Round 3 Game 5 - On to the Semi-Finals for....

Alexander Cartwright Bracket

• Mort Cooper and Tim Burke combined to 4-hit the Brighton Shadows in an all important game 5 victory for the Niagara Frontier Blackbirds.  Tommy Tucker and Nomar Garciaparra provided the offense, clouting home runs off of Joe Wood.  The series heads back to Brighton for Game' 6 and 7.

Ed Barrow Bracket

• The Newark Slam Dumps won't go away, clobbering the NY Blues 11-2 behind a 17 hit attack. With three hits including a home run, Red Schoendeinst was at the top of his game driving in 3.  Sheree Magee, Wade Boggs, and and Johnny Mize added 3 hits to the effort as well.  Starter Randy Johnson pitched into the 9th, striking out 7 to record the win.

Walter O'Malley Bracket

• In the battle of two Tannehills, the Spanish Harlem Pinata beaters advance to the semi-finals with a 5-4 win over the Manetheren Red Eagles.  Neither Jesse was particularly good on the night, but the Spanish Harlem version was certainly better.  The Beater batters hit 3 out of the park and King Kelly had 2 RBI.  For the series John Olerud batted .409 with a .636 slugging

Branch Rickey Bracket

• The Death Speakers squeak by the Fanclub, 2-1, to take a 3 games to 2 series advantage.  Starter Kevin Millwood held John McDonald to 4 hits over 7 innings of work and timely hitting from Ted Williams and Pete Browning provided what little offense as needed for Lusitania.

Round 3 Game 4's - Signs of Life

Alexander Cartwright Bracket

• The Blackbirds, down 2-1 and in trouble for the first time this tournament, had every right to pack it in and rest on their laurels.  After all, nobody expected them to get this far and they've already accomplished a great deal - any wins after this point would be gravy.  Van Mungo didn't feel this way, and he pitched his heart out, winning 4-1 with a complete game 6 hitter over Brighton..  Duke Snider and Mel Ott provided the offense, each homering to help tie the series at 2-2.

Ed Barrow Bracket

• The Slam Dumps avoid an embarrassing sweep, winning 4-1 behind a strong showing from Teddy Higuera.   A 3-run 5th on a walk and three singles proved to be the game winner.  The Blues lead the series 3 games to 1.

Walter O'Malley Bracket

• After a 6-5 extra inning win over the Red Eagles, Spanish Harlem is in the drivers seat leading the series 3 games to 1. John Olerud doubled twice and drove in 3 while Nellie Fox knocked in the winning run with 10th inning sac fly.

Branch Rickey Bracket

• With a 9-4 win, Lusitania tied their series against John McDonald at 2's .  Ted Williams had 4 hits, 3 RBI, and a home run in the win.  Starter Johnny Podres was effective, but not specatacular, scattering 8 hits and 3 runs over 6.  

Round 3, Game 3's - Some Blowouts

Alexander Cartwright Bracket

• With a 10-run 8th inning, the Shadows broke open a tight game to win going away, 14-5 over the Blackbirds.  The inning featured 7 singles, 2 doubles, a hit by pitch, and an untimely error.  Pete Reiser smacked 3 doubles and drove in 5.  The Shadows lead the series 2-1.

Ed Barrow Bracket

• The NY Blues are in the drivers seat, opening up 3-0 lead over the Newark Slam Dumps.  7 of the 9 starters collected 2 hits for the Blues in their 9-5 win.

Walter O'Malley Bracket

• In one of the best 9 inning games one can hope to watch, the Pinata Beaters got past the Red Eagles, 6-5.  The game ended when Gary Gaetti made a spectacular play off a Tip O'Neil laser ground ball, starting a bases loaded 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.  Oscar Charleston had three hits, while Jesse Burkett and King Kelly each added 2 RBI in the win.  Spanish Harlem leads 2 games to 1.

Branch Rickey Bracket

• Another blowout here, with John McDonald pummeling Lusitania by a score of 10-0.  The Fanclub recorded 6 doubles and two triples, with Carl Yastrzemski adding 3 RBI to the ledger.  Mark Fidrych improved to 3-1 with the 7 hit shutout. 

Round 3, Game 2's

Posted.  Sorry, no write-up tonight.

Round 3, Game 1s

Alexander Cartwright Bracket

• The Blackbirds continue to impress, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after three, and holding on to a 4-3 win over the Shadows.  Mort Cooper (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R) was solid in the win while Josh Gibson and Judy Johnson provided the offense.

Ed Barrow Bracket

• In a game much closer than the 12-4 score indicates, the NY Blues jumped out to a 1-0 series lead over the Newark Slam Dumps.  The Blues version of Mickey Mantle was the star, banging out 4 hits including a double and home run.  The center fielder drove in 3..

Walter O'Malley Bracket

• For the third time this tournament, the Manetheren Red Eagles scored 13 runs, this time in a 13-3 blowout of Spanish Harlem.  The Red Eagles blasted 5 home runs, two from Larry Doyle, and Tip O'Neill extended his hitting streak to 12 games.  The 'old' version of O'Neill is sorely missed, and he's yet to go hitless in the tournament.

Branch Rickey

• A four run fourth proved to be the difference maker in a 5-3 John McDonald victory over Lusitania.   The power laden Fanclub lineup played small ball, hitting 5 singles and recording a hit-by-pitch to break open the scoreless game.  Mike Mussina completed 8 innings of effective ball to earn the win.

The 10 greatest baseball comedy bits

I love Jim Baker.  He compiled this list of Top 10 Baseball Comedy hits.  Please read and watch it, great stuff.  And anything that links Kids in the Hall is worth a look!

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/9/26/4771116/10-all-time-favorite-baseball-comedy-bits

Round 3 Tales of the Tape

The Cartwright Finals seem to be an uneven match-up on paper, just don't tell the Blackbirds as they apparently don't believe in 'on paper' analysis.  They had just a 7.8% chance of winning their first two series and if you ask Brighton, their time has now run out.

With OPS scores within 6 points of each other, at first glance the two offenses are fairly similar.  Digging deeper though, Niagara plays in much more of a hitters park and thus Brighton has a clear edge.  Pitching wise, there is very little similarity between the two.  Brighton has one of the best staffs in the tournament and the best staff of all remaining teams.

Favorites:  Shadows

Who to Watch
Lou Gehrig (BS) - .271 / .375 / .583 with 4 HR
Dan Haren (BS) - 28 IP, 23 H, 14 K, 3.25 ERA

Mel Ott (NFB) - .326 with a .721 SLG, 5 HR and 12 RBI
Mort Cooper (NFB) - 31 IP, 24 H, 17 K, 2.35 ERA

Playing their home games in Coors Field, the Blue's of course rely heavily on the home run.  Their team 254 mark is easily the best of any team left in the tournament and their solid team .351 OBP means many of their shots come with men on base.  The Slam Dumps counter with less power, and after adjusting for park, have the edge in raw batting average and double/triple threat.

Pitching favors the Slam Dumps by a wide margin.  Their ERA is almost a full run better than the Blues and when looking at personnel, the difference is not just due to park factors.

Favorites:  Slam Dumps

Who to Watch
Sammy Sosa (NYB) - .326 / .354 / .826, 6 HR, 10 R, 10 RBI
Ron Guidry (NYB) - 26 IP, 24 H, 28 K, 2.10 ERA

Mickey Mantle (NSD) - .333 / .424 / .431
Bill Bernhard (NSD) - 38 IP, 19 H, 0.68 WHIP, 1.42 ERA

The Red Eagles are the only team I can find in ATB history to crack the 1,000 runs scored mark but that may not matter against the Pinata Beaters.  After adjusting for park differences the two teams are much closer than those raw stats above indicate, though Manetheren still has the edge.  No matter how you slice it, a .394 team OBP is quite incredible.

Spanish Harlem has the pitching edge, but again, once adjusting for parks the differences become very small.  These two teams are quite evenly matched, and the 10 win difference in the regular season is likely due to differences in league quality.  Winning 94 games in ATB IX is a much easier feat than winning 94 games in ATB XV.

Edge:  Toss Up

Who to Watch
MRE is batting .349 / .423 / .543 as a team.
Rob Murphy - 16 IP, 9 H, 1.65 ERA in relief

Oscar Charleston - .404 / .473 / .787, 4 HR, 12 RBI
Ed Siever - 25 IP, 26 H, 3.24 ERA

This is a series I am looking forward to watching.  I do think Lusitania is the better team, it's arguably the 2nd best team of all time, but at the same time I think John McDonald of ATB 11 is one of the most underrated teams in ATB history.  109 wins is remarkable.  

On offense, Lusitania has the edge thanks to a 30 point edge in on base percentage.  However, they hit the fewest home runs of any team left in the tourny and will need to rely heavily on the walk.

And that will be the main issue for the Fanclub, their staff walks a ton of batters.  Countering this however, is Lusitania's staff which coughs up a ton of home runs, which of course, is what the Fanclub batters specialize in.

Edge:  Lusitania by a nose

Who to Watch

Ted Williams - .318 / .444  / .614

Johnny Podres - 26 IP, 30 H, 1.75 ERA

Dick Allen - .348 / .400 / .761, 6 HR, 13 RBI

Mike Mussina  - 35 IP, 26 H, 24 K, 1.53 ERA

Round 2, Game 7's

Cartwright

• The lowest seed in the draft continues the Cinderella story, winning 6-4 over the Miners in extra innings.  The Blackbirds took the lead in the top of the 9th on Mel Ott's 2nd home run in as may at bats, but a half an inning later Dick Allen tripled and soon scored, tying the game at 4.  After three scoreless frames, Niagara scored 2 in the 9th to win the series.  
• Down 2-1 in the 8th, the Shadows Lou Gehrig slammed a 3-run bomb that held up, helping his squad defeat the Philbens 4-2.  Starter Dizzy Dean was very wild, walking seven in 8 innings, but he gave up just 6 hits and 2 runs to record the win.  
• The 8th seeded Brighton Shadows will face the 32nd seeded Niagara Frontier Blackbirds in the third round.  The winner advances out of the Cartwright Bracket to face the victors of the Barrow Bracket.

Barrow

• If only every series was as good as the classic confrontation between Gold Country and Newark. It's unfortunate someone had to win, and one can't help have the feeling that over the course of 100 games the two teams would have split at 50.  The fourth time the series, extra innings were needed, and for the 4th time the game was decided by 2 runs or less.  Newark won behind a great 10 inning, 5 hit start from Bill Bernhard.  The game winning runs were plated thanks to an 11th inning Johnny Mize two run shot.  Rob Murphy had some trouble nailing down the save, but got out of 1 out, 1st and 2nd situation, to give Newark the game 7 win.
• The 12th seeded Newark Slam Dumps will face the 20th seeded New York Blues in the third round.  The winner advances out of the Barrow Bracket to face the victors of the Cartwright Bracket.

Rickey

• Well, that was anti-climactic.  Roaring back from a 3-0 series deficit, and 1 night after bypassing ace starter Addie Joss in an elimination game, the ace spit the bit and couldn't get more than 1-out before being removed.  Joss gave up 4 runs on 18 pitches, and never looked comfortable.  Worse still, reliever Dizzy Dean was just as bad, giving up 4 consecutive hits and 3 runs of his own, putting Otherton in a 7-0 hole at the end of 1.  The Death Speakers  rode the 1st inning crooked number to an 8-4 win.  Starter Bill Bernhard was effective (9 IP, 4 R, 9 H) in the victory.
• Down 3 games to 1, John McDonald capture their third consecutive and advance over Helena with an easy 7-1 win.  Honus Wagner banged out 3 hits and 2 RBIs, while starter Mark Fidrych won his 2nd game of the tournament, holding Helena to 7 hits in a complete game win.
• The 3rd seeded Lusitania Death Speakers will face the 6th seeded John McDonald Fanclub in the third round.  The winner advances out of the Rickey Bracket to face the victors of the O'Malley Bracket.

O'Malley

• No games this night, but just a note the the 2nd seeded Manetheren Red Eagles will face the 7th seeded Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters in the third round.  The winner faces off against the Rickey Bracket victors.

Round 2, Game 6's - Holy Mackerel, that is a lot of Game 7s

Cartwright

• As improbable as it seems, the Miners have won their third in a row, forcing a Game 7 in this brother vs brother duel.  It was a tight 3-2 game until the 8th when the Miners blew it open with home runs from Jeff Bagwell and Dick Allen.  Their 8-2 win forces a game 7.  Probable starters are Jack Chesbro (Shamokin) vs. Bill Swift 1935 (Niagara)
• Not to be outdone, the Philbens force their own Game 7 with a an 8-5 win over Brighton.  Down by a run, Van Nest scored 4 in the 8th to win the game.  Eddie Collins and Rickey Henderson were the hero's while reliever Rafael Soriano was the goat.  Sori's 1-out error on a ground ball back to the mound led to the opening of the floodgates.  Game 7 will feature Jimmy Key (Van Nest) and Dizzy Dean (Brighton)

Barrow

• The Gossamers defeated the Slam Dumps 2-1 in extra innings, forcing a game 7 and the right to face the NY Blues in the next round.  This is the third extra inning affair of the series.  A Commerce Comet single tied it for Newark in the 9th, but they couldn't hold on thanks to a Johnny Mize error and some timely two-out hitting by Richie Ashburn.  Bill Bernhard will take the hill for Newark, and he'll square off against Jesse Tannehill.

O'Malley

• Someone advanced today, and that's the Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters.  Their 3-2 win over the Black Sox propel them into a Round 3 match-up with Manetheren.  Tied at 2s in the 9th, Gary Gaetti's pinch hit single, the team's third consecutive, won the hard fought game (and series).

Rickey

• Not to be outdone by the Miners, the Otherton Fishbiscuits won their third in a row, forcing an unexpected game 7 with the #3 seeded Lusitania Death Speakers.  With team ace Addie Joss demanding the ball and ready to go, Otherton instead turned to back-up starter Tommy Glavine in order to save Joss for a potential game 7.   It worked, Glavine was masterful, tossing a 5 hit shutout with only 2 runners reaching scoring position all night.  Hank Aaron homered and drove in 3 in win.  Game 7 will be a match-up between Joss and Andy Pettitte.
• And finally, and it should come as no surprise at this point, John McDonald Fanclub were 6-4 winners over Helena and will enjoy a game 7 as well.  It was a disaster of a 4th inning for Helena.  With a 4-0 lead, starter Luis Tiant ran into serious trouble, and left the game after coughing up a grand slam to Dick Allen.  Jason Schmidt entered in relief, but starting with hist first batter, gave up consecutive bombs to Carl Yastrzemski and Jack Clark before settling down.  3 consecutive home runs, can't ever remember seeing that in a playoff scenario.  Scheduled starters for Game 7 are Mark Fidrych (Fanclub) and Teddy Higuera (Helena).

Round 2 Game 5's - Two Advance

Cartwright

• The Miners win their second straight and are making their series with the Blackbirds interesting.  Niagara scored 4 in the 7th and 8th innings to take a 4-3 lead, but Shamokin came back in the top of the ninth and took the lead for good on a Jeff Bagwell RBI double.  The Blackbirds lead 3-2 with the series heading back to Niagara.
• Fun series here.  Brighton won the first two games at home, but lost the next two at Van Nest.  In the all important game 5, Brighton wins a squeaker 4-3 and own a 3-2 series advantage.  Joe Wood was effective and Ben Zobrist homered in the win.

Barrow

• The NY Blues defeated the Colorado Green Sox 7-0, taking the series 4-1.  They advance to the round of 8 behind Frank Thomas and Albert Belle, each of whom homered and together they drove in 5.  Jack Pfiester tossed an 8-hit, 7 strikeout shutout.
• The Slam Dumps Randy Johnson struck out 13 Gossamers in 6 2/3 innings before tiring, but Frank Robinson (double, home run, 3 RBI) provided all the offense for the Big Unit to nail down the 3-0 win.  Newark leads the series 3 games to 2.

O'Malley

• Manetheren is our second team to advance, besting the Beau Brummels 6-2.  Jesse Tannehill coughed up 11 hits, but scattered them over 9 innings to capture the clincher.  Norm Cash homered and drove in two.
• After losing two in a row, Spanish Harlem has now won 2 in a row, and after winning 3-0 behind another Jesse Tannhell game.  He was a bit better for the beaters, yielding 8 hits over 9 innings.  Oscar Charleston had 2 RBI and a home run in the win.  Spanish Harlem leads the Black Sox 3-2.

Rickey

• Like the Miners, the Fishbiscuits are also making their series interesting, winning their 2nd in a row after falling behind 3-0 to Lusitania.  This one took 11 innings to decide and consecutive singles followed by a Fred Clarke double ultimately won it.
• Down 3 games to 1 to Helena, John McDonald kept their bracket hopes alive, winning handily 7-2, and scoring all their runs in the 6th and beyond.  Mickey Cochrane, Dick Allen and Jack Clark hit home runs in he win.

And finally, who needs Babe Ruth when one has Oyster Burns.  The Green Sock can hold his head high, knowing he did everything possible to win; his team lost despite herculean efforts from the third basemen.  In 10 games Burns batted .541 / .600 / .946 with 4 doubles, a triple, 3 home runs, 10 runs scored, and 18 RBI.  Teammate Ruth recorded a 1.321 OPS but that was well off the mark of Burns' 1.546

Round 2, Game 4s Complete

No one clinches.

Round 2, Game 3s

Cartwright

• The Blackbirds continue the march to the Final 8, defeating the Miners 8-3.  Nap Lajoie drove in 3 thanks to two doubles while Mel Ott homer again in the win.
• With 14 hits, Van Nest takes a 2-1 series lead over Brighton, winning 11-7.  Eddie Collins collected three hits and Jason Giambi doubled twice and picked up 3 RBI.

Barrow

• With a 3-run ninth, the NY Blues win 8-7 over the Colorado Greensox and now lead the series 2-1. In the top of the 9th,  Heinie Zimmerman slammed a 3-run pinch hit homer off of Rheal Cormier, giving the Blues the lead.  A half an inning later, Closer Jonathan Papelbon almost coughed up the lead, but held strong, stranding runners on 1st and 2nd for the win.
• Bill Bernhard was great for the Slam Dumps, tossing a 4-0 shutout giving his squad a 2-1 series lead of Gold Country.  The offense was provided by Johnny Mize who drove in two, and Red Schoendeinst who homered.

O'Malley

• Behind a 22-hit attack, the offensive minded Red Eagles slugged their way past the Beau Brummels 12-7.   Where to begin.  Hughie Jennings, Ted Williams, and Fred Lynn each had 4 hits.   Both Lynn and Williams added 4 RBI with three home runs between them.  Norm Cash added 3 RBI for good measure.
• Dyersville took a 2-1 series lead over Spanish Harlem, winning going away, 9-3.  John Olerud and Dave Winfield provided the offense, each driving in 3.

Rickey

• With a 5-1 win over the Otherton, Lusitania has now won 7 of 8 contests and appear unstoppable.  Bill Terry smacked 2 home runs and drove in 3 while starter Kevin Millwood was effective through 7.  Lusitania goes for the sweep tomorrow night.
• A four run first and a four run 7th provided the Helena offense in a 9-4 win over John McDonald.  Helena leads the series 2 games to 1.

Round 2 Game 2s

Cartwright

• The last seeded Blackbirds continue to their march onto the finals, opening up a 2-0 lead against the Miners with a 7-4 win.  Josh Gibson homered, and he along with Mel Ott and Nomar Garciaparra each had 2 RBI
• Ken Griffey Jr broke a ninth inning 1-1 tie with a 3-run bomb, vaulting the Shadows to a 4-1 win and a 2-0 series lead over the Phighting Philbens.

Barrow

• The Green Sox tie their series with the Blues at 1, holding off a late rally and winning 9-8.  Jim Gentile led the offense with 2 home runs and 4 RBI, Jason Giambi and Oyster Burns added a pair of homers themselves.
• Yesterday, the Gossamers topped the Slam Dumps 2-1 in extra innings.  Today, we have the same score in extra innings, only with a Slam Dump victory.  Hank Aguirre was at the top of his game for Newark, striking out 9 against just 5 hits in 10 innings of work.  Frank Howard won it in the 11th with a sacrifice fly.

O'Malley

• A four run 5th allowed Rochester to tie the series at 1-1, best Manetheren 7-5.  Sam Jethroe, Chino Smith, and Gabby Hartnett had 3-hits a piece in the win.
• The Black Sox pounded out 15 hits and 8 runs in a 6 run win over the Pinata Beaters.  They slammed 4 home runs, two by Roberto Clemente, while Randy Johnson pitched effectively through 8 for the W.

Rickey

• Luis Tiant tossed a shutout, striking out 11, and besting John McDonald 4-0.  With the win, Helena ties the series at 1.
• Johnny Podres tossed his own shutout, with his Death Speakers squeaking by the Fishbiscuits 2-0.  The lead the series by two as they head to Otherton for games 3 through 5.

Round 2, Game 1s - All But One Favorite Holds Serve

Cartwright

• Down a run in the bottom of the 9th, the Shadows strung together a walk, single, double, and Sac Fly to score 2 and capture game 1 from the Phighting Philbens
• The Blackbirds put a crooked 4 on the board in 4th en route to a 6-2 win over the Miners.  Mel Ott homered and drove in two.

Barrow

• Bobby Doer's 3 hits and Mike Piazza's two ribbies led the NY Blues over the Colorado Green Sox, 6-4.  Bob Gibson was responsible for 2 runs over eight innings and captured the win.
• Closer Rafael Soriano plagued the Slam Dumps in ATB 13 and he does so again tonight, blowing the shutout, save, and win against the Gossamers.  With a runner on first, Soriano entered the game and gave up back to back singles, tying the game at 1-1.  Gold Country won in the 11th on a Wally Berger base hit.

O'Malley

• The Red Eagles soared tonight, winning easily 13-1 over the Beau Brummels.  Jesse Burkett hit a grand slam and Ted Williams went 3-3 with a home run and 3 RBI.
• Losing 6-3 at the end of 6 1/2, the Pinata Beaters broke through the Black Sox pen scoring 6 unanswered runs in a 9-6 win.  Oscar Charleston was the star, doubling, homering, and driving in 3.

Rickey

• In a pitchers duel, the Death Speakers scored two in the 7th off a tiring Noodles Hahn, capturing a 2-1 victory over the Biscuits.  Bill Bernhard went 8 strong giving up just 3 hits in the win.
• Despite pitching a complete game 2 hitter, Dave McNally and the Handbaskets lose to Fanclub 1-0.  McNally was brilliant, but had untimely bad luck in the 6th giving up a ground ball double to Jack Clark, who scored 1 out later on an Andy Van Slyke single.  The Handbaskets had the opportunity in the 9th and almost pulled off a 2-out rally.  Three singles in a row could have scored the game ting run, but Van Slyke again proved to much, gunning down Albert Pujols at the plate to end the game.

Round 2 Schedule Posted

There will be a day off (6/10) and Round 2 commences on 6/11 with a 2-3-2 format with days off in between.  Feel free to submit lineup changes daily.  First game run tonight

Here are the match-ups:

Alexander Cartwright

ATB 15 Niagara Frontier Blackbirds (Greg M) vs ATB 15 Shamokin Miners (Mike M)

• 32nd seed vs 16th seed (and Brother vs Brother)
• Niagara is coming off biggest upset of tourny, defeating #1 seeded DC Chips
• NFB Best Starters:  Nap Lajoie and Bill Swift
• SM Best Starters:  Arky Vaughan and Eddie Cicotte

ATB 8 Van Nest Phighting Philbens (Jeff B) vs ATB 15 Brighton Shadows (David K)

• 9th seed vs 8th seed
• Both teams advanced as expected
• VNP Best Starters:  Mickey Mantle and Dwight Gooden
• BS Best Starters: Lou Gehrig and Danny Haren

Ed Barrow

ATB 15 Colorado Green Sox (Gary G) vs ATB 9 New York Blues (Mike R)

• 29th seed vs 20th seed
• Two upsets (one major, one minor) to get here, Colorado bested #4 Bellevue and New York bested #13 Rusty Kuntz
• CGS Best Starters: Babe Ruth and Al Orth
• NYB Best Starters: Mickey Mantle and Ron Guidry

ATB 13 Newark Slam Dumps (Sean) vs ATB 13 Gold Country Gossamers (Justin B)

• 12th seed vs 5th seed, though Gossamers are widely recognized as best team in ATB history.  At least over the course of 162 games, without a Championship, some schools of thought say the Gossamers are built for the regular season only.  Poppycock I say.
• NSD Best Starters: Mickey Mantle and Randy Johnson
• GCG Best Starters: Bobby Murcer and Pedro Martinez

Walter O'Malley

ATB 11 Rochester Beau Brummels (Leanne S) vs ATB 9 Manetheren Red Eagles (Lou P)

• 18th seed vs 2nd seed
• RBB Best Starters:
• MRE Best Starters:

ATB 9 Dyersville Black Sox (Mike T) vs ATB 15 Span. Harlem Pinata Beaters (Justin P)

• 10th seed vs 7th seed, though the Pinata Beaters recently ranked 2nd all time in a 100 resim tournament.
• DBS Best Starters: Tris Speaker and Randy Johnson
• SPB Best Starters: Oscar Charleston and Jesse Tannehill

Branch Rickey

ATB 14 Otherton Fishbiscuits (Brian B) vs ATB 12 Lusitania Death Speakers (Mike S)

• 14th seed vs 3rd seed
• OFB Best Starters: Honus Wagner and Addie Joss
• LDS Best Starters: Ted Williams and Bill Bernhard

ATB 12 Helena Handbasket (Joe T) vs ATB 11 John McDonald Fanclub (Jason B)

• 11th seed vs 6th seed
• HH Best Starters: Mickey Mantle and Luis Tiant
• JMF Best Starters: Honus Wagner and Mike Mussina

Round 1, Game 7's - 'Nuff Said

Straight from Saginaw, Texas, the owner for the Slammers was in town tonight and he kept me from my Comish duties.  No writeup for the Game 7's, sorry - but all box scores and results are in process of being posted.  Should be done by 11.30.

• The Miners beat the Shillelaghs (last time I have to type that)
• Beau Brummels defeat Planet 10
• Handbasket over the Slammers
• The Biscuits best the "Mechanics"
• The Blues beat the All Stars

Round 1, Game 6's - Another Five Move On

Cartwright

• The Blackbirds complete the 32 vs 1 upset, defeating the Chips handily in a 9-2 laugher.  Judy Johnson, Nap Lajoie, and Josh Gibson each homered while Nels Potter tossed a 7-hit complete game.  Barry Bonds went 0-4 in the loss and batted .200 with a .300 slugging in the series.  
• The Blackbirds will need to wait another day to see who they face in round two since the Miners forced a Game 7 with the Fighting Shillelaghs.  It was another close, hard fought contest, with Shamokin tying the game in the 7th  when Reggie Smith drilled a 2-run homer.  A walk and a double later, they took the lead for good.
• Danny Haren was quite good, scattering just 4 hits in 8 innings, allowing the 8th seeded Brighton Shadows to advance with 4-1 win over the Venus Flytraps.  They move on to face the 9th seed Phighting Philbens.

Barrow

• The New York Blues force a game seven, winning 5-4 over the Rusty Kuntz Traveling All Stars.  Tied at four, Cal Ripken led off the top of the 9th with a single and subsequent stolen base.  He scored one out later on a ground ball single off the bat of Albert Belle.
• Thanks to a wild 4-run bottom of the 9th, the Newark Slam Dumps advance into the second round, defeating The Willdings of the Wall 4-3.  Trailing 3-0 and down to their last strike, Johny Mize kept hopes alive swatting a 2-2 fastball for a single to left.  Red Schoendienst followed with a single of his own, setting up run scoring double by Harry Heilmann, putting Newark on the board.  Derrek Holland came in to relieve starting pitcher Cy Blanton, but quickly fell behind Mickey Cochrane with three consecutive balls.  Cochrane drilled the fourth pitch over the right field fence, a 3-run series ending blast.  The Slam Dumps, seeded 12th, will face the 5th seeded Gossamers in Round 2.

O'Malley

• I don't know if this is truly possible or a scoring glitch in DMB, but Dennis Eckersley blew a save opportunity in eighth and teammate JJ Putz followed blowing another save opportunity in the 9th.  Despite this, Manetheren advances thanks to a bottom of the 10th bases loaded walk by Tip O'Neill, giving his Red Eagles a 6-5 win over the Brews.
• Charlie Radbourn was again too much for Rochester to handle.  "Old Hoss" gave up just 2 runs pitching into the 9th and gave kept his Planet 10 squad from heading home.  The 6-2 win forces a game 7 tomorrow night; the winner moves on to face Manetheren.
• Tempers flared in this 4-0 Spanish Harlem win over Rod Beck.  In the fourth, Pinata Beater starter Monty Stratton drilled Bill Terry who promptly took umbridge with this treatment and charged the mound.  A fight ensued, the benches cleared, and when the dust settled both were ejected from the game.  Spanish Harlem didn't miss a beat, especially Pat Jarvis who picked up with win after pitching 4 1/3 innings of 1-hit, no run ball.  The Beaters, seeded 10th, advance to Round 2 where they'll face the 10th seeded Dyersville Black Sox.

Rickey

• Sorry, had written short blurbs for games but forgot to save.  The Biscuits force a game 7 against Willets Point, and ditto the Slammers over Helena

Round 1, Game 5s - Six Teams Advance

Cartwright

• The DC Chips are not going down without a fight, and have won their second game in a row after a 3-0 deficit.  Old Hoss Radbourn was effective against the Blackbirds into the 7th inning before the pen took over, closing out a 4-1 win.
• Of all 16 matchups this has been the most exciting.  Four of five games have been decided by 2 runs or less, and this last won was, well at the risk of sounding like a tool, it was epic. It took 21 innings to decide, and the Fighting Shillelaghs beat the Miners 7-6 on a 2-out Jeff Bagwell single.  Crazy.
• The Philbens advance!  The 8th seed easily dispatches the 24th seed Snowhole in 5 games, but this last win was incredibly difficult.  Both teams were scoreless through 10, until Rickey Henderson popped a 2-run homer in the top of the 11th.  In the bottom half, Mike Trout led things off for Snowhole with a solo shot but ultimately his team couldn't score with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

Barrow

• The 29th seeded Green Sox pull of a staggering upset over the 4th seed Freakin' Franchise.  This was a 71-91 team beating a 106-56 team in just 5 games.  Nice job Colorado.  It was a 15-4 drubbing in which Oyster Burns had a chance to hit for the cycle but came up short with his chance in the 9th.  I doubt his disappointed though, see, he was short by a single and homered for the second time with his chance, a 3-run shot that gave him 10 RBI on the night.  
• The NY Blues are trying to make things interesting against Rusty Kuntz, winning 5-4 on two home runs by Al Rosen and a third from Mike Piazza.  Rusty Kuntz leads the series 3-2.
• Pedro Martinez and Gold Country advances in 5 thanks to a tidy 5-3 win.  Pedro kept the Redlegs to 3 hits over 8 innings.
• Newark takes a 3-2 series lead over their arch rival Wildling squad.  Mickey Mantle broke a 10th inning 5-all tie with a two run shot that proved to be the game winner.

O'Malley

• The Red Eagles take a 3-2 series lead with their second consecutive win.  The team pounded the Brews 13-3, Tip O'Neill hit a grand slam.
• Rochester and Planet 10 continue to trade blows, with the Beau Brummels coming out on top in game 5.  Orel Hershiser was masterful, pitching a 7-hit shutout in the 4-0 win.
• With a 4-2 win, I Miss Rod Beck extends their series with Spanish Harlem for at least another night.  Christy Mathewson and the pen held Spanish Harlem to just 6 hits on the night.
• Dyersville advances in five game, besting Mendham 9-4 despite a shaky start from Pedro Martinez.  John Olerud had 3 hits and 3 RBI on the night.

Rickey

• The Death Speakers are one of two teams to advance in the Branch Rickey Bracket, they topped the Pretty Ladies 5-2 thanks to a 9th inning King Kelly 3-run homer that broke open a 2-2 ballgame.
• Willets Point moves one step closer to advancing, winning 6-2 behind Greg Maddux and 2 home runs from Howard Johnson.  They lead the Fishbiscuits 3 games to 2.
• While both pitched well with complete games, Mike Mussina bested Kevin Brown 2-0 in a John McDonald win over Absurdville.  The victory closes out the series, with Fanclub winning in 5.
• Helena scored 4 runs late in the game, winning 4-2 against the Slammers and taking a 3-2 series lead.   Starter Dave McNally held Saginaw to four hits over 7 innings and the pen held.

Round 1, Game 4s - Avoiding the Sweep

Cartwright

• The DC Chips avoid the sweep, besting the Blackbirds 5-4.  Oscar Charleston and Todd Helton homered in the win.
• County Wicklow tied the series at 2 with Shamokin.  Greg Maddux was solid through 7 and while the pen almost blew it, came through in the end.
• The Shadows took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Fly Traps with a 5-2 win.  Lou Gehrig hit a  home run and drove in 3 while Silver King had the goods, scattering 5 hits in 8 frames.
• The Philbens took a 3-1 lead themselves slapping Snowhole around 7-2.  Rickey Henderson and Jason Giambi each homered and knocked in 3.

Barrow

• Bellevue avoided a freakin sweep too, but it took 12 innings and 6 runs in the last frame to do it.  They win in a 14-11 slug fest behind 4 RBIs by Sam Thompson and three from Derek Lee.  The Green Sox are still in the drivers seat, leading 3 games to 1.
• Another sweep avoided, this time the Blues and Ron Guidry pounded the All Stars 7-1.  Bobby Doer, Sammy Sosa, and Frank Thomas each homered in the win.
• Jesse Tannehill's complete game gives Gold Country a 3-1 series advantage over the Redlegs.  The game was close through 5 but Cy Blanton tired and the pen couldn't check the Gossamer advance.
• In a rematch between owners from last years ALCS, the Joe V's Wildlings tie the series at 2 with Sean S's Slam Dumps.  Both starters faltered and the Wildlings Gabby Hartnett went 3-3 with a double and triple in the win.

O'Malley

• The Red Eagles pounded out 17 hits in an 11-7 win over the Brews.  Fred Lynn drove in 5 and at the top of the order John McGraw and Hughie Jennings had 3 hits a piece.  The series is tied at 2.  Despite the loss, the Brews Josh Hamilton had another great game, and now leads the tournament in hits, home runs, total bases, and RBI.
• Rochester also avoided going down 3 games to 1, tying the series with an 8-1 pounding of Planet 10.  Sandy Koufax pitched well and Charlie Gehringer had three ribbies.
• Spanish Harlem now leads I Miss 3 games to 1 thanks to a 4-run first inning. Ed Siever pitched well in the win.
• An underrated and dangerous Dyersville Blacksox team bested the Maulers when Albert Pujols smacked 2 home runs.  They win the game 9-4 and take a 3-1 series lead.

Rickey

• Despite a poor start from Bill Bernhard, the Death Speakers take a 3-1 series lead, besting the Pretty Ladies 7-4.  Magglio Ordonez went 3-5 with a double and a home run in the win.
• The Biscuits actually score some runs and tie their series with the "Mechanics" at 2-2.  Bill Terry and Roberto Clemente each had 3 hits, leading a much needed 11 team hit attack in the 7-4 win.
• The Fanclub pen saved the day, tossing 3 1/3 no hit ball to close out an extra inning game with Absurdville.  The 7-5 win gives Fanclub a 3-1 series advantage.
• Saginaw's Rogers Hornsby slams 3-home runs to best Helena in an exciting 10 inning 7-6 game.  The second basemen hit his bombs in consecutive at bats in the 1st, 4th, and 5th innings.  Of course, he also felt the need to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with a 2-out double off of ace closer Joe Nathan.  Nice game Rajah.

Oh, and does sample size mean much?  Bill Bernhard has two starts for the Red Eagles and the Death Speakers.  

• MRE - 2 GS, 3.1 IP, 18.90 ERA
• LDS - 2 GS, 13. IP, 2.08 ERA

Round 1, Game 3s - Two Top Seeds on the Brink

Cartwright

• Incredibly, the 32nd seeded Blackbirds now have a 3-0 series lead over the 1st seeded DC Chips.  In game 3, Judy Johnson, Josh Gibson, and Joe Medwick homered in a 5-4 win.
• The Miners and Shillelaghs continue to trade blows, with the Miners winning 5-3.  Scott Stratton did his willow tree impersonation, spreading 12 hits over 7 innings but giving up just 3 runs.  Shamokin leads the series 2-1.
• Darren Daulton slammed a 2-run go ahead home run in the 9th, giving the Shadows a 4-3 win over the Fly Traps.  They lead 2-1.
• Goose Goslin and Norm Cash combined for 6 RBI to save Snowhole from certain elimination at the hands of the Phighting Philbens.  The 9-2 blowout gives them their first victory of the series, the Philbens lead 2-1.

Barrow

• Bellevue Freakin Franchise find themselves in the same place as the Chips, a top seed that is now down 3-0 to an inferior team.  The Green Sox won a slug fest 11-7 behind Oyster Burns multi-hit night and 4 RBI.
• Rusty Kuntz are on the brink of advancing, winning 10-5 over the NY Blues.  Ted Williams banged out 4 hits, including a home run in the win.  His squad leads 3-0.
• The Redlegs get on the board, beating the Gossamers 4-3.  Starter John Clarkson struggled but his pen bailed him out, closing the game with 4 2/3 scoreless innings.  The Gossamers lead the series 2-1.
• With the second consecutive victory, the Slam Dumps take a 2-1 series lead over The Wildlings.  Harry Heilmann was the start, going 3-4 with 2 RBI.

O'Malley

• The Brews take a 2-1 series lead, shutting out the 2nd ranked Red Eagles, 6-0.  Chris Carpenter tossed a shutout.
• It took 12 innings, but Rochester won their first game of the tournament, defeating Planet 10 2-1.  Hal Newhouser gave up just 3 hits over 8 innings.
• Monty Stratton scattered 8 hits and a run over 8 innings, allowing his Pinata Beaters to open up a 2-1 series lead over Rod Beck.
• Dyerseville bested Mendham an a series where both owners are not watching.  Dyersville leads 2-1.

Rickey

• The Ladies avoid a 3-0 deficit, bruising Lusitania 12-4.  The Yaz homered twice and drove in 4.
• Howard Johnson homered and drove in three in a 6-1 "Mechanics" victory over the Fishbiscuits.  The win gives them a 2-1 series lead.
• Dick Allen led his Fanclub to a 9-5 victory over Madness.  He homered twice and recorded 3 RBI.  Fanclub leads 2-1.
• The Slammers defeated Helena 9-4 for their first win of the tournament.  Incredibly and true to their name, they hit 6 home runs in the win.

Round 1, Game 2s

In bullet form.  Reports and Bracket

Alexander Cartwright Bracket

• The last ranked Frontiers open a 2-0 series lead and head for home, beating the Chips on 2 Lajoie HR's.
• The Phighting Philbens open a 2-0 lead of their own over Snowhole thanks to a solid start from Jack Chesbro and homers off the bats of Jason Giambi, the Mick, Brian Giles.
• The Fighting Shillelaghs tied their series vs the Miners at 1s behind a solid start by John Tudor.
• Ben Zobrist walks off with a 2-run single for Brighton, knotting their series with Fly Traps at 1.

Ed Barrow Bracket

• Freakin Franchise, the #1 ranked team in the bracket, continues to struggle losing their second game in as many nights against the Colorado Green Sox.  Bullet Joe Rogan homered twice and drove in 4 in the win.
• Wade Boggs (3-5) and Harvey Haddix (7 IP, 2 H) lead the All Stars over the Blues and now lead the series 2-0.
• Monty Stratton tosses a complete game shutout for the Gossamers, who have yielded just 2 runs in 2 games and the Redlegs and now lead 2-0
• The Slam Dumps needed 10 innings to beat the Wildlings, winning behind a 10 inning complete game by Bill Bernhard.

Walter O'Malley Bracket

• Five Red Eagles have multi-hit nights, leading their squad in a 8-3 victory over the Brews.  The series is tied 1-1.
• Planet 10 leads Rochester 2-0 thanks to Chase Utely 4-5, 4 RBI performance in a 10-1 blowout.
• Spanish Harlem comes back to tie their series with Rod Beck.  Oscar Charleston homered on John Olerud recorded 4 RBI.
• Mendham wins their game two versus the Black Sox, 4-3.  Tony Perez's solo shot was the difference maker.

Branch Rickey Bracket

• Lusitania wins won for Samuel Thomas, scoring 4 in the bottom of the ninth to best the Pretty Ladies 6-5.  An e-8 by Cy Seymour was the ultimate blow, but Bill Joyce's 3-run home run a few outs earlier tied the game.  Lusitania leads 2-0.
• Noodles Hahn gives up 6 hits and a run over 8 innings, leading his Biscuits in a 2-1 win over the "Mechanics".  This series is tied at 1-1
• Fanclub comes back from a disappointing game 1, winning 8-5 over Absurdville.  Honus Wagner doubled and tripled in the win.
• And finally, Helena opens a 2-0 series lead against Saginaw, besting them 4-2.  Kevin Mitchell's double and home run proved to be the difference maker.

Games 3 will be run around noon tomorrow.  Feel free to send in any lineups changes.

Upset City in Round 1, Game 1 of the Owners Appreciation Tournament

As far as I can tell, all owners who planned on submitting lineups have done so and since the anticipation was beginning to cause physical pain, I ran all Game 1's this morning.  It wasn't pretty for those with high seeds.

Alexander Cartwright Bracket

• The #1 seeded DC Chips fell to the Blackbirds 3-0, thanks to a dominating performance by Mort Cooper
• The 8th seed Shadows lost to the 25th seeded Venus Flytraps 5-3.  The underdogs were powered by a 4 run 4th, capped by a 3-run Mickey Cochrane homer.
• Elsewhere, as expected, the Miners got past the Shillelaghs and the Philbens beat Snowhole.

Ed Barrow Bracket

• Al Orth tossed a 7-hit complete game in a 7-1 Colorado (29th seed) victory over Bellevue (4th seed).   Colorado managed only 8 hits, but made them count, winning easily.
• Thanks to a strong performance from their bullpen, the 21st seeded Wildlings squeaked by the 12th seeded Slam Dumps 3-1 
• Elsewhere, as expected, the Gossamers took care of the Redlegs and the All-Stars bested the Blues.

Walter O'Malley Bracket

• Continuing the upset theme, the 2nd seeded Red Eagles lost in extra innings to the Brews, 5-4.  The tied the game in the 9th off Dennis Eckersley, and won it in the 11th with Eck still in the game.
• I Miss Rod Beck (27th) defeated the Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters (7th) 5-2.  Larry Doby knocked in 3 and Roger Bresnahan doubled twice in the win.
• Elsewhere, as expected, Planet 10 won their match against the Beau Brummels and the Black Sox where victorious against the Maulers.

Branch Rickey Bracket

• The Absurdville Madness upset John McDonald in a 27 vs 6 matchup.  Addie Joss was too much for the Fanclub, lasting into 9th inning for the win.
• In another upset, Buck Leonard's 2 home runs led the "Mechanics" over the Biscuits 5-2.
• Elsewhere, as expected, Lusitania lashed Lancaster and Helena slammed the Slammers

So there you have it, a day of upsets.  The #1, #2, #4, #6, #7, and #8 seeds all lost. 

Reports, box scores, and brackets all linked to the right.  Game 2's tomorrow night.

Lineups Due Wed, 8 PM

The plan is to run Game 1's that night.

Team Batting and Pitching Totals (With Parks)

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/OwnersAppreciation_Tournament_Bracket.xlsx

Roster Grid

Here's the Roster Grid for all 32 teams.  Great stuff.  Linked on the right as well.

For kicks, the most common players at each position...

Catcher
3 - Mickey Cochrane

First Base
4 - John Olerud
3 - Willie McCovey
3 - Buck Leonard
3 - Bill Terry

Second Base
5 - Eddie Collins
3 - Roberto Alomar

Third Base
3 - Howard Johnson
3 - Wade Boggs

Shortsop
4 - Ozzie Smith
3 - Pop Lloyd
3 - Honus Wagner

Left Field
3 - Ted Williams
3 - Carl Yaztrzemski

Center Field
5 - Mickey Mantle
3 - Oscar Charleston

Right Field
(No one more than twice)

Designated Hitter
(No one more than twice)

Starters
3 - Greg Maddux
3 - Addie Joss
3 - Randy Johnson
3 - Jack Chesbro
3 - Bill Bernhard
3 - Jesse Tannehill
3 - Cy Blanton
3 - Teddy Higuera

Relievers
4 - Jim Poole
3 - Kent Tekulve
3 - JJ Putz
3 - Huston Street
3 - Rafael Soriano
3 - Hoyt Wilhelm
3 - Joakim Soria

Each Team's Odds of Winning the Tournament

I am not that adept at figuring odds but I did a little research and I believe I found a way to calculate the rough odds of each team winning the tournament.  The methodology solely uses Pythagorean Winning Percentage as the means of determining which team is best for each match-up.

For instance, the DC Chips and their .702 Wpct will face off against the Niagara Frontier Blackbirds and their .405 Wpct in round 1.  Using a Bill James method of determining the chances of one team beating another, it gives the Chips a 78% chance at winning that particular series.

If all goes according to plan, in Round 2 the Chips would face the Shamokin Miners (.561 Wpct) and their odds of winning drops to 65%.  In Round 3, again according to plan, the Chips would face the Brighton Shadows (.624 Wpct and 59% odds of winning); Round 4 would be against Bellevue Freakin Franchise (.657 Wpct and 55% chance to win); and finally they'd meet the Manetheren Red Eagles in the Championship (.648 Wpct and the Chips have a 56% chance to win that series).

Add that all up and you get a 9.1% chance of the Chips winning it all, if the team with the better winning percentage won each of the other series.  This is roughly 11-1 Odds.  We know there will be upsets and to account for that, and this is a huge leap of math faith, I lopped off 35% from the Odds, and ultimately gave the Chips 7-1 Odds to win it all.

This was repeated for every freakin' team, and here are the results.

COMISH'S ODDS AT WINNING THE OWNER APPRECIATION TOURNAMENT
7-1: (Rk 1) ATB 10 DC Chips (Steve C)
13-1: (Rk 4) ATB 11 Bellevue Freakin Franchis (Brad P)
13-1: (Rk 2) ATB 9 Manetheren Red Eagles (Lou P)
16-1: (Rk 3) ATB 12 Lusitania Death Speakers (Mike S)
16-1: (Rk 6) ATB 11 John McDonald Fanclub (Jason B)
20-1: (Rk 5) ATB 13 Gold Country Gossamers (Justin B)
21-1: (Rk 7) ATB 15 Span. Harlem Pinata Beaters (Justin P)
21-1: (Rk 8) ATB 15 Brighton Shadows (David K)
23-1: (Rk 10) ATB 9 Dyersville Black Sox (Mike T)
28-1: (Rk 9) ATB 8 Van Nest Fighting Philbens (Jeff B)
32-1: (Rk 11) ATB 12 Helena Handbasket (Joe T)
35-1: (Rk 15) ATB 11 Planet 10 (Ivar A)
37-1: (Rk 13) ATB 14 R. Kuntz Traveling All Stars (Shotgnun)
38-1: (Rk 12) ATB 13 Newark Slam Dumps (Sean)
50-1: (Rk 14) ATB 14 Otherton Fishbiscuits (Brian B)
52-1: (Rk 16) ATB 15 Shamokin Miners (Mike M)
53-1: (Rk 17) ATB 9 County Wicklow Fighting Shillelaghs (TJ O)
70-1: (Rk 18) ATB 11 Rochester Beau Brummels (Leanne S)
81-1: (Rk 21) ATB 15 Wildlings of the Wall (Joe V)
94-1: (Rk 22) ATB 9 Saginaw Slammers (Jay S)
101-1: (Rk 23) ATB 7 Mendham Maulers (Andy M)
103-1: (Rk 20) ATB 9 New York Blues (Mike R)
136-1: (Rk 19) ATB 13 Willets Point "Mechanics"
140-1: (Rk 24) ATB 15 Leesburg Snowhole (Jay H)
165-1: (Rk 25) ATB 10 Cincinnati Venus Fly Traps (Kevin C)
167-1: (Rk 26) ATB 11 I Miss Rod Beck (Johnny K)
213-1: (Rk 28) ATB 11 Cincinnati Redlegs (Greg S)
214-1: (Rk 27) ATB 10 Absurdville Madness (Matty H)
254-1: (Rk 29) ATB 15 Colorado Green Sox (Gary G)
272-1: (Rk 30) ATB 15 Lancaster Pretty Ladies (Ted K)
403-1: (Rk 32) ATB 15 Niagara Frontier Blackbirds (Greg M)
423-1: (Rk 31) ATB 15 Downsouth Brews (Allen C)

Of course, Pythagorean doesn't tell the whole story, and may not even tell three quarters of the story.  For one, these team winning percentages were based on a 162 game season and in a short 7 game series with injuries turned off, teams with a great starting pitching have an edge.

For another, life way back in ATB VII was much different than life in ATB XV.  We've learned a ton, and the owner quality is currently as best as its ever been.  A .650 winning percentage 7 years ago is probably akin to a .590 winning percentage today.

And finally, as we all have grown to love (or loathe), a sample of 1 season means alot, but not as much as most would think.  Case in point my 104 win  Red Eagles from this past season turned out to be a 94-win team over the course of 20 resims.

Let the betting begin!

Rosters Added

Find your squad under the League Reports section to the right.

OA Tournament Brackets

For our Owners Appreciation Tournament there will be four main groups, each comprising of 8 teams.  The pre tourny rankings were determined by each team's W-L record, Run Differential, and rank in previous "all time great team" sims.  These aren't perfect and some people simply drew a bad seed, but, that is part of the fun, no?

Each 'round' will consist of a 7 game series, with the higher seed getting home field advantage.  Off days after games 2 and 5, just as in the MLB playoffs.

Alexander Cartwright Bracket
To come out of the Cartwright bracket you'll need to go through the DC Chips and 15 Brighton Shadows.  The Chips are the #1 ranked team overall thanks to the best modern day record and run differential in history, but finished behind the Brighton Shadows in the last ATG Sim.  Brighton was the 5th ranked team in that sim, two ahead of DC.

The other team to watch is the 9th ranked Van Nest Phighting Philbens who sported 98 wins and a +182 RD.  Their average showing in the ATG Sim puts them a slot below Brighton.

Ed Barrow Bracket
No one will like the seeding in the Ed Barrow Bracket.  The defacto best regular season team in ATB history, the Gold Country Gossamers, drew just the 5th seed thanks to winning 'only' 102 games with a unremarkable run differential.  This will make it quite difficult for the 4th seeded Bellevue Freakin Franchise to advance.

Other teams to watch are the Newark Slam Dumps and Rusty Kuntz Traveling All Stars, both well above average and dangerous.

Walter O'Malley Bracket
This is likely the toughest bracket, on paper at least.  The four best teams average a +177 Run Differential and just one of the eight teams were below .500 in their regular season.  The Manetheren Red Eagles, Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters, and Dyersville Blacksox are the favorites, but don't count out Planet 10.

Branch Rickey Bracket
This is the only bracket with two teams featuring RD's over 200 (Lusitania Death Speakers and John McDonald Fanclub).  Lusitania has a leg up and is ranked 3rd overall but John McDonald won 109 regular season games.

Helena Handbasket is another team to watch while the Otherton Fishbiscuits and their 8th ranking in the AGT competition, is sitting pretty at 14th in this tournament.

The full bracket is here and linked to the right.

Owner Appreciation Tournament

In the lull days between ATB seasons I was jonesing for some Diamond Mind Baseball.  After much thought I decided the best way scratch this baseball itch was with a tournament, one that put the spotlight on as many owners as possible.

I haven't tried this before, but I propose that every owner who's ever managed 2 or more ATB teams is eligible, as well as all participating owners from last season, even if it was their rookie campaign.  And wouldn't you know it, this works out to be a perfect 32 teams, which fits into a basic tournament bracket quite well.

This is purely for fun and requires no owner involvement, I have all the data required from past seasons.  However, if you have a desire to be hands-on and submit lineups, I have no objections.  If you aren't interested at all, no action is needed, you won't be hearing from my directly after this email.

All the data and results will be posted to the blog (in my signature), check there for updates. 

I will soon be posting the seeds and formal bracket.  The methodology for seeding will be a formula that takes into consideration Runs Scored, Runs Allowed, and Wins.

Hope you enjoy!