2020 Super League: Game Thread

[Darky]

In the bottom of the 8th when Evans was up with the bases loaded, I said to myself out loud "we really need a strikeout here" and did a yell and fist-pump at my desk when it actually happened.

That's funny! K's are huge in those situations since obviously it's a K, but then the ball is not put in play where all kinds of shit can go wrong.

Anyways, I'm gonna score the games and post the recaps of the games the next two days. I'll do it journalist style for entertainment value. Actually, it's funner for me that way.

[Shooty]

Standings

Potsie Division

• The Empire 2-0 (2-0)
• Canada Shootys 1-0 (0-0)
• Pabst Blue Ribbons 1-1 (1-0)
• Hollywood Star Whackers 0-2 (0-2)
• Tropicana Staircases 0-2 (0-2)

Sperling Division

• Ye Old Styles 2-0 (1-0)
• High Fives 1-1 (1-0)
• Blueberry Kings 1-1 (1-1)
• UHF Ch. 62 1-1 (1-1)
• Beefy Masters 0-2 (0-2)

Need to update the first post with updated standings. 

[nomaaa]

it seems like people are really keeping up with the games, so i shouldn't need to wait, huh.

i hate when i would see the results of my games before watching it - bc then it ruins watching it

[Shooty]

it seems like people are really keeping up with the games, so i shouldn't need to wait, huh.

Yeah, go whenever you're ready.

This is good entertainment. 

[Darky]

Any chance the waiver wire opens up for a day? (Darky quickly runs away to hide) I doubt anyone wants to make a change, so it shouldn't be much of a load in the rom if say one change is made!

[nomaaa]

it will open for 7 days after week 7

i'll post the waiver rules in the sticky thread closer to the waiver date

[Darky]

Game of the Week:
Beefy Masters (0-3) at Hollywood Star Whackers (1-2)

In front of a half-filled stadium in Hollywood, the Star Whackers captured their first win when DaEvns singled in Catfish Hunter from third base in the bottom of the 9th.

Hollywood raced out to a 13-1 lead after three innings, but the Beefy Masters chipped away at the lead and eventually took a 15-14 lead heading in to the bottom of the 7th. Both teams traded punches as the score stood even at 19 going into the bottom half of the 7th. From there, Hollywood got a leadoff double from Catfish followed by a single to set up a 1st and 3rd situation with DaEvns at the plate. Bob Gibson of the Beefy Masters gave up the game winning hit to DaEvns on the first pitch that sent the half-filled stadium into a frenzy.

With the first win of the year at this early stage of the season, perhaps the fickle fans of LA will start to fill the stands now that a gleam of hope has surfaced.

Only 5 total homeruns were hit despite good weather conditions on a typical LA sunny day. The Beefy Masters hit into 3 double innings, all of which killed potential rallies and runs with runners left stranded at third twice. The Beefy Masters are still struggling to meet expectations as a high scoring team with so many hitters having a high power rating. The homeruns came from J.Torre and J.Rbnsn.

Leading Hollywood's offense, was Hrnsby (5-7), Horner (5-6), and TWilms (5-6). Also making a huge difference, was MSoto who went 2-3 with 4 RBI and an inside the park HR in the 1st inning. Hollwood pitchers combined to go 3-5 with 4 rbi and 2 runs while Beef's pitchers went 3-4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. Beef's bench went 1-4 and only 1RBI. Armas went 0-6 and Brnsky went 2-6 as both disappointed from the 1-2 spot in the order. Both teams left a lot of runners on base and the Beefy Masters ended the 8th and 9th with runners on third base. Credit Hollywood's bullpen for not giving up a big inning.

Hollywood is now back in good position in their tough division while the Beefy Masters remain winless.

[Darky]

The Empire (2-1) at Pabst Blue Ribbons (2-1)

Mickie Mantle blasted 4 homeruns and tallied 7 RBI while Destroyer of Dreams Gedman and Will the Thrill both blasted a pair of shots to help overpower the Blue Ribbons to a 28-23 victory over the Empire. However, the arguably bigger story was the boost in production the Blue Ribbons had with two hitters having a power rating of 765 and 705. Sandbrg and MWills, hitting 7th and 8th respectively, combined to go 10 for 14 with 6 doubles, 5 runs, and 6 rbi. They both prolonged rallies to enable the top of the lineup with more hitting opportunities in which they exploited.

The Empire weren't at their best, but they never gave up when they could have considering all the setbacks such as errors leading to runs, disappointing production from key hitters, and turbulent pitching. The game was kept close by J.Bench and Gaetti - both combined to go 12 for 14 with 10 RBI from the cleanup spot and 5-hole. Gaetti added 3 more homeruns to place him in the league lead with 8 HR in three games. Also helping piggyback the Empire was DMurphy who drove in 7 runners on 2 HR and 5 hits.

Mike Scott and Nolan Ryan got crucial strikeouts in key situations to help earn the victory. A key moment in the game came in the top of the 8th with the Blue Ribbons leading 24-22. The Empire put together a 5-run inning and with Bonds at 3rd base and two outs, Doran stepped up as a pinch hitter and with the top of the lineup coming up. NRyan got Doran to hit a weak comebacker to end the inning and then the Blue Ribbons added 4 runs in the bottom half to extend their lead to 28-22 which was more than enough for N.Ryan to stay in and only surrender 1 run - Gaetti made his only out of the game for the last out of the game with runners on the corner.

The Blue Ribbons win place them in a tie for second place in the strong Potsie Division, right behind the undefeated Canada Shooties. The Blue Ribbons will host Hollywood while the Empire will visit Canada in week 4 setting up exciting and significant divisional games.

[Shooty]

No errors from the Blue Ribbons.  Just a better defensive team than the Empire it seems.

[Nacho]

That's just good managing on the part of the Ribbons. That team showed up to the park ready to play in a big game.

[nomaaa]

ahh darky's suggestion making more sense now

[Darky]

I mentioned it before the season starting and pushed for errors to be set on 7. When I ran my 2 leagues, I had that set on 4 - clean league and professional!

All those moths and mosquitoes plus the high humidity in Arkansas affected us. With our next game in Canada, we'll be ready for the frigid conditions and will have my guys take grounders and do some fast catch drills in a dome with high winds blowing in and the temp set to 20F/-6C.

Yeah though, those errors killed us and determined the game since it only went one way - all BOP errors btw. Then Ryno's speed created at least 2 runs on the bases. He had a good game and we played horribly. Damn random generator - we beat Ryno's team about 70 percent of the time in the many sims I ran. So far, same with the Shooties. But all that goes to zero once it's for real and anything can happen, such as punch and judy hitters having huge days and pitchers sucking balls.

Next recap coming up

[Darky]

Ye Old Stylers (3-0) at Blueberry Kings (1-2)

RonCey (2/5 HR 5 RBI) continues to hit momentum changing homeruns down the stretch and Cy Young has run his scoreless inning streak in relief to 3 & 2/3 innings as the Ye Old Stylers remain undefeated and in first place in the (weaker?) Sperling Division.

In a SP's duel, both sets of SP's were outstanding in only surrendering 9 total runs each. The difference was the bullpen: the Blueberry Kings gave up 7 runs in two innings off 8 hits while the Old Styles Cy Young was perfect in his 1 & 2/3 of relief work - no hits, walks, and runs allowed.

The Blueberry Kings took the lead after the 4th, 5-4, but from there, the Old Stylers outscored the Kings 12-4 the rest of the way.

W.Mays hit 2 HR and scored 5 runs, J.Foxx went 4-6 and drove in 3 while crossing the plate 4 times, D.Lopes went 5-6, and RonCey delivered a demoralizing 3-run HR in the bottom of the 8th to help pave the way for the undefeated Old Stylers.

For the struggling Blueberry Kings who have now scored 12 and 9 runs in their past two games while only hitting 5 HR are left wondering how to break out of such a deep slump. The pitching was superb enough for a win, but scoring 12 and 9 runs in the last two games is not a winning formula. MelOtt, Schmdt, and Mldndo each went 1-5 and EBanks had only 2 hits with only 1 RBI for his production as a player with 945 power. The 3rd homer came from Guerro off the bench. Rumors circulating around the league is that nomaaa may take a trip to Mexico to visit Gantry so his hitters can change scenery and find their grove back ... and perhaps some Mexican slumpbusters.

The Ye Old Stylers (3-0) will host the High Fives (1-2) and look to stay unbeaten while the Blueberry Kings (1-2) will travel to South Dakota to play the winless Beefy Masters (0-3) in an interdivisional game.

[nomaaa]

great write ups darky

[Nacho]

People, it's Old Stylers, not Old Styles.

[Nacho]

The Ye Old Styles (3-1)

It's 3-0!

[ryno]

Lots of words to say my team is better than Darky's imo

The only thing holding the Ribbons back is a bullshit glitch

[Darky]

People, it's Old Stylers, not Old Styles.

Fixed. I thought it was, but nomaaaa had it as Styles.

Lots of words to say my team is better than Darky's imo

The only thing holding the Ribbons back is a bullshit glitch

You stole one from us because of errors and your little punch and judy hitters having career days - all the stars aligned just perfectly for you - anomaly.  The Empire is still the superior team! We'll see you next time buddy!

[Nacho]

People, it's Old Stylers, not Old Styles.

Fixed. I thought it was, but nomaaaa had it as Styles.

That's because nomaaa is an ignoramus!

[Darky]

This drives me nuts in the video located in the link below! Plays like these do happen frequently and when it happens with two outs followed by 3-4 extra runs, it really makes a difference.

I'll dig up a clip where the AI refuses to ever turn a DP with runners on the corners, e.g., a ground ball to the 2b where he tosses it to the SS, but then the SS will always throw home rather than 1B for the DP ... damn Tengen programmers!

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0GTT39bsxn0B6lIShSJ-3D0fg#Nybro