Tournament of Champions: Promotion, Relegation, and Forced Relocation

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Quarterfinals

 

September 18 game

 

San Diego 3 at New Orleans 2, 13 innings - San Diego wins 4-1

Game MVP - SP Jose Fernandez, San Diego, 7.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Series MVP - SP Jose Fernandez, San Diego, 13.2 IP, 13 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 18 K ; run scored

Notes: The Slammers' Yasiel Puig hit a one-out triple in the top of the 13th and later scored on 3B Mark Teahan's error to give San Diego the game and series. Teahan further made his 13th inning worse by striking out looking to end the game. In the game, he struck out on four of his six plate appearances, going 0 for 5 with a walk....New Orleans had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 12th but blew that opportunity. Teahan walked and C Raul Valenzuela singled to start off the inning. After PH Darby Jenkins grounded out to advance the runners, San Diego reliever intentionally walked LF Rikyu Matsuura to load the bases with one out. However, RP Elizardo Ramirez (forced to bat due to no bench and a prior double switch) struck out and SS Troy Tulowitzki grounded out to end the threat that would have kept the Gators alive in the series....San Diego CF Jose Marquez was injured on a diving play in the bottom of the 13th. He is not expected to return in 2015....Gators SP Jon Lester suffered some control issues before being pulled in the 5th inning. In 4.1 innings, he allowed two earned runs on three hits with five walks and six strikeouts....Ramirez, who was the losing pitcher, allowed one unearned run on two hits with a strikeout in 2.2 innings....San Diego's best pitcher off the bench was closer Brandon Cumpton, who pitched the ninth and tenth innings. In those two innings, he did not allow a run or hit and struck out four....The Slammers struck out 16 New Orleans batters, including Homer Bailey's strike out of Teahan to end the game....No players really stood out offensively. Puig led his team by going 2 for 6 with the triple, a run scored, and an RBI....1B Ike Davis was the Gators' only player with multiple hits, going 2 for 6.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Updated Brackets

 

 

 

Why San Diego needs to be very afraid of the Avengers

 

As pennant winners and Diamond Trophy winners of the Alpha League, San Diego has very little to fear in the 2015 season. That is, except for the impending match up for the semifinals. 

 

Going into the semifinals, the Slammers knew they would face either Montreal or Brooklyn in the semifinals round should they move on. The Saints and Avengers finished fourth and fifth on the season. Both teams also held a 7-5 regular season advantage over San Diego. 

 

The Slammers were able to gain post season revenge against Montreal to overcome that deficit. In their three-game set in the first round of the Alpha playoffs, San Diego swept the Saints, giving them an 8-7 advantage. 

 

For Brooklyn, though, the Avengers still hold a two-game edge. In this seven-game series (if it goes the full way), the Slammers have to figure out Brooklyn and fast. 

 

The teams' first match up of the season was from May 3-5. In that series, Brooklyn swept it, winning three low-scoring match ups: 2-1, 3-2, 1-0. San Diego got a little revenge in their second meeting from June 8-10. The Slammers took the first two games, 7-4 and 3-2, before falling 11-7 in the final game of the series. From July 14-16, the Slammers again took the series two games to one, losing 4-3 in the first game before winning the next two, 1-0 and 5-4. The teams' final meeting was August 18-20 in the final series of the regular season. There San Diego evened the season series with a 4-1 win before falling in the final two games, 3-0 and 3-2. 

 

Many of the games were close with 8 of the 12 games being decided by only a run. The largest margin of victory was the Avengers' 11-7 win on June 10.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

Long time no see! 

 

Don't get too excited, though. I just wanted to drop in and finish this dynasty off before I move on to my next thing. I upgraded my computing experience, which finally allowed me to make the league I always dreamed of. 

 

In the meantime, I ran out of time right around the time I left for a vacation in the States in June. Six months later, I still don't have much time like I would like to, but that should change within the month, where I plan to unleash some of my new dynasties. I'll also try to remember to keep moving this league along, maybe one season per year, or real time, or something like that. 

 

Anyway, on to the 2015 semifinals in the Tournament of Champions...

 

September 20 games

 

 

Brooklyn 7 at San Diego 0 - Brooklyn leads 1-0

Game MVP - SP Anibal Sanchez, Brooklyn - 7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 10 K

Notes: Sanchez did all of his damage on the mound since his batting line was a pitcheresque 0 for 4 with four strikeouts....Avengers CF Mike Trout went 2 for 2 with a home run, two runs scored, and two runs batted in. He also walked once....Brooklyn 2B Martin Prado was 3 for 5 with a double and triple and a run scored....Slammers SP Cole Hamels had a dissappointing day for his first game pitched of the round. In 5 1/3 innings, he allowed six earned runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts....San Diego had no extra-base hits in the game. Only 3B Jed Lowrie and C Josh Donaldson had more than one hit, each going 2 for 4. 

 

 

 

Dallas 3 at Philadelphia 1 - Dallas leads 1-0

Game MVP - SP Jordan M. Zimmerman, Dallas, 7 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 8 K; 1/3 batting

Notes: Due to scheduling conflicts, Philadelphia is acting as the #2 seed in the tournament rather than Phoenix the actual second seed. Dallas had to be the road team because of the unavailability of their stadium this weekend....The Tycoons trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth inning before they had a big inning that could have been bigger. Carlos Febles led off the inning with a double off Liberty SP Ian Kennedy. After Zimmerman struck out, Jason Kipnis singled to put runners at 1st and 3rd. Harvey Shipman then singled in Febles to tie the game. After Jason Heyward walked on a 10-pitch at bat, Mike Napoli hit into a bases-loaded RBI fielder's choice at second to give the Tycoons the lead....Shipman, Napoli, and Febles each had two hits for Dallas. Only Febles (double) and Heyward (triple) accounted for extra-base hits....Philadelphia's Jose Mercado had the lone extra-base hit for his team, a solo blast in the first inning....Kennedy was the losing pitcher, allowing two earned runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in five innings.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

September 21 games

 

 

Brooklyn 1 at San Diego 2 - Series tied 1-1

Game MVP - SP Hyun-jin Ryu, San Diego - 8 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, BB, 7 K

Notes: Ryu and Avengers SP Stephen Strasburg had one hell of a battle with the Slammers scoring the winning run in the bottom of the eighth....In six innings, Strasburg allowed one earned run on six hits with eight strikeouts....Nori Kichada was the losing pitcher for Brooklyn, allowing the winning run on a Yasiel Puig RBI single in the eighth that scored pinch hitter Jose Reyes.The play was possible after Reyes stole second base to put himself in scoring position following his single....Puig was the runner-up game MVP, going 3 for 4 with two RBI. The Slammers again were held without an extra-base hit....Avengers RF Justin Upton was the only player to have an extra-base hit for either team. He finished 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. CF Mike Trout knocked him in on a sacrifice fly. 

 

 

 

Dallas 3 at Philadelphia 2 - Dallas leads 2-0

Game MVP - SP Ricky Nolasco, Philadelphia, 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K (WTF???) NOPE! 

My pick - CF Chris B. Young, Dallas, 1/4, HR, R, 2 RBI

Notes: There were no outstanding players on the day, but, come on OOTP Engine. Nolasco in a 5-IP losing effort. Really?!?....Tycoons SP Jake Peavy was injured while pitching. He finished with no earned runs allowed on three hits with four strikeouts in four innings....There was a 63-minute rain delay in the fifth inning....Dallas 3B Yonder Alonso was the only player on his team with multiple hits. He finished 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored....Liberty CF Alex Escobar and LF Charlie Brewster each had two hits for their team. No Liberty players had an extra-base hit.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

September 23 games

 

 

San Diego 1 at Brooklyn 0 - San Diego leads 2-1

Game MVP - SP Jose Fernandez, San Diego - 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K

Notes: In another pitcher's duel, San Diego's Fernandez topped the Avengers' Christian Friedrich. Friedrich allowed one earned run on four hits with a strikeout in eight innings....The Slammers scored their only run in their most productive inning. With one out, 1B Richie Sexson singled. He then advanced to second when 3B Josh Fields reached on Brooklyn 1B Alberto Vasquez's fielding error. San Diego CF Guillermo Flores then singled in Sexson for what proved to be the game-winning hit....CF Mike Trout had two of Philaelphia's three hits, including a lead-off double in the top of the seventh. Vasquez had the only other hit.

 

 

 

Philadelphia 3 at Dallas 1 - Dallas leads 2-1

Game MVP - SP Trevor Cahill, Philadelphia, 7.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K; 1/3 R 

Notes: Cahill helped the Liberty cruise in a game his team led in the third inning. Dallas was able to chase him in the bottom of the eighth, but it was too little, too late in the comeback effort. Cahill also singled and scored to help his cause....Tycoons SP Ivan Nova also pitched a decent game. In seven innings, he allowed three earned runs on seven hits with a walk and seven strikeouts....Philadelphia SS Cliff Pennington started the scoring for the game when he hit a two-out, two-run home run in the third inning. His home run was the hit that scored Cahill....The Tycoons had another of those offensive days lacking pop that has been a common theme so far of the Tournament of Champions Semifinals. Of their four hits, all were singles. Catcher Mike Napoli led the way, going 2 for 4. RF Jason Heyward knocked in the only run, singling in 2B Jason Kipnis in the eighth.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

September 24 games

 

 

San Diego 1 at Brooklyn 2 - Series tied 2-2

Game MVP - SP Anibal Sanchez, Brooklyn, 7 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Notes: Avengers catcher Edoardo Luttazi hit a lead-off, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the series....The game-winning run came one inning after Brooklyn had tied the game. 2B Adam Kennedy reached on an error to start the inning, followed by CF Mike Trout's single. With two outs and Kennedy on third, 3B Martin Prado hit an RBI single to knot the game, 1-1....The Slammers' lone run came on a Jed Lowrie solo home run with two outs in the fourth....San Diego SP Cole Hamels had better overall numbers than Sanchez. In seven innings pitched, he allowed no runs on six hits with a walk and eight strikeouts....Prado led all hitters by going 3 for 4 with an RBI. 

 

 

 

Philadelphia 3 at Dallas 14 - Dallas leads 3-1

Game MVP - 1B Carlos Febles, Dallas, 2/3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB

Notes: Febles was given the game's MVP by reaching base on 4 of his 5 plate appearances. Despite his good game, he did not even led the Tycoons in runs produced. That honor went to CF Chris Young, who finished 2 of 5 with two home runs, two runs scored, and five runs batted in....Dallas had six players with at least two hits. 2B Jason Kipnis and LF Anastasio Nava each had three hits....Despite only producing three runs, the Liberty had four players with two hits. Still, of their 11 hits, only two were extra bases (doubles by Jorge Mercado and Cho-rin Lee)....Dallas SP Jordan M. Zimmerman pitched seven innings, allowing three earned runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts....Liberty SP Ian Kennedy had a rough outing, allowing six earned runs on seven hits with two walks in 2 2/3 innings. RP Brandon Duckworth fared even worse, giving up six earned runs on four hits with two walks in just 2/3 of an inning.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

September 25 games

 

 

San Diego 3 at Brooklyn 4 - Brooklyn leads 3-2

Game MVP - SP Stephen Strasburg, Brooklyn, 6 IP, 2 H, ER, BB,  K; 1/2, 2B, R

Notes: The Avengers' Strasburg threw a nice game, only giving up a solo third-inning home run to San Diego 3B Josh Fields. Strasburg also helped his own cause by leading off the bottom of the fifth with a double and then scoring on the next play when Fields booted RF Justin Upton's ground ball to give Brooklyn a 3-1 lead....San Diego's starter Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched a good game but not good enough. In eight innings, he allowed four runs, two earned, on 10 hits with five strikeouts. He was the only pitcher in the game for his team.... The Slammers' three runs all came on home runs. C Josh Donaldson made the game more interesting in the ninth when he hit a two-run homer with no outs.... Brooklyn reliever Michael Stutes was chased after facing only two batters. Sergio Escalona came on to earn the save, allowing the tying run to reach yet retiring the other three batters....Avengers 2B Adam Kennedy had to leave the game in the 4th after suffering a bruised knee. He is not expected to return to the series, though he could return for the championship series if Brooklyn reaches.... Kennedy's replacement, Leon Deneuve, tied for the team lead in hits with two. He was 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored.... Eight of Brooklyn's 10 hits were singles....Fields led the Slammers in hitting, going 2 for 3 with a home run, a run scored, an RBI, and a walk. 

 

 

 

Philadelphia 4 at Dallas 7 - Dallas wins 4-1

Game MVP - SP Johnny Cueto, Dallas, 8 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 7 K; 1/3, R

Series MVP - SP Jordan Zimmerman, Dallas, 2-0, 2 GS, 14 IP, 14 H, 4 ER, BB, 14 K

Notes: Tycoons C Mike Napoli's three-run blast in the third inning got Dallas' offense moving for its seven-run barrage in the 3rd and 4th innings. His homer was Dallas' second and last extra-base hit of the game. 3B Yonder Alonso hit a lead off double in the 2nd....Philadelphia SP Ricky Nolasco had a poor outing, allowing all seven runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Three Liberty relievers combined to pitch the final 4.2 innings, allowing no runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts....The Liberty's only big inning came in the 6th when they scored all four of their runs. CF Alex Escobar led off with a single, followed by a two-run blast by SS Cliff Pennington. RF Jorge Mercado then singled and scored on 1B Yeow-whye Cheung's two-run home run. LF Charlie Brewster and C Nick Hundley both followed with singles before Cueto settled down to retire the next three batters, ending Philadelphia's threat....Both Escobar and Pennington ended up having to leave the game on a stretcher in the bottom of the 6th after being injured on a pop-up when the two-men collided. Escobar suffered two broken ribs, while Pennington suffered an intercostal strain. Had the Liberty moved on, both players would have had to been placed on injured reserve....Dallas LF Anastasio Nava and CF Chris B. Young each led the team with two hits. Napoli led the team with three RBI.

Edited February 4, 2016 by StLee

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

September 27 game

 

 

Brooklyn 2 at San Diego 3 - Series tied 3-3

Game MVP - SP Jose Fernandez, San Diego, 7.1 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 8 K

Notes: The Slammers rallied with two runs in the 9th to stay alive in the series and move the series to critical Game Seven. 2B Dustin Pedroia led off the inning with a single, followed by SS Jed Lowrie walking. Gideon Duckering came on to pinch run for Pedroia. After LF Jesus Asconcio grounded out to first, with a fielder's choice at second base, PH Jose B. Reyes hit an RBI sacrifice fly to tie the game 2-2 with two outs. PH Chris Iannetta then singled to move Asconcio to third with two outs. With 1B Bob Adams at the plate, Brian Wilson threw a wild pitch on an 0-2 count, allowing Asconcio to score the game-winning run....San Diego went deep into its bench in the game, playing all 13 position players in the game, including four substituted at some point in the 9th inning....Brooklyn SS Steve Hastings led all batters, going 2 for 4 with a home run, a run scored, and two runs batted in....The Avengers SP Christian Friedrich allowed an earned run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings in the no decision....Pedroia led the Slammers with two base hits....LF Carlos Peguero hit San Diego's lone extra-base hit, a third inning double off Friedrich. His hit led to the Slammers' first run on CF Bailey Hoskins' RBI sacrifice fly.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Semifinals

 

September 28 game

 

 

Brooklyn 3 at San Diego 4 - San Diego wins 4-3

Game MVP - SP Cole Hamels, San Diego, 6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; 1/1, Sac Bunt

Series MVP - SP Anibal Sanchez, Brooklyn, 1-0, 3 GS, 20.1 IP, 15 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 20 K

Notes: San Diego's four runs was their highest offensive output in any game in the seven-game series....The Slammers again rallied, this time to take the series. Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the 6th, 2B Dustin Pedroia got things started, just as he did in Game Six. Avengers SP Anibal Sanchez walked Pedroia to lead off the inning. SS Jed Lowrie then singled. Following a wild pitch that put runners on second and third, Sanchez walked C Josh Donaldson to load the bases. RF Miquel Veldhoven then hit into an RBI fielder's choice, getting Donaldson out at second and scoring Pedroia. After 1B Bob Adams struck out, LF Carlos Peguero drove in Lowrie on an RBI single. 3B Josh Fields then grounded out to third to end the inning tied 3-3....San Diego then took the lead in the 7th inning when Pedroia hit a two-out home run for the final 4-3 score....All three Brooklyn runs came in the 5th inning. After LF Carlos Lopez singled to lead off the inning, C Edoardo Luttazi went deep to give the Avengers a 2-1 lead. SS Steve Hastings then made it back-to-back with a line drive home run to left field for the 3-1 lead....The Avengers' 3-4-5 hitters, CF Mike Trout, 1B Alberto Vasquez, and 3B Martin Prado combined to go 0 for 10 with two walks and five strikeouts....Lowrie led all hitters, going 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored....Veldhoven led the Slammers with two runs driven in....Brooklyn SP Sanchez's final line was six innings pitched, six hits allowed, three earned runs, two walks, and five strikeouts. Nori Kichada, who suffered the loss, gave up the solo home run to Pedroia for his only run allowed. In two innings, he allowed two hits with an earned run and two strikeouts.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Finals

 

September 30 game

 

 

Dallas 9 at San Diego 6, 11 innings - Dallas leads 1-0

Game MVP - 3B Edwin Encarnacion, Dallas, 2/5, HR, R, 5 RBI

Notes: Encarnacion's 11th inning, 3-run home run made the difference in the Tycoons' upset win...Dallas totaled six extra-base hits in the game, including two from catcher Mike Napoli. Napoli doubled in the 4th and homered in the 8th....San Diego's C Josh Donaldson proved to be their most formidable hitter, going 2 for 5 with a home run, a run, and three runs batted in....The Slammers hit four home runs in the game, all solo shots....Neither starting pitcher proved to be particularly effective. Dallas' Jake Peavy allowed six earned runs on nine hits with 10 strike outs in 7 2/3 innings. The Slammers' Hyun-jin Ryu pitched seven innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Finals

 

October 1 game

 

 

Dallas 6 at San Diego 7, 12 innings - Series tied 1-1

Game MVP - SP Jose Fernandez, San Diego, 7 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K; 0/2, RBI

Notes: The teams again went into extra innings, this time ending in the bottom of the 12th when 40-year-old 1B Richie Sexson hit a walk-off bases-loaded single to score SS Jed Lowrie from third. Sexson came in as a substitute for Bob Adams in the 9th inning....The Slammers had seven doubles in the game, including two from Lowrie. Lowrie finished the game 3 for 6 with two doubles and two runs scored....3B Tony Cruz also had three hits for San Diego, including one double....Dallas' RF Jason Heyward and LF Anastasio Nava each had two hits and a home run. Heyward finished 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI. Nava finished 2 for 5 with a run scored and three RBI, with his home run in the 9th allowing the game to go to extra innings....The Tycoons trailed 6-3 heading into the 9th inning before they found a way to battle back on San Diego's Neftali Feliz. After Heyward flew out and Chris B. Young struck out like he's apt to do, Dallas was down to its final out. Then Feliz hit Harvey Shipman and then walked Edwin Encarnacion on four pitches. Nava then lifted an 0-2 pitch 425 feet over the left field fence to tie the ballgame....Jordan Zimmerman started the game for Dallas. In four innings of work, he allowed four earned runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Six other pitchers worked for the Tycoons, including Boone Logan, who pitched a complete inning before the losing 12th frame....San Diego had a great effort from reliever Brett Anderson. In 3 1/3 innings, he did not allow a run, with three hits allowed, a walk, and three strikeouts. 

[StLee 19]

2015 Champions Bowl - Finals

 

October 3 game

 

 

San Diego 5 at Dallas 3, 10 innings - San Diego leads 2-1

Game MVP - RF Miquel Veldhoven, San Diego, 2/3, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Notes: For the third straight game to open the series, the two teams played into extra innings....San Diego got three of its nine hits in the 10th inning. PH Josh Fields led off with a first-pitch single off reliever Boone Logan. CF Bailey Hoskins then followed with a first-pitch single to move Fields to third base. After 2B/3B Dustin Pedroia grounded out to place the runners at second and third, SS Jed Lowrie singled to knock in both runners and give the Slammers the 5-3 advantage....Hoskins and Veldhoven were the only to San Diego hitters with two hits. Both players also homered in the game for the Slammers' only extra-base hits....3B Edwin Encarnacion led the Tycoons with three hits. Three other players added two hits in Dallas' 12-hit assault....C Mike Napoli's three-run shot accounted for all of Dallas' runs and its lone extra-base hit....Cole Hamels was the starting pitcher for San Diego, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts in six innings of work....Cumpton allowed three hits and a walk and struck out a batter in two innings of work in his winning effort....The Tycoons' Johnny Cueto pitched seven innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits with a walk and 11 strikeouts.

[fremontflyers40 2]

This is cool!