Whoa Nelly! It wouldn't be Hardball Heaven if there wasn't to be some dramatics ahead for the final week. For all intensive purposes, it looks as though 3 teams are fighting for that last playoff spot (Ageless One, Plasmatics, and Hardballers). My thoughts on these three in my matchup reviews! The #4 and #5 seeds look like they should stay the same with a matchup consisting of Uticans vs. Hitters. What an offensive explosing that should be! Hate to pick a winner there. BASEMAN and Squirrels are fighting for the coveted #2 position. While Stars just can sit and wait a few more weeks before he really has anything to play for. Oh, that would be nice right about now. Champs, REDS, Zonk and Woodie keep playing hard and demonstrate how truly great this league is. Now for some more details!
Squirrels 6 to Stars 5: This was a possible preview of the championship game with Squirrels tieing the series for the regular season. Squirrels has been on fire lately with a 7-1-1 record in his last 9. The pitching was done this week, but the offense picked it up. Sign of a good team. Although Stars didn't fire on all cylinders offensively. If there is sign of cracking, it is Juan's pitching has not been so stellar of late. This surpises me, but it is something to watch. It really doesn't matter so far though as he keeps winning. Stars, on the other hand, is getting very solid pitching. So when the offense falters, he still keeps it close. If Adrian Gonzalez isn't healthy, then Billy Butler is there to fill the gap. Butler has been hitting of late and was a nice acquisition. Nobody beats Stars in the playoffs this year. NOBODY! I do predict a Stars-Squirrels finals by the way.
BASEMAN 6 to Utica 6: Kerm can beat any team on a given week! His team on offense can blow you out of the water. The problem when I look at his season history is that the biggest win streak is 2. That is why I emphasize again that it will take a miracle for Kerm to win it all. Although Kerm did tie me this week, he still would have lost in the playoffs due to ERA. The offense scares me really as I thought it was wonderful to split with him. But, Kerm should also feel fortunate to split on defense like he did. Kerm, this has been your finest season yet. I like that you have stayed pat a little more with your players. But, when it came down to fine tuning your team and maybe giving up some offense for defense, you chose to do nothing. I think that will be your downfall in the end.
I know not everyone agrees with my philosophy or Plaz's for that matter about pitching, but look at the top three teams. Granted there are better offenses out there like Utica and Tennesse for example, but all three top teams are balanced. All former champions in this league have proven that. Can't win by offense alone.
Hitters 5 to Flaccid 5: Sorry, but will still refer to Timmy's team as Woodie in my posts at least for this year. Although flaccid is quite amusing though! Um, not to repeat myself too much, but like Utica, Tennessee is very similar as a team. Highest win streak? You guessed it.....only 2 this whole year. Tommy has a quality club, but will need to buck the trend to win in the playoffs. Conversely, Squirrels has a win streak of 5 this year. Stars has a win streak of 4 +3 with only losses back to back once, and B-Man has win streaks of 4 +3+3. Hitters had a down week offensively and was fortunate to tie at 5-5. Woodie had lots of power for the number of hits he had. Oh, did I see that Lidge had 2 saves! Yes, 1 loss, but still 2 saves! I think someone has been taking their Viagra lately.
Ageless 6 to Plaz 5: This contest didn't disappoint. Both teams had solid numbers in general. Mike needed a big win, especially after the 10-1 pasting Plaz put on him earlier in the season. One can tell the series was very important as Mike made his 15th move on the waiver wire! Plaz has been plugging away pretty hard lately on the WW that is. For Plaz to pull off a playoff berth with the injuries he has faced this year would be some gratification to a degree. It is hard to stay on top! I look at patterns and lo and behold Ageless is getting hot again! This manager's season has been a tale of two season's. Amassed a 6-0-1 record to start the year and then the losses came in bunches to a tune of 1-7. Now Mike has a 5-0-1 record catapulting him as the frontrunner in the last playoff spot. It would be truly an amazing story for Mike to keep it up. To win it all, he would have to go 9-0-1 most likely. He needs a win next week as well. He faces a tough Squirrels squad and to tell you the truth, I like Juan to win that one. Plaz on the other hand faces Zonk. Now Zonk has been playing tough, but the records speak for themselves. It's a bold prediction, but I like Plaz to sneak in over Ageless for the final playoff spot. Mike's probably thinking why I continue to give him no love, but I have been better than in the past. I'm actually going against my preseason prediction here, where I did pick you in the top 6.
Champions 9 to Hardballers 3: Ok, which way should I go with this matchup. Give much credit to Champs or give Randy, our beloved commish, some crap. Well, I tell you what. I will do a little of both. Champs did play the spoiler role and played it well, but how in the world does a team pull off winning 0 games on defense while losing 8 and then split 3-3 on defense???? Plus how the heck can you win 9-3 with those numbers? I've never seen such a thing! I'll tell you how!! You play a team that is absolutely falling apart!! Randy has got to be beside himself. This is perhaps the most precipitous fall ever in Hardball Heaven. This is a team that started out 7-2-1 and all signs pointed to another first place finish. After week 10, the wheels have just come off, and I mean that literally! The record you ask? It ain't pretty at 1-7-3. Here's a team that had it all! The offense was clicking on all cylinders and most of us thought, here we go again looking up at Randy. Granted, there have been injuries, but this ain't the same team folks! At 2.5 games behind the sixth spot and facing the offensive giant, Uticans, next week, things don't look to turn around. The pitching is in disarray, and the offense isn't pulling its weight. Must be tired of trying to lug the wagon with no wheels! Our commish is awesome, but the team is stuck in manure! Playoffs are a long shot at best!
REDS 6 to Zonk 5: Weird stat. Zonk had 12 HR's, but only 22 runs and 29 RBI's. Something just seems wrong with that. Must have been the .227 average. REDS on the other hand busted out 66 hits and had good overall numbers. Ryan Howard had 5 HR's for Stephen's squad, while Chone Figgins had a nice week for Rick's REDS. REDS gets back on the winning track after 4 losses and Zonk has had a nice 2nd half of the season. The slow start was hard to come back from.
Hope you all enjoyed!
BASEMAN
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