Playoffs Wrapup

Wow.  As FNFT ages (and as I do too), I am coming to realize that when I find the game of baseball most exciting is when I am doing live scoring and updates of FNFT playoff and World Series games.  The real players, except for a few, are mostly going through the motions playing out the season.  They obviously have no clue that their performances, combined in a tangled and random way, are creating something as riveting as sports entertainment gets.  Last night did not disappoint.  It was the closest and most exciting finish to the FNFT playoffs since they were first played four years ago.  I wish I had blogged all of my website updates to have a permanent record of the events.  I will try to recreate it as best I can here.

Brett and Jacob headed into Monday in a virtual dead heat.  Brett led by only one point and both had starting pitchers going.  Madison Bumgarner was up first for Brett and he threw a game for the ages.  Thirteen strikeouts in 8+ innings - 33 points.  The bar had been set.  High.

While that was happening, Joel's "Plan B" pitcher Doug Fister of Detroit was throwing a gem of his own - a 13 strikeout, 36 point performance.  Joel needed to make up a 47 point deficit going into Monday and there was rain in the forecast in Philly which could wipe out his "Plan A" pitcher Cliff Lee.  There was hope.  Still hope.

As the evening games got underway, Yunel Escobar was not in the starting for Jacob.  He had jammed his wrist on Saturday as it apparent that he wasn't going to play.  One hitter down, but one still to go for Jabob - the Rays B.J. Upton.  Upton started the night 0 for 2.

In Philadelphia, the rain held off.  Cliff Lee took the mound and Fister's 36 points were off the board.  Joel Hanrahan, in the mean time, notched a workmanlike save and added 6 points to Joel's total.  He was now only down by 41.  Yipee.  Cliff Lee and Jose Reyes would have to cover that.

Jacob's pitcher was Javier Vazquez.  He chose Vazquez to start over Jeremy Hellickson because of a hot stretch in his last 4 starts.  Hellickson had scored 29 on Sunday which at this point, would have left Jacob just short of Brett's total.

Vazquez started his game with three shutout innings.  Cliff Lee started his game with three shutout innings.  Vazquez gave up a run.  Cliff Lee kept putting up zeros.  Jose Reyes meanwhile was 0 for 2.

Then, in a far corner of the world called Tropicana Field, B.J. Upton hit a solo home run in a meaningless 4-1 game.  Eight more points for Jacob.  Game on.

Cliff Lee kept going.  Clicking off inning after inning of shutout ball.  The 47 point deficit had become 32, then 26, then 18...  Could both Joel and Jacob pull off enormous comebacks on the same night?

Javier Vazquez retired the side on one hit in the 7th inning.  His pitch count was 97 and the Marlins were winning easily.  Assuming a win for Vazquez, Brett and Jacob were now tied at 71.  Jacob needed only one more point for the win.  But the Marlins 107 year old manager Jack McKeon had seen enough.  He pulled Vazquez for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 7th.  Brett wins on the tie breaker.  Eric Hosmer's 12 to Ryan Howard and B.J. Upton's 9.

In Philadelphia, Cliff Lee threw a shutout.  37 points,  One better than Fister.  Joel now trailed John by only three points with Jose Reyes still playing.  The Mets were down to their last ups in the 9th.  Reyes would bat 7th so Joel needed a rally if Reyes was to get another AB.

First batter, David Wright, flied out to left.

Then, more hope. Angel Pagan tripled.

Jason Bay followed with a home run.  Then Nick Evans doubled.  Could it be?

Mets catcher Josh Thole grounded out for the second out of the inning.  It would be up to pinch hitter Willie Harris to keep the inning alive.  Jose Reyes was on-deck.

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I'm sure Willie Harris has flown out to left field many times in his career.  Last night was like most others.  Unbeknownst to him, in a far corner of the world called New Berlin, Wisconsin, a fantasy baseball owner saw his season end with that fly out and I'm sure felt far more horrible than Willie Harris did when he put his bat back in the rack.

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What an outstanding playoffs.  Congratulations to all four teams involved.  There were two losers only because there had to be.  It's a shame.

John against Brett in the World Series.  Game 1 tonight.