Introducing the Footnote League

[luckymann]

I don’t think a game could more perfectly encapsulate this inaugural Footnote League campaign than the final one in the A’s / Brewers series. Leading 5-0 after 5 innings, Milwaukee somehow conspired to throw the game – and, most likely, the season – away by giving up 8 runs in the final 4 innings to hand the A’s an 8-5 victory. With the Sox winning, they and the A’s are tied for the lead, two games ahead of the Brewers. Entering the final series of the season, there is still the chance of a three-way tie. Milwaukee heads to Boston to take on the Americans; the A’s host the Blues; and the White Sox travel to the nation’s capital for a tricky match-up against the Senators.

[luckymann]

In the NL, the Cards now need just one win from their final seven games or one loss by the Orphans to secure the pennant.

[luckymann]

And then there were two in the AL, as the Brewers rally to tie their game against Boston with two in the top 9th, only to lose it walk-off in the bottom half and be eliminated thanks to Chicago’s 10-inning 4-3 squeaker over Washington. And with the A’s coming up short 12-6 against the Blues, the Sox’ magic number now sits at 2.

[luckymann]

Meanwhile the Redbirds clinch the NL title in style with a 4-2 triumph over Phillies, their 6th straight win. The Orphans, with a lay day, can do nothing but look on as their playoff dreams are shattered.

[luckymann]

Wow. Just wow. The final day brings the AL race to an extraordinary conclusion as the contenders have vastly opposing fortunes in their doubleheaders.

When the White Stocking drop their early game against the Senators 12-7 and the A’s win theirs 7-4 over the Blues, it is all tied up at 80-59.

The late games are as dramatic as you’d hope they’d be.

The Sox tie it 4-4 in the 8th but then give up what would prove the decisive run in the home half to lose the ultimate heartbreaker 5-4.

The A’s, needing a win to avoid a tiebreaker, come out strong to lead the Blues 6-0 after 6, then withstand a determined rally to take the game 7-3 and clinch the pennant in the most unbelievable fashion imaginable.

Like I said, extraordinary.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by luckymann

... can't cop a break...

It sounds like he wasn't home at the time so that would actually be a burglary. Robbery is taking from a person with force or threat of force.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

It sounds like he wasn't home at the time so that would actually be a burglary. Robbery is taking from a person with force or threat of force.

Are you going to post it in the Bugs forum??

[Brad K]

Maybe after they fix the other problems I reported.

[luckymann]

The remainder of the NL season played out without much of note happening.

There was one key injury I haven’t reported: A’s gun LF Eddie Moore will miss the World Series after spraining his knee stealing a base in the final week of the regular season. Just terrible misfortune for him and the A’s will miss him dearly.

Just a bit of housekeeping, I’ll provide details of the hitting and pitching leaders in the End of Season Recap after the Series.

Monthly Awards
American League

• Batter: Willie Wilson CLE (.446 / 0 HR / 21 RBI / 28 R)
• Pitcher: Hooks Wiltse MIL (6-1 / 2.61 ERA / 2 K)
• Rookie: Hooks Wiltse

National League

• Batter: Terrence Long STL (.511 / 0 HR / 17 RBI / 24 R / .526 OBP)
• Pitcher: Eric Rasmussen STL (5-1 / 2.96 ERA / 4 K)
• Rookie: Kyle Blanks CIN (.467 / 1 HR / 25 RBI / 22 R)

Final Standings

[luckymann]

Yes, I know there was no IRL version of this, but I still wanted the FL to have a decider and so that is how it’ll be (it’s great to be the king…).

This should be a fascinating Series involving two fairly evenly matched squads. The A’s are battled hardened by a torrid pennant race but thanks to the scheduling quirks have not played in a week, while the Cards won the NL going away, finishing 19-8 down the stretch.

The A’s had the second best BA in the AL at .331 and will be looking toward their big three outfielders who form the meat of their order – MVP candidates Glenn Wilson (.352 / 90 RBI) and Austin Jackson (.397 / 81 RBI), along with Cody Asche (.392 / 49 RBI) – for the majority of their run production. Their rotation, led by Steve Cooke (14-4 with a league-leading 2.81 ERA / 1.21 WHIP / .272 BABIP) and Ed Head (16-18, AL best 5.1 WAR), was the best in the AL. If they have a weakness it is their bullpen, especially with closer Troy Percival out with injury.

The Cards, who led the NL with a .343 BA, will be hoping batting champ 1B Ryan Shealy (.427), power-hitting LF Charlie James (5 HR) and virtual MVP lock Terrence Long (6.7 WAR, just one of two NL players with >100 ribbies) continue their excellent regular season form into the playoffs. Their pitching staff is more solid than spectacular, with their rotation’s 4.38 ERA 2nd in the league and their bullpen providing sturdy relief throughout the year to lead the NL with an ERA of 3.76.

I think this one will go six with the Cards coming out on top.

These are the two squads for the Series:

[luckymann]

PHA: S. Cooke [0-0] v STL: E. Rasmussen [0-0]

Game 1 began tentatively with both sides feeling each other out and no score and few baserunners thru 3. The Cards scored the first runs of the game in the 4th with a Deivi Cruz two-out single putting them up 2-0, but the A’s hit straight back in the home half to tie it courtesy of an Austin Jackson trip and a double by second baseman Joe Gerhardt. The next inning was decisive as the A’s hitters got to Rasmussen big time, tagging him for 6 on 5 hits to take an 8-2 lead, chasing him in the process. The Cards hit back with three runs over the next two innings to keep the A’s in sight, but it was all over bar the shouting when the A’s scored 4 in the 7th and went on to win it convincingly 12-5.

[luckymann]

PHA: E. Head [0-0] v STL: H. Gumbert [0-0]

The Cards jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st as a nervy Ed Head gave up 5 hits. But this was the only highlight for the Redbirds as the A’s slowly worked their way back into the game with runs in each of the 2nd and 3rd innings and then went berserk in the 4th as Harry Gumbert fell to pieces. For the second game running the St Louis starter failed to make it past the halfway point as Philadelphia knocked him out of the game with 5 runs on 5 hits and a crucial error by Cardinals 3B JP Crawford. Down 7-3, the Cards needed the quick response but in fact it was Philadelphia who scored next with a one-spot in the 5th, and when they followed that up with another run in the next to be up by 6, the Cards were done. Head only gave up 5 hits in 8 shutout innings after his horror 1st, and his team heads to the Midwest with a commanding 2-0 lead.

[luckymann]

STL: D. Dravecky [0-0] v PHA: D. Braden [0-0]

A battle of the southpaws and what a doozy it turned out to be. The single run the Cards scored in the bottom 1st held up all the way thru 8 as Dravecky kept the A’s to just 5 hits. But he only just made it out of the 8th with his shutout still going, which may have been the sign for Cards Skipper Patsy Donovan to hand it over to his pen. Instead, in a move that I’m sure will be speculated over ad infinitum (especially by St Louis fans), he sent Dravecky back out to finish the job. Unfortunately, he did not. The A’s bats came alive, putting 4 in the frame, with a clutch two-out two-run two-bagger by infielder Damian Jackson the final nail. To their credit the Redbirds rallied for 2 in the bottom half, but it wasn’t enough as they took the 4-3 loss and fell behind 3-0 in the Series.

[luckymann]

STL: E. Rasmussen [0-1] v PHA: S. Cooke [1-0]

Standing room only as a cantankerous crowd of 15,000 turned out at Robison Field to try and help the Cardinals avoid an embarrassing sweep. But they were silenced early as the A’s posted 2 in the top 1st to put a heap of scoreboard pressure on the home side. Their despair was short-lived, however, as St Louis scored one in the 2nd and then took the lead in the next with another 3, with a 2-run single by Ryan Shealy putting them in front. For good, as it turned out, although the result was still in the balance until the bottom 8th, when the Redbirds batted around and locked down the win with 6 runs on 7 hits. Where there’s life, there’s hope, and the Cards are alive for at least one more game.

[luckymann]

STL: H. Gumbert [0-1] v PHA: E. Head [1-0]

Yet again the A’s got the early advantage with a run in the 1st on a misplay by Cardinals 1B Ryan Shealy. But, as in Game 4, the Cards’ bats exploded in the 3rd scoring 6 on 6 hits, with Charlie James and Verne Clemons each driving in a pair. A Philadelphia run in the top 4th was erased with 2 to St Louis in the bottom half, and from there the Redbirds looked like they were cruising to victory. There were plenty of bitten fingernails and held breaths in the 9th as the A’s rallied with 4 and sent the tying run to the plate with one out, but Joe Gerhardt GIDP and the Cards had the win, sending the Series back to Philly at 3-2.

[luckymann]

PHA: D. Braden [0-0] v STL: F. Rhem [0-0]

Patsy Donovan’s decision to go with Flint Rhem instead of Game 3 starter Dave Dravecky proved a masterstroke in a game that never really lived up to the hype. The two sides exchanged a run in the 4th but from that point on the Redbirds completely took control, with third baseman JP Crawford unstoppable. Rhem helped his own cause with a 2-run single in the 5th and St Louis proceeded to score another 7 over the next three innings in a devastating offensive display as they cruised to a 10-3 demolition job to force a decisive (and, let’s be honest, highly unlikely) Game 7.

[luckymann]

I’m not afraid to admit that I would have been mildly disappointed if this series had turned out as one-sided as it looked to be in Games 1 thru 3. But I never saw the Cards making it all the way back from 0-3 to this point in time. After what went on in the regular season, a Game 7 seems only fitting.

Like two battle-scarred prizefighters, Cooke and Rasmussen stepped back into the ring for the decider. And, oh what a show they put on. The Cards went ahead with 2 in the top 1st, with 2 key errors meaning both were unearned, shifting all of the pressure onto the home team. And from there, Rasmussen took charge, never letting the A’s hitters get anything going as he gave up just 4 hits (and not more than one in an inning) in a remarkable performance that will earn him instant cult hero status. Another unearned run in the 7th put St Louis out by 3, and the A’s bats stayed quiet for the remainder as the Cards capped a stunning comeback in the finest style possible. Cooke did all he could, pitching a complete game, but it wasn’t to be as the Cards were triumphant in a classic inaugural FL World Series. Cards 3B JP Crawford was named MVP for his .478 / 3 RBI effort.

[luckymann]

What a sublime start to the FL. Two tight pennant races. A classic seven game World Series. I couldn’t have hoped for it in my wildest expectations and can’t wait for what 1902 throws up.

Rather than clog up the works with more words, I’ll let the wonderful OOTP graphics fill you in on the season leaders. Then I’ll be back with news of the awards and some final brief thoughts.

[luckymann]

Batting / Pitching / Fielding leaders.

[luckymann]

Batting / Pitching / Fielding leaders.