW L6; 26-9 Home) over Metropolitan (17-19 Away)
• NEL SEMIFINALS: Quaker State (24-11 Home) over Portland (7-8 Post All-Star)

• NYL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Utica (8-2 L10; 29-6 Home) over Eckford (18-17 Away)
• NEL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Quaker St. (3rd straight year in playoffs) over Pioneer (5-5 last 10)

• TUCKER-WHEATON CUP: Utica over Quaker State

PHILADELPHIA CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE

EAST PHILA.: Just as at the end of May, June, & July, Frankford Arsenal (43-27) managed to play just well enough to stay in 1st by a couple of games, with the trio of Keystone, Sons of Ben, & Spartan taking up the rest of the top four spots in the standings. Frankford’s strength is their offense, which was the second-best in the PCBL.

KEY PLAYER: Joseph Evans (CF) – .372, .915 OPS, 93 R, 127 H, 19 2B, 13 3B, 83 RBI, 23 BB, 19 SB, 4.4 WPA, 4.8 WAR

WEST PHILA.: Against all preseason odds, Mercantile (44-26) held off a fierce challenge by two B.B.C. teams, taking the pennant on the final day when they beat Schuylkill and Merion lost in ten innings. Mercantile had the best pitching in the PCBL – their starters’ ERA was a ludicrous 2.09 – but they also have the most technical bat in the league: 1B Ben Warnock.

KEY PLAYER: Benjamin Warnock (1B) – .347, .802 OPS, 80 R, 120 H, 15 2B, 8 3B, 55 RBI, 12 BB, 17 SB, 4.8 WPA, 2.9 WAR

THE 1873 LIBERTY BELL CLASSIC

SEEDING

• #1: Mercantile – 44-26; +148 RD
• #2: Frankford – 43-27; +113 RD

SERIES FORMAT

• Best of five games
• 2-2-1 format
• Higher seed (MER) has Home Field Advantage

WRITERS POOL PREDICTION

• Frankford Arsenal (WWWWW L5, 23-12 Away) over Mercantile (8-7 1-Run)