The best bullpen in NASOMA just got better. The Mavs traded lefty Felipe Rivero to the Sidewinders for a reserve pick in 2018 and a 1st round pick in 2019.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Felipe Rivero to the Sidewinders
The best bullpen in NASOMA just got better. The Mavs traded lefty Felipe Rivero to the Sidewinders for a reserve pick in 2018 and a 1st round pick in 2019.
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Is 1 relief appearance enough for my guy to get relief on his card?
In case you ever wondered, here is SOM's semi-official response to the question, "How many relief appearances does it take to get relief on the card?"
Two relief appearances OR one relief appearance in less than eleven total games OR one relief appearance that results in a save no matter how many starts.
I say semi-official because the reply was from Steve Barkan, who worked for SOM for a long, long time, but doesn't any more.
Two relief appearances OR one relief appearance in less than eleven total games OR one relief appearance that results in a save no matter how many starts.
I say semi-official because the reply was from Steve Barkan, who worked for SOM for a long, long time, but doesn't any more.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
The Bohl Weevils Make Their First Trade
The Weevil cherry is broken.In what basically amounts to a cut for a cut, the Bohl Weevils trade Steve Cishek to the Warpigs for pick 132.
NASOMA Champions
On the Archives page, each banner (except two) is a link to the final stats of that team's championship season. I was never able to find final stats for the two Stranger teams that won NASOMA in 1984 & 1987.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
The individual and team leaderboards are posted on the website now. In addition, the records pages in the Archives section have been updated.
In the triple crown categories, the DVs' Corey Seager won the batting title, Miguel Cabrera of the FFTs led in homers, and the Rhinos' Kris Bryant had the most RBI. Jose Altuve of the Inmates was the only hitter to reach 200 hits. Jonathan Villar of the Tweeners stole 60 bases to lead the league.
Clayton Kershaw of the Fungoes won the league ERA title, and Noah Sydergaard of the Rhinos and Jose Quintana of the Inmates won the most with 19. Kenley Jansen of the DVs and Andrew Miller of the champion Sidewinders led the league in saves with 34. The strikeout king was Max Scherzer of the Skyscrapers, who barely edged out the the dynamic Wahoo duo of Weekend at Bernies and Justin Verlander.
The team leaders are also posted. Leading the league in hitting was the Wahoos, while the Buckeyes led in HRs and runs scored. The top ERA went to the Sidewinders, but the Wahoos edged them out for most strikeouts. The FFTs tossed an impressive 19 shutouts.
There were a couple of records set in 2017. The DVs walked only 372 opposing batters to set the NASOMA record. They were led by reliever Kenley Jansen who walked only 1 (with 110 strikeouts) in 71.1 innings.
Although they weren't records, other teams (and 1 player) jumped onto the all time record book. Clayton Kershaw's 1.65 ERA is the second best ever in NASOMA. The Wahoos and Sidewinders both entered the top 5 for strikeouts in a season. The Buckeyes' 66 saves is the third most ever.
There were also three dubious records. The SuperGoofs set records for all time lows in Slugging (.342) and runs scored (533). The Mavs struck out a league record 1,521 times. And the Inmates tied a record by failing to record a single shutout.
In the triple crown categories, the DVs' Corey Seager won the batting title, Miguel Cabrera of the FFTs led in homers, and the Rhinos' Kris Bryant had the most RBI. Jose Altuve of the Inmates was the only hitter to reach 200 hits. Jonathan Villar of the Tweeners stole 60 bases to lead the league.
Clayton Kershaw of the Fungoes won the league ERA title, and Noah Sydergaard of the Rhinos and Jose Quintana of the Inmates won the most with 19. Kenley Jansen of the DVs and Andrew Miller of the champion Sidewinders led the league in saves with 34. The strikeout king was Max Scherzer of the Skyscrapers, who barely edged out the the dynamic Wahoo duo of Weekend at Bernies and Justin Verlander.The team leaders are also posted. Leading the league in hitting was the Wahoos, while the Buckeyes led in HRs and runs scored. The top ERA went to the Sidewinders, but the Wahoos edged them out for most strikeouts. The FFTs tossed an impressive 19 shutouts.
There were a couple of records set in 2017. The DVs walked only 372 opposing batters to set the NASOMA record. They were led by reliever Kenley Jansen who walked only 1 (with 110 strikeouts) in 71.1 innings.
Although they weren't records, other teams (and 1 player) jumped onto the all time record book. Clayton Kershaw's 1.65 ERA is the second best ever in NASOMA. The Wahoos and Sidewinders both entered the top 5 for strikeouts in a season. The Buckeyes' 66 saves is the third most ever.
There were also three dubious records. The SuperGoofs set records for all time lows in Slugging (.342) and runs scored (533). The Mavs struck out a league record 1,521 times. And the Inmates tied a record by failing to record a single shutout.
Monday, November 20, 2017
The First Mock Draft of the Hot Stove League
Big Innings is proud to present the first Mock Draft of the off season. These picks are just guesstimates but are based on careful passing consideration of each team's needs and past tendencies. I have done a great amount of very little research on what is available in the draft, so, as always, you can don't rely on me.
As a bonus this year, I will extend the first round and name the first 20 picks.
1. Rafael Devers, Nads - Devers is the best young talent in the draft, and he fits a position where the Nads have a glaring need, which is, well... anywhere.
2. Avisail Garcia, Killer Bees - This is the going to be the year of drafting former cuts, and Avisail is the first. Cut by the Tweeners following the 2015 season, he went undrafted in 2016 and 2017. So then, of course, the 26-year old Venezuelan finally met and exceeded expectations.
3. Shohei Ohtani, SuperGoofs - The versatile and talented 23-year old from Japan is going somewhere in the first round. The rewards could be great. It's just a question of who will take the risk.
4. Trey Mancini, Inmates - Mancini had a breakout year with Baltimore, hitting .293 with 24 homers in 543 at bats. His only drawback is his poor defense, but in Waco, that has never seemed to matter.
5. Tommy Pham, Tweeners - Another recent cut, Pham was a member of the Wahoos in 2016. He also continues a diversified NASOMA Draft. Pham was born in the US, but is the first player of Vietnamese heritage to the play in MLB.
6. Eddie Rosario, Drillers - And the cuts just keep on coming. Rosario is an interesting one. He was an Inmate in 2016 before he was traded to the Goofs. The Goofs then traded him to the FFTs, who cut him, drafted him back in the 2017 Lightning Round, then cut him again. Now he's back in a big way, going to a team in need of corner outfielders.
7. Austin Barnes, Bohl Weevils - A rarity in this draft, Barnes is not a former cut. In fact, he is carded for the first time. He had a great year with the Dodgers, and can catch as well as be a backup at 2b and 3b.
8. Chris Taylor, FFTs - Another Dodger. It's a run on Dodgers! And what's not to like? Taylor hit .288 with 21 homers and 17 steals in 515 at bats while playing 5 positions.
9. Chase Anderson, DVs - At some point, teams have to break down and start drafting what most of us need: starting pitching. The problem is, there isn't a lot of quality starting pitching in the draft, and the best of the lot is not very different than the 6th or 7th best. The DVs dive in first.
10. Zack Godley, Mavs - Oh hell, the DVs started a run on pitchers. When was the last time the DVs started a trend? My guess is the fidget spinner, which was originally going to be called the Bean Flicker.
11. Brad Peacock, Rhinos - Peacock doesn't fit the typical Rhino pick, mostly because he makes sense. The right hander can start and relieve, has 132 innings, and is especially tough on RH hitters, which is perfect for the Rhino Park. But... he turns 30 in January; that's AARP in Rhino years.
12. Tucker Barnhart, Inmates - Barnhart spent the 2016 season with the Buckeyes before being traded to the Sidewinders, who cut him after the 2017 draft. The switch-hitting catcher had a fine 2017, naturally, and is projected to be a c-1(-3).
13. Jhoulys Chacin, Fungoes - Chacin has been around awhile and will turn 30 in January. He was taken in the 2017 Lightning Round by the Tweeners before being cut. After a rocky early career, he finally blossomed last year in San Diego. His 180 innings will be just what the doctor ordered for the Fungi. (And he can throw TWO complete games in a playoff series!)
14. Jordan Montgomery, Mavs- The run on starting pitchers continues. Montgomery is the Yankee lefty; 155 solid innings and one of the better prospects among the pitchers.
15. Rhys Hoskins, Buckeyes - If nothing else, the Buckeyes will pound the shit outta the ball. That's how they won 115 games last year. Hoskins can certainly do that. Ryan Zimmerman is a possibility, too. He has lots more ABs, and the Buckeyes won't care about the age difference, but Hoskins can play 1b and LF. Zimmerman can only play 1b. By the way, Zimmerman was another 2017 double cut, being axed by the Fungoes after several years on the team, then getting taken in the Lightning Round by the Tweeners before being cut again.
16. Luis Castillo, Tweeners - Castillo is yet another SP with first round credentials. His only flaw is having fewer than 100 innings, but the Cincinnati youngster might be the best SP prospect of the bunch.
17. Alex Cobb, Killer Bees - Cobb had a 3.66 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 179 innings last year in Tampa. He's another one that has been up before. Last year, he was a Lightning Round pick by the Warpigs before getting cut. Jose Urena is another possibility here; the SP quality drops off mightily after that.
18. Alcides Escobar, Nads - The Nads have had some shitty luck with shortstops recently, so it's nice that a ss-1 with 599 ABs is sitting there waiting on him in the 2nd round. Grab him while you can, brother. Escobar, by the way, was a Rhino in 2016 before being cut following the 2017 draft.
19. Martin Maldonado, SuperGoofs - The American League's Gold Glove winning catcher, Maldonado brings much needed defensive help to the Goofs.
20. Chad Green, Inmates - The HEAD INMATE reaches out for the first true reliever. The relief pitcher draft pool is fairly deep again this year, but there are no top-of-the-draft, elite kind of guys. Green is the best of the bunch, and the Inmates are in the perfect spot to take him with their third pick of the first 20.
As a bonus this year, I will extend the first round and name the first 20 picks.
1. Rafael Devers, Nads - Devers is the best young talent in the draft, and he fits a position where the Nads have a glaring need, which is, well... anywhere.
2. Avisail Garcia, Killer Bees - This is the going to be the year of drafting former cuts, and Avisail is the first. Cut by the Tweeners following the 2015 season, he went undrafted in 2016 and 2017. So then, of course, the 26-year old Venezuelan finally met and exceeded expectations.
3. Shohei Ohtani, SuperGoofs - The versatile and talented 23-year old from Japan is going somewhere in the first round. The rewards could be great. It's just a question of who will take the risk.
4. Trey Mancini, Inmates - Mancini had a breakout year with Baltimore, hitting .293 with 24 homers in 543 at bats. His only drawback is his poor defense, but in Waco, that has never seemed to matter.
5. Tommy Pham, Tweeners - Another recent cut, Pham was a member of the Wahoos in 2016. He also continues a diversified NASOMA Draft. Pham was born in the US, but is the first player of Vietnamese heritage to the play in MLB.
6. Eddie Rosario, Drillers - And the cuts just keep on coming. Rosario is an interesting one. He was an Inmate in 2016 before he was traded to the Goofs. The Goofs then traded him to the FFTs, who cut him, drafted him back in the 2017 Lightning Round, then cut him again. Now he's back in a big way, going to a team in need of corner outfielders.
7. Austin Barnes, Bohl Weevils - A rarity in this draft, Barnes is not a former cut. In fact, he is carded for the first time. He had a great year with the Dodgers, and can catch as well as be a backup at 2b and 3b.
8. Chris Taylor, FFTs - Another Dodger. It's a run on Dodgers! And what's not to like? Taylor hit .288 with 21 homers and 17 steals in 515 at bats while playing 5 positions.
9. Chase Anderson, DVs - At some point, teams have to break down and start drafting what most of us need: starting pitching. The problem is, there isn't a lot of quality starting pitching in the draft, and the best of the lot is not very different than the 6th or 7th best. The DVs dive in first.10. Zack Godley, Mavs - Oh hell, the DVs started a run on pitchers. When was the last time the DVs started a trend? My guess is the fidget spinner, which was originally going to be called the Bean Flicker.
11. Brad Peacock, Rhinos - Peacock doesn't fit the typical Rhino pick, mostly because he makes sense. The right hander can start and relieve, has 132 innings, and is especially tough on RH hitters, which is perfect for the Rhino Park. But... he turns 30 in January; that's AARP in Rhino years.
12. Tucker Barnhart, Inmates - Barnhart spent the 2016 season with the Buckeyes before being traded to the Sidewinders, who cut him after the 2017 draft. The switch-hitting catcher had a fine 2017, naturally, and is projected to be a c-1(-3).13. Jhoulys Chacin, Fungoes - Chacin has been around awhile and will turn 30 in January. He was taken in the 2017 Lightning Round by the Tweeners before being cut. After a rocky early career, he finally blossomed last year in San Diego. His 180 innings will be just what the doctor ordered for the Fungi. (And he can throw TWO complete games in a playoff series!)
14. Jordan Montgomery, Mavs- The run on starting pitchers continues. Montgomery is the Yankee lefty; 155 solid innings and one of the better prospects among the pitchers.
15. Rhys Hoskins, Buckeyes - If nothing else, the Buckeyes will pound the shit outta the ball. That's how they won 115 games last year. Hoskins can certainly do that. Ryan Zimmerman is a possibility, too. He has lots more ABs, and the Buckeyes won't care about the age difference, but Hoskins can play 1b and LF. Zimmerman can only play 1b. By the way, Zimmerman was another 2017 double cut, being axed by the Fungoes after several years on the team, then getting taken in the Lightning Round by the Tweeners before being cut again.
16. Luis Castillo, Tweeners - Castillo is yet another SP with first round credentials. His only flaw is having fewer than 100 innings, but the Cincinnati youngster might be the best SP prospect of the bunch.
17. Alex Cobb, Killer Bees - Cobb had a 3.66 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 179 innings last year in Tampa. He's another one that has been up before. Last year, he was a Lightning Round pick by the Warpigs before getting cut. Jose Urena is another possibility here; the SP quality drops off mightily after that.
18. Alcides Escobar, Nads - The Nads have had some shitty luck with shortstops recently, so it's nice that a ss-1 with 599 ABs is sitting there waiting on him in the 2nd round. Grab him while you can, brother. Escobar, by the way, was a Rhino in 2016 before being cut following the 2017 draft.
19. Martin Maldonado, SuperGoofs - The American League's Gold Glove winning catcher, Maldonado brings much needed defensive help to the Goofs.
20. Chad Green, Inmates - The HEAD INMATE reaches out for the first true reliever. The relief pitcher draft pool is fairly deep again this year, but there are no top-of-the-draft, elite kind of guys. Green is the best of the bunch, and the Inmates are in the perfect spot to take him with their third pick of the first 20.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Post Season and Updates
First of all, congratulations to the Sidewinders on their latest Higdon. This was their 4th straight trip to the World Series and their 3rd title overall, having won in 1998 and 2016.
Congratulations also to the Buckeyes, who advanced to their 13th World Series, and to the other teams reaching the post season: the Wahoos, Fungoes, Inmates, and Rhinos.
And thanks to the other owners who made their way out to the Buckeye house today to cheer and jeer on their fellow owners. The FFTs, Goofs, Weevils, Drillers, and Warpigs joined the 6 playoff teams for a fun day of Strat. Thanks, especially, for the delicious food.
I will be updating pages on the website over the next few weeks. A couple have already been done. There is now a link to the Official 2018 Draft Grid. It should reflect all trades. Please let me know if something is amiss. If you can't access it, click the request access button so I can add you.
Also, on the roster page, your draft picks now have numbers on them. Please refer to these numbers when trading draft picks.
A couple of new things: I added a red cell and a black cell to your list of players and picks. The red cell indicates how many players and picks you will have (30 plus your number of reserves). The black picks represent the Tweener Rule +2 picks everybody gets. In other words, if your roster were set right now, everything below the black cell would be lost. If the numbers below your black cell are good picks (example, right now the DVs would lose pick 41 and everything after it), not to worry, that just means you'll need to make more cuts. No rush.
And remember, the picks listed only represent 12 rounds, but we will draft as many rounds as it takes to get everybody's roster filled with the right amount of players. There will also, as usual, be a lightning round following the regular draft.
The team address page now has our new owner's contact information on it. Let him hear from you.
If there is anything I can do on the website to help you, let me know.
Where are the cards?!? When is the draft?!?
Congratulations also to the Buckeyes, who advanced to their 13th World Series, and to the other teams reaching the post season: the Wahoos, Fungoes, Inmates, and Rhinos.
And thanks to the other owners who made their way out to the Buckeye house today to cheer and jeer on their fellow owners. The FFTs, Goofs, Weevils, Drillers, and Warpigs joined the 6 playoff teams for a fun day of Strat. Thanks, especially, for the delicious food.
I will be updating pages on the website over the next few weeks. A couple have already been done. There is now a link to the Official 2018 Draft Grid. It should reflect all trades. Please let me know if something is amiss. If you can't access it, click the request access button so I can add you.
Also, on the roster page, your draft picks now have numbers on them. Please refer to these numbers when trading draft picks.
A couple of new things: I added a red cell and a black cell to your list of players and picks. The red cell indicates how many players and picks you will have (30 plus your number of reserves). The black picks represent the Tweener Rule +2 picks everybody gets. In other words, if your roster were set right now, everything below the black cell would be lost. If the numbers below your black cell are good picks (example, right now the DVs would lose pick 41 and everything after it), not to worry, that just means you'll need to make more cuts. No rush.
And remember, the picks listed only represent 12 rounds, but we will draft as many rounds as it takes to get everybody's roster filled with the right amount of players. There will also, as usual, be a lightning round following the regular draft.
The team address page now has our new owner's contact information on it. Let him hear from you.
If there is anything I can do on the website to help you, let me know.
Where are the cards?!? When is the draft?!?
2017 NASOMA Playoffs - World Series
Buckeyes(1) vs Sidewinders(2)
Game 1 - Buckeyes win 5-2.
Game 2 - Buckeyes win 12-11. Lots of homers.
Game 3 - Sidewinders win 9-3.
Game 4 - Sidewinders win 6-2.
Game 5 - Sidewinders win 3-0.
Game 6 - Sidewinders win 5-3. The Sidewinders repeat as NASOMA Champions!
Game 1 - Buckeyes win 5-2.
Game 2 - Buckeyes win 12-11. Lots of homers.
Game 3 - Sidewinders win 9-3.
Game 4 - Sidewinders win 6-2.
Game 5 - Sidewinders win 3-0.
Game 6 - Sidewinders win 5-3. The Sidewinders repeat as NASOMA Champions!
2017 NASOMA Playoffs - Second Round
Buckeyes(1) vs Fungoes(6)
Game 1 - Buckeyes win 8-7. Justin Bour with a walk-off HR in the 10th.
Game 2 - Buckeyes win 4-1. Chris Young hit a 3-run homer off of Kershaw.
Game 3 - Buckeyes win 1-0. Six-pitcher combined shutout.
Game 4 - Fungoes win 6-0. Trout homers twice to avoid the sweep.
Game 5 - Fungoes win 9-1. Fungoes score 7 in the 1st, and Kershaw cruises.
Game 6 - Buckeyes win 8-0. Buckeyes advance.
Sidewinders(2) vs Wahoos(4)
Game 1 - Sidewinders win 12-6. Come from behind win for the Snakes.
Game 2 - Wahoos win 5-3.
Game 3 - Sidewinders win 10-1. Cueto goes the distance.
Game 4 - Sidewinders win 9-1. Sale with the complete game this time.
Game 5 - Sidewinders win 5-3. Sidewinders advance to their 4th consecutive World Series.
Game 1 - Buckeyes win 8-7. Justin Bour with a walk-off HR in the 10th.
Game 2 - Buckeyes win 4-1. Chris Young hit a 3-run homer off of Kershaw.
Game 3 - Buckeyes win 1-0. Six-pitcher combined shutout.
Game 4 - Fungoes win 6-0. Trout homers twice to avoid the sweep.
Game 5 - Fungoes win 9-1. Fungoes score 7 in the 1st, and Kershaw cruises.
Game 6 - Buckeyes win 8-0. Buckeyes advance.
Sidewinders(2) vs Wahoos(4)
Game 1 - Sidewinders win 12-6. Come from behind win for the Snakes.
Game 2 - Wahoos win 5-3.
Game 3 - Sidewinders win 10-1. Cueto goes the distance.
Game 4 - Sidewinders win 9-1. Sale with the complete game this time.
Game 5 - Sidewinders win 5-3. Sidewinders advance to their 4th consecutive World Series.
2017 NASOMA Playoffs - First Round
The NASOMA playoffs are underway. The first dice hit the table at 8:35. The Fungoes are taking on the Inmates. The Rhinos are running behind (of course), so the Wahoos are forced to pace the floor.
Inmates(3) vs Fungoes(6)
Game 1 - Inmates win 5-0. Jose Quintana throws a 2-hit shutout. Kershaw gets roughed up.
Game 2 - Inmates win 5-4. Four solo shots by the Inmates on BP homers.
Game 3 - Fungoes win 3-0.
Game 4 - Fungoes win 5-1.
Game 5 - Fungoes win 4-2. (At this point, the home team has won all 7 games played today.)
Game 6 - Inmates win 4-3 on a walk-off 2-base error by Jarrod Dyson [lf-1e4].
Game 7 - Fungoes win 8-2. Fungoes advance.
Wahoos(4) vs Rhinos(5)
They are underway. First dice drop at 10:13.
Game 1 - Wahoos win 11-2/
Game 2 - Wahoos win 8-5.
Game 3 - Wahoos win 2-1. (First road win of the day)
Game 4 - Rhinos win 6-4.
Game 5 - Rhinos win 11-2.
Game 6 - Wahoos win 12-0. Weekend at Bernie's with the complete game shutout. Wahoos advance.
Inmates(3) vs Fungoes(6)
Game 1 - Inmates win 5-0. Jose Quintana throws a 2-hit shutout. Kershaw gets roughed up.
Game 2 - Inmates win 5-4. Four solo shots by the Inmates on BP homers.
Game 3 - Fungoes win 3-0.
Game 4 - Fungoes win 5-1.
Game 5 - Fungoes win 4-2. (At this point, the home team has won all 7 games played today.)
Game 6 - Inmates win 4-3 on a walk-off 2-base error by Jarrod Dyson [lf-1e4].
Game 7 - Fungoes win 8-2. Fungoes advance.
Wahoos(4) vs Rhinos(5)
They are underway. First dice drop at 10:13.
Game 1 - Wahoos win 11-2/
Game 2 - Wahoos win 8-5.
Game 3 - Wahoos win 2-1. (First road win of the day)
Game 4 - Rhinos win 6-4.
Game 5 - Rhinos win 11-2.
Game 6 - Wahoos win 12-0. Weekend at Bernie's with the complete game shutout. Wahoos advance.
Friday, November 03, 2017
2017 Playoff Preview
Well, well, well... it's that time of the year again. The MLB season is over, but neither the cards, the ratings, nor the Wahoo stats are here. So it must be NASOMA playoff time.
This year's lineup features the league's oldest and most iconic team as the #1 seed, a team who has been to 3 straight World Series as seed #2, three teams who have yet to win their first title... and the Fungoes.
The Buckeyes, looking for their 8th Higdon, dominated the field in the regular season. He will have the top seed and the home table advantage. Could this be his chance to win his first title since 2005?
The Sidewinders have been on a roll for 4 years now, and is as experienced and playoff savvy as anybody heading into this post season. Will he coast thru the playoffs like he did last year and claim back-to-back titles?
Or maybe this is the year a new team gets its name etched onto the Higdon. The Inmates have been to the Series twice before, but there was a 19-year gap between them. And since his last appearance was only 4 years ago, it seems too early for him to return. It is, however, the Year of the Inmates. Again.
Or is it the Year of the Wahoos? The Wahoos made the finals once before - in 2000, but more importantly, the Hoos join the Snakes as the only two teams to make the playoffs the last 4 years. Maybe this is the year they finally take the final step.
The Rhinos have also been to a World Series, losing to the DVs (Editor's note: how embarrassing) in 2012. Maybe 2017 is his chance at redemption - especially since before the season started, the Rhinos traded their best hitter and best reliever to the DVs, who somehow managed to miss the playoffs anyway while the Rhinos won 98 games. Is this a sign?
The Fungoes slipped into the #6 seed mainly because the Mavs made the mistake of thinking we had passed the rule that allowed the 7th best team to draft #1. The Fungoes have won the Higdon twice before, however, in both 2006 and 2014, so they are experienced at playoff Strat. And any team that gets to pitch Clayton Kershaw has a chance to win (unless that team is the Dodgers).
Without further ado, here are the much lauded, much anticipated, much re-tweeted Big Innings predictions...
First Round - #4 Wahoos vs #5 Rhinos
SP - Even. Fernandez, Verlander, Arrieta, and Estrada for the Wahoos; Syndergaard, Aaron Sanchez, Cole, and Archer for the Rhinos. Maybe a slight edge to the Hoos, but both rotations are elite.
RP - Wahoos. By a lot. Not that Devenski and company aren't good, but the Wahoos have a pen envied by every NASOMA team west of Lexington.
C/Inf - Rhinos. Barely. Votto, Lemahieu, and Bryant make up for the weak-link Story at ss. The Wahoo group is almost as good offensively, and they're better defensively. So it's close.
OF/DH - Wahoos. Not close. The Rhinos didn't win 98 games because of their outfield of Duvall, Buxton, Myers, Kemp, and Marisnick. They won because of their pitching, their infield, and the attention to detail that becomes necessary when you only draft 289 catcher ABs.
Even though the Rhinos won 7 more games than the Wahoos, they are the lower seed because the Wahoos won their division. Head to head, the Rhinos won 7 of 10. But none of that matters. Last year, the Warpigs were clobbered during the regular season by both the Wahoos and Fungoes, but then beat them in the playoffs. Conversely, the Pigs went 9-1 vs the Sidewinders only to get rung up in 5 games against them in the Series.
The Rhinos will get confused when, for the first time this year, they will not be forced to pinch hit for the catcher every time he comes up. That confusion - along with the Wahoo relievers and the frustration that comes with NEVER getting a break on an x-chance against the All-One Wahoos - will lead to a Wahoo victory.
First Round - #3 Inmates vs #6 Fungoes
SP - Even. Except when Kershaw is pitching. Really, neither team has a SP (other than Kershaw) who would even make the playoff rosters of the Wahoos or Rhinos.
RP - Even. In an unimaginative, tedious manner. Neither team has an impressive bullpen - or even a shut down stopper. On the other hand, both have useful hurlers who can probably get some outs.
C/Inf - Inmates. Slightly. Rizzo and Altuve win out over Lindor and Murphy, but not by much. Offensively, the Fungoes have a slight edge because of Murphy, but playing Murphy and Carpenter in the field will hurt them at some point. Both teams have great arms behind the plate.
OF/DH - Fungoes. Slightly. Trout and Betts tilt this area to the Fungoes, but the Inmates have CarGo, JD, Cespedes, and Adam Jones. Not too shabby.
Another interesting first round match-up, this one between HWD division rivals. The Inmates went 8-6 against the Fungoes and finished 8 games ahead in the standings. The Fungoes lean heavily on Kershaw and Price, but the Inmates hit LHP well. The Inmates have so-so pitching, but the Fungoes have so-so hitting. Defensively, any ball hit on the ground causes Fungo fans to hold their collective breath while praying that Lindor dashes in front of the other guys to take it. The Fungo scorecard lists Lindor as "Infield Rover."
If this were a 2nd round series complete with days off after games 2 & 5, I'd give the nod to the team that would get to start Kershaw 3 times. But with no off days, the tall Texan can only start twice. Now, the Fungoes could use him out of the pen so he could pitch every game. This might be the only hope the Fungoes have, but one that is destined to backfire. Limited to 3 innings in each game leaves the Fungoes relying on the rest of a lackluster staff for two thirds of every game. Neither of these teams is better than the two teams in the other first round series, but the Inmates will be running the prison and will be victorious in round one.
Second Round - #1 Buckeyes vs #4 Wahoos
The Buckeyes vs the Wahoos lacks the glamour and tension that a Buckeye/Inmate series would offer. And for the Buckeyes, a series vs the Inmates would be preferable. The Buckeyes have been and always will be in the Head Inmate's head. And the Buckeye bats would devour the Inmate pitching staff. BUT... the series is between the Buckeyes and the Wahoos, and while homers will definitely be flying out of both parks, the Buckeyes can't match the Wahoo pitching. Every game will end 14-12, but the Wahoos will come out on top, advancing to only their 2nd World Series ever.
Second Round - #2 Sidewinders vs #3 Inmates
The Snakes vs the Inmates will have a similar result for a similar reason. The Snake pitching is light years ahead of the Inmate pitching, and the Impotentmates, who can and will score in bunches, won't do it often enough to overcome the mighty Sidewinder machine. The Snakes will join the Buckeyes and Warpigs as the only NASOMA teams to make it 4 straight World Series.
World Series - #2 Sidewinders vs #4 Wahoos
I'd really like to pick the Wahoos, and thereby put extra pressure on him... and the Sidewinders will be fresher, having played fewer games going in. (Editor's note: Scratch that. The Wahoos are young and spry; the Sidewinders are old and fat. The extra games theory is compromised. Looking back, I can't believe I typed the words "the Sidewinders will be fresher.' The Sidewinders are never fresher.) Both teams have the best bullpens in NASOMA by a wide margin. And, along with the Rhinos and Skyscrapers, the best rotations. When you consider the damn Wahoo defense, it's hard not to pick the Wahoos. But the difference... the deciding factor... the key to the series will be a player no longer active in the game. No, I'm not talking about Weekend at Bernie's... I'm referring to Big Papi. Write this down: In his last ever Strat appearance, Ortiz with a game 7 walk-off homer. Sidewinders repeat.
This year's lineup features the league's oldest and most iconic team as the #1 seed, a team who has been to 3 straight World Series as seed #2, three teams who have yet to win their first title... and the Fungoes.
The Buckeyes, looking for their 8th Higdon, dominated the field in the regular season. He will have the top seed and the home table advantage. Could this be his chance to win his first title since 2005?
The Sidewinders have been on a roll for 4 years now, and is as experienced and playoff savvy as anybody heading into this post season. Will he coast thru the playoffs like he did last year and claim back-to-back titles?
Or maybe this is the year a new team gets its name etched onto the Higdon. The Inmates have been to the Series twice before, but there was a 19-year gap between them. And since his last appearance was only 4 years ago, it seems too early for him to return. It is, however, the Year of the Inmates. Again.
Or is it the Year of the Wahoos? The Wahoos made the finals once before - in 2000, but more importantly, the Hoos join the Snakes as the only two teams to make the playoffs the last 4 years. Maybe this is the year they finally take the final step.
The Rhinos have also been to a World Series, losing to the DVs (Editor's note: how embarrassing) in 2012. Maybe 2017 is his chance at redemption - especially since before the season started, the Rhinos traded their best hitter and best reliever to the DVs, who somehow managed to miss the playoffs anyway while the Rhinos won 98 games. Is this a sign?
The Fungoes slipped into the #6 seed mainly because the Mavs made the mistake of thinking we had passed the rule that allowed the 7th best team to draft #1. The Fungoes have won the Higdon twice before, however, in both 2006 and 2014, so they are experienced at playoff Strat. And any team that gets to pitch Clayton Kershaw has a chance to win (unless that team is the Dodgers).
Without further ado, here are the much lauded, much anticipated, much re-tweeted Big Innings predictions...
First Round - #4 Wahoos vs #5 Rhinos
SP - Even. Fernandez, Verlander, Arrieta, and Estrada for the Wahoos; Syndergaard, Aaron Sanchez, Cole, and Archer for the Rhinos. Maybe a slight edge to the Hoos, but both rotations are elite.
RP - Wahoos. By a lot. Not that Devenski and company aren't good, but the Wahoos have a pen envied by every NASOMA team west of Lexington.
C/Inf - Rhinos. Barely. Votto, Lemahieu, and Bryant make up for the weak-link Story at ss. The Wahoo group is almost as good offensively, and they're better defensively. So it's close.
OF/DH - Wahoos. Not close. The Rhinos didn't win 98 games because of their outfield of Duvall, Buxton, Myers, Kemp, and Marisnick. They won because of their pitching, their infield, and the attention to detail that becomes necessary when you only draft 289 catcher ABs.
Even though the Rhinos won 7 more games than the Wahoos, they are the lower seed because the Wahoos won their division. Head to head, the Rhinos won 7 of 10. But none of that matters. Last year, the Warpigs were clobbered during the regular season by both the Wahoos and Fungoes, but then beat them in the playoffs. Conversely, the Pigs went 9-1 vs the Sidewinders only to get rung up in 5 games against them in the Series.
The Rhinos will get confused when, for the first time this year, they will not be forced to pinch hit for the catcher every time he comes up. That confusion - along with the Wahoo relievers and the frustration that comes with NEVER getting a break on an x-chance against the All-One Wahoos - will lead to a Wahoo victory.
First Round - #3 Inmates vs #6 Fungoes
SP - Even. Except when Kershaw is pitching. Really, neither team has a SP (other than Kershaw) who would even make the playoff rosters of the Wahoos or Rhinos.
RP - Even. In an unimaginative, tedious manner. Neither team has an impressive bullpen - or even a shut down stopper. On the other hand, both have useful hurlers who can probably get some outs.
C/Inf - Inmates. Slightly. Rizzo and Altuve win out over Lindor and Murphy, but not by much. Offensively, the Fungoes have a slight edge because of Murphy, but playing Murphy and Carpenter in the field will hurt them at some point. Both teams have great arms behind the plate.
OF/DH - Fungoes. Slightly. Trout and Betts tilt this area to the Fungoes, but the Inmates have CarGo, JD, Cespedes, and Adam Jones. Not too shabby.
Another interesting first round match-up, this one between HWD division rivals. The Inmates went 8-6 against the Fungoes and finished 8 games ahead in the standings. The Fungoes lean heavily on Kershaw and Price, but the Inmates hit LHP well. The Inmates have so-so pitching, but the Fungoes have so-so hitting. Defensively, any ball hit on the ground causes Fungo fans to hold their collective breath while praying that Lindor dashes in front of the other guys to take it. The Fungo scorecard lists Lindor as "Infield Rover."
If this were a 2nd round series complete with days off after games 2 & 5, I'd give the nod to the team that would get to start Kershaw 3 times. But with no off days, the tall Texan can only start twice. Now, the Fungoes could use him out of the pen so he could pitch every game. This might be the only hope the Fungoes have, but one that is destined to backfire. Limited to 3 innings in each game leaves the Fungoes relying on the rest of a lackluster staff for two thirds of every game. Neither of these teams is better than the two teams in the other first round series, but the Inmates will be running the prison and will be victorious in round one.
Second Round - #1 Buckeyes vs #4 Wahoos
The Buckeyes vs the Wahoos lacks the glamour and tension that a Buckeye/Inmate series would offer. And for the Buckeyes, a series vs the Inmates would be preferable. The Buckeyes have been and always will be in the Head Inmate's head. And the Buckeye bats would devour the Inmate pitching staff. BUT... the series is between the Buckeyes and the Wahoos, and while homers will definitely be flying out of both parks, the Buckeyes can't match the Wahoo pitching. Every game will end 14-12, but the Wahoos will come out on top, advancing to only their 2nd World Series ever.
Second Round - #2 Sidewinders vs #3 Inmates
The Snakes vs the Inmates will have a similar result for a similar reason. The Snake pitching is light years ahead of the Inmate pitching, and the Impotentmates, who can and will score in bunches, won't do it often enough to overcome the mighty Sidewinder machine. The Snakes will join the Buckeyes and Warpigs as the only NASOMA teams to make it 4 straight World Series.
World Series - #2 Sidewinders vs #4 Wahoos
I'd really like to pick the Wahoos, and thereby put extra pressure on him... and the Sidewinders will be fresher, having played fewer games going in. (Editor's note: Scratch that. The Wahoos are young and spry; the Sidewinders are old and fat. The extra games theory is compromised. Looking back, I can't believe I typed the words "the Sidewinders will be fresher.' The Sidewinders are never fresher.) Both teams have the best bullpens in NASOMA by a wide margin. And, along with the Rhinos and Skyscrapers, the best rotations. When you consider the damn Wahoo defense, it's hard not to pick the Wahoos. But the difference... the deciding factor... the key to the series will be a player no longer active in the game. No, I'm not talking about Weekend at Bernie's... I'm referring to Big Papi. Write this down: In his last ever Strat appearance, Ortiz with a game 7 walk-off homer. Sidewinders repeat.
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