Sim's Done -- Awards Given Out!!

Game Date: 10/28/2019

Awards Presented:

Slick Fielders:

P  Trey Albarado, Brooklyn
C  Lewis Bell, Monck's Corner
1B Benito Torre, Cleveland
2B Luis Cedeno, Brooklyn
3B Ronald Quijada, Cleveland
SS Carlos Pais, Hickory
LF Alvin Sherman, Ohio
CF Luis Ramon, Saskatoon
RF Geoffrey Boerner, Cleveland

Outstanding Newcomer:  Jesus Flores, Hickory.  .322, 28HR, 90 RBI, .972 OPS
Outstanding Pitcher:  Ronald Placencia, Seattle (4th award).  22-3, 3.01 ERA, 218K, 0.97 WHIP
Outstanding Batter:  Ricky Peppers, Shackamaxon (3rd award).  .357, 44HR, 120RBI, 21SB, 1.045 OPS

Next sim (taking us up to the free agent period) will be on Monday night.

Sim's Done (10/21/19)

The sim was run tonight.  Next sim (covering a week) will be run on Saturday night.

We'll Try Again Tonight

Sorry, folks.  Life got in the way and the sim wasn't run last night.  I'll do it tonight.

Zev

Time to Make Your Offers

And make them good.

SP Juan Villatoro
SP Danny Andrews
MR Robert Brown
MR Tony Errico
2B Tim Palacio
3B Ken Lea
SS Dan Burdine
CF Guillaume Fournier
RF Pedro Valdes

This is not a fire sale. Real offers that cause pain to the other side WILL be considered!

Gregory Mudge Named To The Hall of Fame

Longtime Seattle first baseman Gregory Mudge was named to the SDMB OOTP Hall of Fame, becoming the fourth person enshrined and was inducted wearing a Monarch's crown.

Mudge retired from the league today among the league leaders in many offensive categories.

Games -- 1831 (12th)
At Bats -- 7078 (7th)
Hits -- 2153 (3rd)
Home Runs -- 423 (7th)
RBI -- 1351 (6th)
Runs -- 1159 (11th)

Mudge joins Saskatoon outfielder Michael Fay, Saskatoon pitcher Demarcus Ramirez and pitcher Chad Nelligan in the Hall.

Offseason Begins

Game Date:  Oct 13, 2019

I have advanced the game one day to begin the offseason.

The next sim (covering a week) will occur on Wednesday night.
After that, we should have nightly sims covering a week at a time on every night except Friday and Sunday (unless otherwise noted).

Zev

Old Adams League Pride

There have been four seasons (2016-19) since the realignment. In those four years, 10 of the 12 playoff teams have come from the six franchises that made up the old Adams League. Among the original Zotti League, only River Cities and Cleveland have made the playoffs, one time each.

All four championships since realignment have been won by Adams League franchises (Seattle twice, Saskatoon, and Maui).

I always said that the Adams League was strongest. I now have proof. Hah!

Maui Mashers Dethrone Monarchs With 10-3 Victory.

The Maui Mashers have captured the Cecil Cup and became the SDMB League champions for 2019 by defeating the Seattle Monarchs 4 games to 2.

In Game 6, it was Maui all the way.  They led off the top of the first with four runs and never relinquished the lead.

At this point, we'll take a few days off to allow Matt to bask in the glory of the title and return to our schedule on Saturday night.

Congrats Matt, on a season well played.

Zev

Maui's Five Homers Down Monarchs, Take 3-2 Lead in Cecil Cup Series

The balls were flying out of the park off of the Maui bats as the Maui Mashers defeated the Seattle Monarchs 5-2, putting them one victory away from a Cecil Cup championship.

Ronald Placencia didn't have his stuff today as five different Mashers each launched a solo home run off of the veteran right-hander.  On the other side, Anibal Ottman scattered eight hits over seven innings giving up only two runs.

Game 6 -- Monday night

Fike Shuts Down Monarchs, Series Tied 2-2

This time, Kyle Fike was out to get even.  After losing Game 1 of the series in terrible fashion, Kyle Fike put on his A-game and held the Seattle Monarchs to three hits over eight innings.  Only one runner even reached third base in the entire game for Seattle, as the Mashers defeated the Monarchs 5-0.

Game 4 will be Sunday night (not before 7PM EDT).

Hall of Fame II

While we have this lull in the hot, hot playoff action, I just wanted to drop a reminder about my prior post on the Hall of Fame.

I recognize that I may be the only person interested in this topic. If so, I'll happily go off and figure out who I think should be in the Hall of Fame and basically just amuse myself.

But, if anyone else is even remotely interested in this, please let me know in the comments section. Thanks.

Hester Allows Only Two Hits, Still Loses

Today's action in the Cecil Cup series included another pitcher's duel.  Christopher Hester pitched six innings of two hit ball, but it wasn't enough as Ferdinand Pineda out-dueled him to a 2-1 victory.

Game 4 will be simmed on Saturday night.

Ottman Pitches Well, Morrales Pitches Better -- Seattle Takes a 2-0 Lead

Anibal Ottman of the Maui Mashers threw seven innings of one-run ball today, but he was outmatched by Juan Morrales who threw eight shoutout innings of five-hit ball.  Only twice -- in the first inning and the seventh, did a Masher runner even reach second base -- and none reached third.

Game 3 tomorrow night

Monarchs Pound Mashers, Take 1-0 Lead In Series

The Seattle Monarchs took a quick 1-0 lead in the Cecil Cup series by mauling the Maui Mashers 13-1.

The Mashers took the lead in the top of the first when leadoff batter Ricardo Sanchez reached second base on an error.  He then went to third on a ground out and came home on Jim Lefebrve's single.

And that was it for Maui's offense.  Seattle, on the other hand, was just getting started.  They scored four in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead.  It turn out that they wouldn't need any more offense, but nonetheless, they added an additional nine runs to make the game into a laugher.

Ronald Placencia held the Mashers to five hits over eight innings, allowing only the one unearned run.  The hitting stars of the game include Rich Bender (3-4,  2B/HR, 4 runs), Bruce Frison (2-3, 2B/HR, 2 runs, 4 RBI), and Alberto Granado (3-4, HR, 2 runs, 5 RBI).

Upcoming Schedule:

Game 2:  Monday night, 10/10
Game 3:  Tuesday night, 10/11
Game 4:  Saturday night, 10/15
Game 5:  Sunday night, 10/16
Game 6:  Monday night, 10/17
Game 7:  Tuesday night, 10/18

Monarchs Complete Comeback In Dramatic See-Saw Fifteen Inning Victory

The Seattle Monarchs completed an amazing comeback, returning from a 3-1 deficit to win Game 7 with a dramatic fifteen inning victory over the Hickory Huskers that ended with a walk-off home run.

The action started in the top of the second when Christopher Moss led off the frame with an infield single.  He went to second on a wild pitch and came home on a Tyler Thomas single.  Seattle took the lead when Bas Bijkerk hit a two-out double to center.  That was followed by a walk to pitcher Nicolas Vargas and a Richard Bender double which brought home both runners.

In the top of the seventh, Christopher Moss battled back from an 0-2 count to work a walk from Vargas.  After Paul Shunk struck out, Tyler Thomas hit a double to left-center, sending Moss to third.  With second and third occupied with one out, Thomas Geter came to the plate and flied out to center field.  Christopher Moss is fast and decided to test Bas Bijkerk's throwing arm in center.  Moss came home, but Bijkerk's throw came in ahead of him, for the third out of the inning.

With the score standing at 2-1, Hickory came to the top of the ninth facing elimination.  The Monarchs brought in their closer Robert Riddick to finish off the Huskers.  Gustavo Silva came in to pinch hit and led off with an infield single.  Jesus Flores walked, moving the tying run to second.  After Christopher Moss struck out for the first out, Paul Shunk came up and hit a line drive single to right.  Silva came home to tie the game up at two runs each.  Tyler Thomas then stepped up to the plate and on the first pitch hit the ball to third baseman Gregorio Reyna, who threw the ball away, allowing Flores to come home with the go-ahead run.  Shunk went to third and Thomas took second.  With the score now at 3-2 Hickory, Thomas Geter struck out for the second out.  Carlos Pais then walked to load the bases.  With pinch hitter Cristobal Santoyo at the plate, Riddick finally managed to get out of the inning by striking out Santoyo.

The game then went to the bottom of the ninth with Seattle now facing the same elimination that the Huskers faced a half-inning earlier.  The Huskers brought in their closer, Thomas Ramirez, to bring an end to the Monarch's season.  Pinch hitter Juan Gomez flied out to start the inning.  The next batter was another pinch-hitter, Jonathan Anderson, who reached on an infield single.  The next batter, Toshinobu Mizutani lined a single to left, moving Anderson to second.  Another pinch-hitter, Kevin Craig hit the first pitch for a single.  Anderson rounded third, heading for home ahead of the throw.  After a close play at the plate, Craig made it home safely to tie the game at three runs each.  With one out and the winning run on second base, Ramirez managed to induce Richard Bender to ground into an inning-ending double play, sending the game into extra inning.

Seattle brought in Manuele Chiappo to pitch the tenth inning.  The first batter, George LaBarre, hit a double to center.  The next batter, Marvin Cardoza, came to the plate.  After the first pitch, LaBarre took off for third, but catcher Alberto Granado nailed a throw to third to catch LaBarre.  Cardoza walked on four pitches.  Flores followed that up with a single, sending Cardoza to third.  With runners on the corners and one out, Christopher Moss stepped to the plate.  Chiappo battled back from a 3-1 count to get Moss to strike out.  Paul Shunk then struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the tenth, Reyna led off the inning with a strikeout.  Bruce Frison then singled, bringing Granado to the plate.  With a full count, Frison took off for second.  Granado swung through the pitch and Geter rifled the ball down to second for a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play.  John Hukill then popped up to third to end the inning.

The pitching then settled down for both sides as inning after inning passed without any serious threat, until the top of the fourteenth.  Carlos Pais led off the inning with a four-pitch walk against William Haner.  Pitcher Forest Powell then laid down a sacrifice bunt to send Pais to second.  The Monarchs then intentionally walked George LaBarre to face Marvin Cardoza.  Cardoza laced an infield single to load the bases with one out.  Haner then managed to get Flores to fly out to shallow left and Christopher Moss to ground out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourteenth, Juan Gomez reached first with a lead-off single against Powell.  After Jonathan Anderson popped up to second, Mizutani came to the plate.  On the second pitch Powell uncorked a wild one, sending Gomez to second.  Mizutani then grounded out, sending Gomez to third.  With the winning run on third, up came pitcher William Haner*.  Haner managed to work the count full before grounding out to end the inning.

The next action finally happened in the bottom of the fifteenth when, with Powell still pitching, Richard Bender strode to the plate to lead off the inning.  After working the count 1-2, he grounded out to end the inning.  The next batter, Chris Chambliss Gregorio Reyna came to the plate.  After getting himself in the box, he lofted Powell's first pitch into the right field stands, 380 feet away.

Game 1 of the Cecil Cup -- Maui vs. Seattle will be simmed on Sunday morning.


Zev



* To see how this might have worked out, check out this video of the Mets/Braves game on July 4, 1985.  The Braves came were down by a run in the 13th with two out when pitcher Rick Camp came to the plate:

Monarchs Thrash Huskers, Force Game 7

The Seattle Monarchs managed to stay alive yet again in their playoff series with the Hickory by defeating the Huskers 10-4.

The Huskers drew first blood in the top of the first when George LaBarre led off with a single against Christopher Hester.  LaBarre then stole second, which proved completely unnecessary when the second batter, James Drum, walked.  That brought up Jesus Flores.  After a double steal, Flores grounded out, bringing LaBarre home and sending Drum to third.  Drum was then brought home by a Christopher Moss single, making the score 2-0.

The Monarchs struck back in the bottom of the first, with a leadoff triple by Richard Bender.  He was later brought home by John Hukill's infield hit.  Two batters later, Hukill came home on a Juan Gomez single.

Hickory retook the lead in the top of the third on a home run to right by Flores, but the lead was short-lived.  Bruce Frison led off the bottom of the inning with a single.  He stole second and then went to third on a groundout.  That was all for Hickory starter James Turner as he was relieved by Jacobo Centeno.  The next batter, Juan Gomez, hit a 1-2 pitch to deep left-center, bring Frison home.  Gomez was brought home by Bas Bijkerk, who hit a double on the next at bat, making the score 4-3.

Seattle added another two runs in the fourth when Frison hit a two run homer to left off of reliever Franklin Erickson.    Hickory tried to come back in the fifth, when they managed to get a run on a LaBarre single, a Drum single and a  Christopher Moss double, bringing LaBarre home.  Yet, with runners on second and third and down by two runs, Paul Shunk grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.

Seattle added another two in the sixth with a home run by Gregorio Reyna and another two in the seventh on a John Hukill home run and pinch hitter James Dodd's single.

Game 7 -- Thursday night.

Hall of Fame

Now that I've compiled all this data, I think it would be fun to go back and look at potential candidates to be put into the league Hall of Fame. And, since Zev thinks it might be fun too, I thought I would kick off the discussion.

Right now, there are three guys there:

SP Chad Nelligan
SP Demarcus Ramirez
CF Michael Fay

I can't really argue with any of those three choices (well, maybe Fay a little), but my research has convinced me that there are other guys just as deserving, if not moreso. Once the playoffs are over, I think it would be fun to suggest candidates and see what people think.

But, in preparing for that, what information would people want about the candidates? Career value? Three-year peak? Five-year peak? If you have any ideas for what information I should pull together about the candidates, drop them in the comments. Thanks.

Seattle Stays Alive With Extra Inning Win

The Seattle Monarchs kept their Cecil Cup hopes alive today with a 10-inning 5-4 victory over the Hickory Huskers.

The Monarchs put two on the board in the top of the second against starter James Turner when pitcher Ronald Placencia hit a two-out bases-loaded double to right, bringing home two runners.  However, the Monarchs ended the inning when the runner on first, Jonathan Anderson, decided to test RF Paul Shunk's arm.  Shunk, who has a terrific arm, mowed down Anderson (who is not all that fast) as the latter tried for home, ending the inning.

Hickory responded in the bottom of the inning with a lead-off single by Christopher Moss, followed by a double by Shunk, bringing Moss home.  Two batters later, James Drum lofted a Placencia pitch over the left field wall for a two run home run, making the score 3-2.

Seattle reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a double to center by Alberto Granado and a single to left-center by Bas Bijkerk (who, just to remind everyone had three round-trippers in the 2017 and 2018 playoffs).

Hickory tied it up in the eighth when George LaBarre stroked a solo homer to right off of Placencia.  Neither team scored in the ninth, taking the game into extra frames.

In the top of the tenth, Hickory had Ray Lewis on the mound, starting his second inning of relief work.  On the first pitch of the inning, Paulino Reyes lined to left for a single.  The next batter, Steve Keo, laced a single to right, sending Reyes to third.  On the next pitch Keo was promptly picked off.  However, it mattered little as on the very next pitch, Lewis corked a wild pitch, allowing Reyes to come home with the go-ahead run.  Lewis managed to get out of the rest of the inning without incident, but the damage was already done.

Seattle brought in closer Robert Riddick to save the game in the bottom of the tenth.  LaBarre did manage to reach second on a two-out double, but Riddick got Bill Elder to fly out to right to end the game.

Game 6 on Wednesday night.

Maui Sweeps, Hickory Takes 3-1 Lead

I hear tell that in those other leagues, there are playoffs going on, but we all know that they aren't really important.  The really important action is going on here.  :)

The Maui Mashers completed their sweep of the Saskatoon Amigos today after a come-from-behind, 9th inning 4-3 victory.  Saskatoon got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-run double off the bat of Santiago Salazar.  A third run was tacked on with a solo shot from Gregorio Marzano.

In the fourth inning, Maui began their comeback.  An RBI single off the bat of Pedro Martinez narrowed the gap to 3-1.  Saskatoon had a chance to add some insurance runs in the fifth when Maui pitcher Kenneth Byers loaded the bases on three walks with only one out.  Byers, however, managed to get Marzano to line out to right field (preventing the runner at third from tagging up) and then induced a pop fly to left from Salazar.

Maui put a second run on the board in the seventh pitcher Kenneth Byers drove home a run with an RBI single to right-center.  The score stood 3-2 until the ninth inning when Hickory brought in their closer, Manuel Robles, to close out the game.  However, after retiring the first batter, he gave up a four-pitch walk to Gabriel Sequerios.  After striking out pinch hitter Kareem King, he gave up a first-pitch home run to Ricardo Sanchez to give Maui a 4-3 lead.  After that, Maui brought in their closer, Carlos "Toast" Arias, and the Amigos were toast.

The Hickory Huskers are now one win away from their first trip to the Cecil Cup series, after defeating the Monarchs 6-1.  19-game-winner Juan Morrales just didn't have it today, as he gave up four runs to the Huskers in the very first inning.

It all started out when George LaBarre led off the bottom of the first with a single.  James Drum followed with an infield single.  Jesus Flores hit a 2-1 pitch to short bringing home LaBarre.  Christopher Moss flied out to deep center field, allowing Drum to go to third.  He was then brought home on a sac fly by Paul Shunk.  The next batter, Tyler Thomas, hit a ball over the left field fence to give the Huskers a 4-0 lead.  Seattle scratched together a run on a leadoff single by pitcher Juan Morrales, two more singles and a sac fly by John Hukill.   Hickory tacked on two more runs in the fourth on a George LaBarre single and a Jesus Flores single, knocking Morrales out of the box.  However, by then the damage was done.  After that, Seattle never got a runner past second base.  Richard Shipp picks up his second lifetime postseason victory with an eight inning, one-run effort.

Game 5 will be tomorrow night.

Maui Leads 3-0, Hickory Up 2-1 Over Seattle

The Maui Mashers are now only one win away from advancing to the Cecil Cup series with it's 4-2 victory over the Amigos.

The Mashers took a quick lead in the first with a solo home run by Octavio Cabrales.  The Amigos responded with two in the third on singles by Rufus Murray and Santiago Salazar.

That's the way it stood until the eighth inning, when Maui put three more on the board on solo round trippers by Ricardo Sanchez and Bruce Parker and a single by Barney Maxon, bringing the game to 4-2, its final score, giving the victory to starter Ferdinand Pineda.

Over in Hickory, it was all Huskers over the Monarchs in a 6-3 victory.  Hickory started right away in the first off of starter Nicholas Vargas when George LaBarre reached first on a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a ground out and then scored on Christopher Moss's single.  A second run was added the next inning on a Christopher Pais solo blast.

Seattle managed to tie the game in the bottom of the second when Nicholas Vargas reached first on a failed sacrifice bunt.  He went to second on a walk to Richard Bender and then scored on a Gregorio Reyna single. Bender himself came home on a Bruce Frison ground out.

However, Seattle's lead evaporated as quickly as a break in the rain clouds over the city.  George LaBarre, the first hitter of Hickory's half of the third inning reached on a first-pitch single to left-center.  The next batter, Tyler Thomas, launched a 1-2 pitch to center field for a two run homer.  Three batters later, Paul Shunk hit his second home run of the series, a two run shot, to make the score 6-2.

Seattle never made it back from that deficit.  John Hukill did manage to put another run on the board for the Monarchs with a solo home run in the sixth, but otherwise, Seattle never seriously threatened.  Hickory starter  Donald Hunnicutt pitched eight innings for the victory.

Game 4:  Monday night