Arena The First Baseball Draft Game

Monday, Intytober 28th

We've got a 7:10 Eastern Start time, and it's a coo; night in Chicago, with temperatures at 41 degrees for first pitch.

Let's go to our booth team and get some insight before the game starts

Joe Buck: It's cold. But there have been colder games.

Alex Rodriguez: The key for the Performance Enhancers is me.

Peter Gammons: You have to think, and maybe hope, if you're a fan of Let's Play Two, that the teams sees tonight as their season being on the line. Because, even with all of their success on the road this season, going down 0-2 and then hitting the road to play a hot, confident team is not a situation you want to be in. You have to hope that doesn't cause them to tense up even more, dwell on the errors and mistakes that cost them in the first game. That said, the best cure for all of that is a great start from a transcendent starter, and they have just that guy going tonight in Justin Verlander. I think Verlander is going to give them exactly what they need, and his dominance on the mound is going to cause a lot of guys to calm down, and play the way they should, and let them even up the series, and hit the road with a mindset that tells them they can win this thing.

Semifinals Game 2
Performance Enhancers at Let's Play Two
Best of Seven Series
Enhancers lead 1-0
National Anthem Sung by: Earth, Wind, & Fire

An error that lead to four unearned runs in the first inning is certainly not how Let's Play Two wanted to start this game.

Robbie Alomar bobbled a ground ball from Lou Gehrig that should have been the second out in the first inning, and would have allowed Justin Verlander to escape the first inning without giving up a run after he struck out George Foster two batters later.

Instead, because of the error, Performance Enhancers had an extra out, and made it count. Tris Speaker walked with the bases loaded, and George Sisler had an RBI single. Charlie Gehringer then had a two-run single, before Dwight Gooden was retired to end the inning.

That mental mistake proved extra costly, as Ernie Banks had a two-run single in the bottom of the first. Instead of Verlander coming out to pitch the second full of confidence and up 2-0, the error meant he was down 4-2.

Verlander was clearly not himself on the night, going seven innings, and giving up eight runs - only four earned - on eight hits.

Joe Dimaggio pulled Let's Play Two to within one in the third inning, hitting a solo homer, but Sammy Sosa - making a clear bid as the early favorite for series MVP - hit a three-run homer in the fourth to push the lead to 7-3.

Let's Play Two would continue to show their heart, though, and take the lead in the 5th as Ernie Banks had a sac fly, and Carlton Fisk hit a grand slam. That ended the night for Doc Gooden, and brought on Max Scherzer for the second game in a row. Gooden's final line was four-and-one-third innings pitched, eight runs allowed on nine hits.

This game was just getting started, though.

Tris Speaker tied the game up almost immediatly, getting an RBI double in the 6th, but Let's Play Two took the lead back as Frank Thomas hit a mammoth homer to right, and knocked Scherzer out of the game, after just one inning of work.

In the 9th, Bobby Thigpen had a chance to redeem himself from game one. And that proved to be a chance that would not be taken fully advantage of by Thigpen.

Thigpen did not record an out before he was yanked for Rollie Fingers. A George Foster homer greeted him, making it 10-9, and then three consecutive singles to Speaker, Sisler, and Gehringer scored another run and tied the game at 10. Pinch hitting Chuck Klein then tripled to bring in two, and end the night for Thigpen. Fingers would give up a sacrifice fly to Chipper Jones to allow the inherited runner to score, but otherwise escape the inning, but the damage was done, and Let's Play Two was down 13-10.

Eric Gagne came on to pitch the ninth, and gave his fans quite the roller coaster. He struck out Frank Thomas to start the inning, then gave up three straight singles to Banks, Mike Schmidt, and Ralph Kiner to put the winning run at the plate. But Gagne got Fisk to strike out, and then induced a ground out from the pinch hitting Carlos Delgado to end the game, and put his team up 2-0.

The series will shift to New York, and fans of Let's Play Two might be trying to convince the team to not let Thigpen on the plane.

Player of the Game: Sammy Sosa
Final Score: Enhancers 13, Let's Play Two 10
Win: Sutter
Loss: Thigpen
Save: Gagne

 

Tuesday, Intytober 29th

We've got an 8:25 Eastern start time, and a cool night in the Bronx - 40 degrees for first pitch.

Let's go to our booth team and get some insight before the game starts:

Vin Scully: The best time to measure the heart of a baseball team is not when things are going well, but when they are struggling.

Harry Caray: OH MY GOD

Ernie Johnson: There's simply no time to waste for the New York Highlanders. They know if they go down 3-0, not only is their series is almost certainly over, but they'll be subjected to ESPN and every other outlet in America reminding them that the New York Yankees are the only team to ever blow a 3-0 lead in the baseball playoffs. They will have to pull out every stop to avoid that from happening. That said, I simply don't think they have it in them. I think stone temple seattle pilots have the right focus and the right intensity, and they are going to see the opportunity to put one foot in the championship round, and they're going to take it. The aura and magic of Yankee Stadium beckons, but I think these lights shine on seattle tonight.

Semifinals Game 2
stone temple seattle pilots at New York Highlanders
pilots lead 2-0
Best of Seven Series
National Anthem Sung by: Daniel Rodriguez

Randy Johnson against Pedro Martinez in the playoffs? That was destined to be a classic.

Martinez was simply lights out fantastic, giving up three hits, and striking out 7 while pitching a complete game shutout, and putting his team on his back and giving them hope once more.

Johnson gave up a solo homer to Mel Ott in the second inning, and a another solo homer to Jimmie Foxx in the third, but otherwise, matched Martinez, pitching 7 innings, giving up just the two runs on just four hits, and striking out 9.

But, on this night, those two runs proved to be two too many.

In retrospect, stone temple seattle pilots' best chance to score might have come in the first. Willie Mays opened the game with a single, but was retired on a fielder's choice by Honus Wagner. But, Wagner stole second, and moved to third on a Mickey Mantle ground out. An intentional walk was issued to Barry Bonds, but Jeff Bagwell flied out to end the threat.

After that, the pilots would only twice more have a runner in scoring position. In the 7th, Eddie Mathews hit a one-out double, but Martinez retired MIke Piazza and Rogers Hornsby. And, in the 8th, Edgar Martinez - pinch hitting for Johnson - reached on a throwing error by Derek Jeter. A two-out walk to Mickey Mantle put the tying run on base for Barry Bonds, but he grounded out to end the threat.

The 9th inning was a good representation of the entire night for the pilots. Bagwell walked to open the inning, putting the tying run at the plate. But, he was retired on a fielders choice, and Mike Piazza ended the game by bouncing into a 5-4-3 double play.

Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez
Final Score: Highlanders 2, pilots 0
Win: Martinez
Loss: R Johnson

 

PLAYOFF PEDRO!!!

 

let's hope that's the only time i face him!

 

Player % IP H R ER BB SO HR PC ERA
1997 Pedro Martinez, W (1-0) 100 9.0 4 0 0 3 10 0 131 0.00
1997 Pedro Martinez, W (1-0) 100 9.0 3 0 0 4 7 0 124 0.00

It's possible that Billy Martin is going for this:



But that's next year's problem!

 

I thought you might bench Robbie

 

Well, my my, this here Alomar guy...
May make an error sometime later, but he'll catch a pop fly...

 

Wednesday, Intytober 30th

We've got a 4:40 Eastern Start time, and it's a great fall day for baseball in Queens, with temperatures at 66 degrees for first pitch.

Let's go to our booth team and get some insight before the game starts

Joe Buck: We have switched cities for game three.

Alex Rodriguez: The key for the Performance Enhancers is me.

Peter Gammons: It's been well documented that Let's Play Two has played as well on the road this year as they've played poorly at home. They've got to hope the road trend continues for them, because they simply cannot afford to go down 3-0. They need to get a spark early, and find some confidence in this one. Maybe it's the ability to bat first, and get something on the board in the first inning. I think if they can do that, you'll see the game shift in their direction. But, the longer Roger Clemens puts up zeros on the scoreboard, the less confidence they are going to have. For Let's Play Two, if they can get to Clemens early and get into the bullpen, that could turn the tide of not just the game, but the entire series. I'm just not confident they can do so.

Semifinals Game 3
Let's Play Two at Performance Enhancers
Best of Seven Series
Enhancers lead 2-0
National Anthem Sung by: Billy Joel

It wasn't much.

But Let's Play Two got to Roger Clemens in the first inning and took an early lead.

Two errors by Performance Enhancers put the first two men on base, with George Sisler making a throwing error to put Frank Robinson on base, and Sammy Sosa botching a fly ball to let Robbie Alomar reach base. Joe Dimaggio then hit an RBI single to make it 1-0.

In the third inning, Let's Play Two doubled their lead as Ralph Kiner singled and scored Dimaggio, who had walked earlier.

In the bottom of the third, Performance Enhancers struck back like the Empire, with Lou Gehrig homering with one-out to make it 3-1, Tris Speaker hitting a two run double, and then Roger Clemens helping his own cause with an RBI single with two outs.

But, errors would again come to haunt Performance Enhancers and Sisler had a second error, allowing Dimaggio to reach to open the fifth inning. Frank Thomas brought him home with a double, and then Ernie Banks put Let's Play Two back in front with a two-run homer.

Mike Schmidt pushed the lead to to 7-4 with a two-run homer in the 7th, and Banks hit a solo homer in the top of the 9th to give Let's Play Two what appeared to be a comfortable lead.

But, Brad Lidge entered.

And bad things happen in playoffs game when Brad Lidge pitches.

Lidge only faced two batters. He walked Gehrig, and gave up a two-run homer to Sosa, making it 8-6, and getting him the short hook in favor of Bobby Thigpen.

Thigpen got George Foster to ground out, struck out Speaker, and got Sisler to ground out, giving Let's Play Two a much needed win.

Jake Arrieta did just enough, laboring through 8 innings, giving up 4 runs on 10 hits. Roger Clemens went seven, giving up seven runs - only five earned - on 7 hits, striking out 11.

They say a series doesn't truly begin until the road team wins a game. Maybe the opposite is true in this one - the series won't truly begin until the home team wins.

Player of the Game: Ernie Banks
Final Score: Let's Play Two 8, Enhancers 6
Win: Arrieta
Loss: Clemens '90
Save: Thigpen

 

Cubby in his hospital room

"Brad Lidge? BRAD LIDGE? are you kidding me? Why the **** are you putting in Brad Lidge? DID YOU WATCH THE FIRST TWO GAMES MADDON? NO, I DON't WANT MEDICATION, I WANT A BETTER BULLPEN!"

 

Wednesday, Intytober 30th

We've got an 8:45 Eastern start time, and a chilly night in the Bronx - 37 degrees for first pitch.

Let's go to our booth team and get some insight before the game starts:

Vin Scully: So far, both teams have been good. But good is not enough when better is expected.

Harry Caray: Do you think that when Rogers Hornsby was born, his mom thought she was having twins, and was going to name them both Roger, but when there was only one, she went with the plural "Rogers" instead?

Ernie Johnson: I'm watching tonight to specifically see the mental state the batters are in for stone temple seattle pilots. Sometimes, after you face a pitcher like Pedro Martinez, and especially when he dominates the way he did last night, it gets in your head, and it lingers for a few days. That the game was only last night could go one of two ways for the pilots. Either it is such a quick turnaround that all they have to do is come to the stadium, and they haven't had time to think about it, and they can just play baseball. Or, it's been such a quick turnaround that Pedro still haunts them and they are too anxious to try to make something happen, and they press a little too much. This is a rematch of the first game in the series, and so which team makes better adjustments will be what decides it. The thing going in favor of the Highlanders here, though, is that they aren't coming off of a shutout. I think Perry and Carlton both pitch well, but I think Perry evens up the series with a slightly stronger outing, thanks in no small part to the overly pressing nature of the pilots' batters.

Semifinals Game 4
stone temple seattle pilots at New York Highlanders
pilots lead 2-1
Best of Seven Series
National Anthem Sung by: Jon Bon Jovi

The Final Score does not tell the story of this game.

After five innings, we were locked into a pitcher's duel, with just one run and six hits combined for the two teams. Only a solo homer by Mickey Mantle in the fourth inning had brought in a run, and both Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry were locked in.

But, the sixth inning was not kind to the New York Highlanders

Barry Bonds got a leadoff walk, followed by back-to-back homers from Jeff Bagwell and Eddie Mathews to quickly make it 4-0. Mike Piazza and Rogers Hornsby both got singles, and moved into scoring position on a beautiful sacrifice bunt from Steve Calron. Perry uncorked a wild pitch, letting Piazza score, before retiring Willie Mays and Honus Wagner to end the inning.

The pilots added one more in the 7th, and then exploded in the 8th, with Eddie Mathews hitting a two-run double to knock Perry out of the game, and Rogers Horsnby hitting a two-run homer, and WIllie Mays hitting a solo homer to make the scoreline laughable.

Derek Jeter got a two-out RBI in the bottom of the ninth, but that was well past too late.

In the end, Carlton pitched the complete game, giving up one run on six hits, and striking out 11. Perry would go eight, giving up 9 runs on 12 hits, including three homers.

Game five will be a spooky night for one team. On Hallowinty, either the season ends for the New York Highlanders, or they face game six - and the likely return of Pedro Martinez - and send the series back to Seattle.

Player of the Game: Steve Carlton
Final Score: pilots 11, Highlanders 1
Win: Carlton
Loss: Perry

 

yesss!

gm 5 sp: w. johnson

let the lineup ride.

 

Should I wait for @LloydChristmas suggest that Steph Curry throw out the first pitch with @tom up 3-1 before I sim any more games?

 

Mike Scott in Game 5, same lineup.

 

Thursday, Intytober 31st

It's Hallowinty! We've got a 5:15 Eastern Start time, and it's a cold snap has hit New York, with temperatures at 30 degrees for first pitch here in Queens.

Let's go to our booth team and get some insight before the game starts

Joe Buck: The series is now 2-1. At the end of this game, either one team will be up 3-1 and nearly through, or the series will be tied.

Alex Rodriguez: The key for the Performance Enhancers is me.

Peter Gammons: Let's Play Two is playing with fire with their bullpen right now. They've been burned badly twice, and scorched once. What they really need is a dominant start that goes deep into the game, preferably a complete game. In the opener of the series, Dizzy Dean pitched okay, but not as well as you'd want an ace to pitch, going seven innings and giving up three runs before handing it over the bullpen, and watching the implosion from the dugout. I suspect Let's Play Two will want to get at least 7 innings again, but would like to have him go the distance. With that said, watch for Performance Enhancers to be aggressive early and try to get to Dean. This can go one of two ways. If they are successful and score early, even if if Dean doesn't give up much, they get to that bullpen. But, if they are overly aggressive, it might lead to chasing pitches, strikeouts, and doom them to failure. I'm predicting the latter, and a great performance from Dean that evens the series at two, and drops the home team to 0-4.

Semifinals Game 4
Let's Play Two at Performance Enhancers
Best of Seven Series
Enhancers lead 2-1
National Anthem Sung by: Bruce Springsteen

Chipper Jones started the night for Dizzy Dean by homering to left-center field.

The Bullpen for Let's Play Two gave up two runs in four innings of work.

But in between those two things, it went so well for Let's Play Two, they got the win anyways and evened up the series.

A Frank Thomas RBI single in the third briefly tied the game after the Jones homer, but Sammy Sosa quickly put Performance Enhancers back ahead with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

In the sixth, Joe Maddon starting making decisions that would lead to victory, but not before significantly causing spikes in blood pressure for fans of his team.

He made the decision to pinch hit for Dean, ending his night after just five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits. Carlton Fisk had just hit a two-run double to put Let's Play Two on top, and Maddon sent up Carlos Delgado with one out to try to extend the lead. After a wild pitch from Ed Walsh mvoed Fisk to third, Delgado hit a sac fly, and it was 4-1 in favor of the visitors.

Brad Lidge entered the game in relief of Dean, causing the sale of antacids to spike in Chicago. To the surprise of many watching, he got a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, but gave up a two-out solo homer to Joe Mauer in the seventh to allow the Enhancers to get to within 4-3.

Let's Play Two answered with a sac fly from Frank Robinson to push the lead to 5-3, but Maddon went back to the bullpen (after pinch hitting for Lidge) and called upon Rollie Fingers, who gave up an RBI double to George Sisler to make it 5-4.

But, Walsh hit the wall in the 9th, giving up an RBI single to Mike Schmidt before walking in two runs and getting pulled for Keith Foulke. Walsh would end the night at eight-and-two-thirds innings pitched, eight runs allowed on twelve hits, and eight walks issued.

In the 9th, Bobby Thigpen would come on and allow the first two men he faced to reach base, but nothing else as he closed it out and evened up the series.

This is a game Lou Gehrig will want back, as the Iron Horse went 0-for-5, and left 5 runners on base.

Frank Thomas had three hits for Let's Play Two, and Carlton Fisk drove in three runs.

Player of the Game: Carlton Fisk
Final Score: Let's Play Two 8, Enhancers 4
Win: Dean
Loss: Walsh