California Angels 1970 - Page 34

sharknut · 02-16-2026, 05:27 PM

We sent likely Rookie of the Year Paul Wilson, who was 3rd in the NL in ERA at 3.03 against 14 game winner Charlie Cruz who led the NL in ERA at 2.91.

We each went 1-2-3 in the 1st, but the Giants went up 1-0 in the 2nd after a single by O'Leary and 2-out double by Dan Wilson. We stranded Baerga at 2nd in our half after a 1-out double and when Young homered to deep left in the 3rd, we found ourselves down 2-0.

All post season we gave up big hits to pitchers but it was our turn in the 3rd when Wilson doubled with 1 out, and following a Brown ground out, Erstad ripped a triple to center and when Jefferies singled him in, the game was tied at 2.

We each retired the next 9 batters for 3 very fast innings, but Wilson gave up a lead off single to Boone in the 7th and was sacrificed to 2nd by O'Leary. With 2 outs, we walked the #8 hitter, Ruben Rivera to force their hand; try to score with a 2-out pinch hit, or keep the pitcher doing well in the game. They chose to pinch hit and Wilson retired Cruz on a grounder and we get to the bullpen.

Well, their bullpen came in and did the job, Cotner and Bennett coming in to pitch 1-2-3 7th and 8th, and we went to the 9th. BJ Ryan retired Matt Howard, but committed a throwing error allowing O'Leary to reach. We then brought in Cain who struck out Wilson and following an intentional walk to Rivera again, he struck out pinch hitter Brook Jacoby to end the top of the 9th.

Gubicza got us out 1-2-3 in the 9th, making it 16 straight Marlins retired. Cain matched Gubicza in the top of the 10th and in the bottom half, Higginson finally touched the bullpen for a gapper to the wall in left center to lead things off. Cedeno couldn't get him over, grounding out to short, but pinch hitter Dion James got his 1st hit in 2 months after getting injured, Higginson came around to score and we are going to the World Series.

.....this is the best series I have been involved in. My heart was racing every at bat in game 7. I think because I am going to retire this game if I win the World Series, this is making it seem extra exciting, but these were classics.

5-6
7-8
5-4
7-4
4-5 (10)
3-1
3-2 (10)

5 1-run games, 2 extra inning games, multiple great defensive plays every game. 18 homers hit, just a great series

sharknut · 02-16-2026, 05:42 PM

I didn't give Darin Erstad his due after he won the 1st round MVP:

.476/.476/.810 1 HR 3 RBI 5 runs 1 steal

He followed that up with the NCLS MVP as well

.379/.419/.690 2 HR 6 RBI 8 runs 1 steal----and threw 3 runners out at home.

Legend

sharknut · 02-16-2026, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharknut

In the AL, the Angels and Orioles keep trading wins and it's 2-2

The Orioles took games 5 and 6 and they will be our opponents in the World Series. They have a formidable lineup

Chad Curtis
Scott Rolen
Larry Walker
Vlad Guerrero
Juan Gonzalez
Craig Biggio
Fernando Vina
Joey Cora
Mark Sweeney

Yes, they led the AL in runs/average/OBP/OPS/home runs.

But they were 7th in pitching and 14th in zone rating and 13th in defense. They play Gonzalez in CF and he is a D- fielder. Only Scott Rolen is a plus fielder.

sharknut · 02-16-2026, 08:12 PM

Orioles sent Esteban Loaiza to face Jon Lieber in Baltimore.

We went 1-2-3 in 1st and after a leadoff single by that POS Chad Curtis, Lieber picked him off and the rest of the inning passed without a baserunner. It was scoreless through 3 when Frias hit a solo homer, his 5th of the postseason to give us a 1-0 lead.

Lieber sailed through 5 but in the 6th, Rolen singled with 2 outs and tried to score on a double to center by Larry Walker. They seemed to not have ever watched Darin Erstad, because he threw yet another runner out at hime, the 4th runner he has gunned out.

Seems that Leiber had lost it as in the 7th, Guerrero doubled to lead off the inning and Juan Gonzalez followed that with a 2 run bomb to left. We went out 1-2-3 in the 8th and we sent Pat Combs in to pitch the 8th and surrendered a 2-run shot to 12 time all star and 3 time MVP and we were down 4-1.

The Orioles brought in closer Todd Kopczynski and after Erstad led off the 9th with a single, he retired Frias and Williams but Baerga hit a 2-run homer and the score was 4-3. That Walker homer was huge as Carlsen flew out to end the game and we lost the 1st game of the series for the 3rd time this year

sharknut · 02-17-2026, 11:06 AM

We sent Pellien to the mound to face Curt Schilling in game 2, and it wasn't our night. Pellien allowed the 1st 3 batters to single and a Gonzalez double later, we were down 3-0 after 1.

Schilling was on, he allowed just 1 run over 8 innings as Biggio and Walker homered off our bullpen and it wasn't a game, the Orioles won 8-1.

Time to rally. Again

sharknut · 02-18-2026, 07:58 PM

Well, flying home to Florida did nothing to help.

We got swept. No drama, not even a good game. 6-2 and 6-1, straight sets. LOL

And I retired, not sure where I will go from here. I might try Ted Williams career, I did a Hank Aaron career and a Jackie Robinson one prior to this career.

Thanks for following along, I had a good time with this

02-16-2026, 05:27 PM	#661
sharknut All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 1,124	We sent likely Rookie of the Year Paul Wilson, who was 3rd in the NL in ERA at 3.03 against 14 game winner Charlie Cruz who led the NL in ERA at 2.91. We each went 1-2-3 in the 1st, but the Giants went up 1-0 in the 2nd after a single by O'Leary and 2-out double by Dan Wilson. We stranded Baerga at 2nd in our half after a 1-out double and when Young homered to deep left in the 3rd, we found ourselves down 2-0. All post season we gave up big hits to pitchers but it was our turn in the 3rd when Wilson doubled with 1 out, and following a Brown ground out, Erstad ripped a triple to center and when Jefferies singled him in, the game was tied at 2. We each retired the next 9 batters for 3 very fast innings, but Wilson gave up a lead off single to Boone in the 7th and was sacrificed to 2nd by O'Leary. With 2 outs, we walked the #8 hitter, Ruben Rivera to force their hand; try to score with a 2-out pinch hit, or keep the pitcher doing well in the game. They chose to pinch hit and Wilson retired Cruz on a grounder and we get to the bullpen. Well, their bullpen came in and did the job, Cotner and Bennett coming in to pitch 1-2-3 7th and 8th, and we went to the 9th. BJ Ryan retired Matt Howard, but committed a throwing error allowing O'Leary to reach. We then brought in Cain who struck out Wilson and following an intentional walk to Rivera again, he struck out pinch hitter Brook Jacoby to end the top of the 9th. Gubicza got us out 1-2-3 in the 9th, making it 16 straight Marlins retired. Cain matched Gubicza in the top of the 10th and in the bottom half, Higginson finally touched the bullpen for a gapper to the wall in left center to lead things off. Cedeno couldn't get him over, grounding out to short, but pinch hitter Dion James got his 1st hit in 2 months after getting injured, Higginson came around to score and we are going to the World Series. .....this is the best series I have been involved in. My heart was racing every at bat in game 7. I think because I am going to retire this game if I win the World Series, this is making it seem extra exciting, but these were classics. 5-6 7-8 5-4 7-4 4-5 (10) 3-1 3-2 (10) 5 1-run games, 2 extra inning games, multiple great defensive plays every game. 18 homers hit, just a great series __________________ Last edited by sharknut; 02-16-2026 at 05:33 PM.

02-16-2026, 05:42 PM	#662
sharknut All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 1,124	I didn't give Darin Erstad his due after he won the 1st round MVP: .476/.476/.810 1 HR 3 RBI 5 runs 1 steal He followed that up with the NCLS MVP as well .379/.419/.690 2 HR 6 RBI 8 runs 1 steal----and threw 3 runners out at home. Legend __________________

02-16-2026, 08:12 PM	#664
sharknut All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 1,124	Orioles sent Esteban Loaiza to face Jon Lieber in Baltimore. We went 1-2-3 in 1st and after a leadoff single by that POS Chad Curtis, Lieber picked him off and the rest of the inning passed without a baserunner. It was scoreless through 3 when Frias hit a solo homer, his 5th of the postseason to give us a 1-0 lead. Lieber sailed through 5 but in the 6th, Rolen singled with 2 outs and tried to score on a double to center by Larry Walker. They seemed to not have ever watched Darin Erstad, because he threw yet another runner out at hime, the 4th runner he has gunned out. Seems that Leiber had lost it as in the 7th, Guerrero doubled to lead off the inning and Juan Gonzalez followed that with a 2 run bomb to left. We went out 1-2-3 in the 8th and we sent Pat Combs in to pitch the 8th and surrendered a 2-run shot to 12 time all star and 3 time MVP and we were down 4-1. The Orioles brought in closer Todd Kopczynski and after Erstad led off the 9th with a single, he retired Frias and Williams but Baerga hit a 2-run homer and the score was 4-3. That Walker homer was huge as Carlsen flew out to end the game and we lost the 1st game of the series for the 3rd time this year __________________

02-17-2026, 11:06 AM	#665
sharknut All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 1,124	We sent Pellien to the mound to face Curt Schilling in game 2, and it wasn't our night. Pellien allowed the 1st 3 batters to single and a Gonzalez double later, we were down 3-0 after 1. Schilling was on, he allowed just 1 run over 8 innings as Biggio and Walker homered off our bullpen and it wasn't a game, the Orioles won 8-1. Time to rally. Again __________________

02-18-2026, 07:58 PM	#666
sharknut All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 1,124	Well, flying home to Florida did nothing to help. We got swept. No drama, not even a good game. 6-2 and 6-1, straight sets. LOL And I retired, not sure where I will go from here. I might try Ted Williams career, I did a Hank Aaron career and a Jackie Robinson one prior to this career. Thanks for following along, I had a good time with this __________________