Commish's Corner

Playoffs Round #1

The first round of the playoffs saw two teams come back from 0-2 deficits, and one sweep along with one near sweep. The Blackjacks, X-Men, Connection and Creeping Death all advance to round two.

Here is a look at how the games were decided:

Blackjacks 3 Stingrays 2
Merv/Mike started off the week fine, but Bill's team rallied back from a 0-2 start to win the last three games. The Stingrays jumped out to the early lead after a 52-45 win M-Th, and then a 34-25 win on Friday. Arizona pitching led the way to the quick start, posting games of 10 % 13. There was no Schilling of Johnson over the next two days to help them sustain the lead. The Blackjacks came back with a 42-36 win on Saturday, and then put the series win in the books thanks to a 26-8 win on Sunday. OF Green was up his old tricks over the weekend for the 'Jacks, as he posted games of 12 & 5 on the crucial Sat/Sun games. Palmiero led the team with a 29 point week. The Blackjacks advance to the next round to face off with fellow B Division rival X-Men. The Stingrays bow out of the title race, after a up and down season. The pitching was there all year for the 'Rays, winning the sidepot. This week was no different, but a lackluster performance from their offensive when they needed it most, was their downfall. Phelps led the team with 20, but the starting OF that had been very streaky during the year could only manage 24 points for the week. Merv/Mike still end up with a positive results on the money, as they ended up with a nice return for the season.

X-Men 4 Destroyers 1
Al/Mike's X-Men nearly pull off the sweep of the Destroyers to advance to the next round. The X-Men had a league high 172 points for the week, a real good sign for the team as they look to add to Al's championship collection. The X-Men posted games of 64-39-22-47, losing only the Saturday game by 5. Walker was the leagues top performer this week, as he posted games of 11-3-10-18 for a huge 42 point week. Bernie was almost as hot, as he started of the week 13-14 to nearly won the series himself. Martinez chipped in with 23 as the X-Men are peaking at just the right time. Steve's Destroyers had been on a nice run going down the stretch, as they nearly won their division and the top overall points title. The last week of the year saw the Destroyers clinch a playoff spot with their sweep of the Oysters, but only scored 104 that week. It was a sign of times to come. The Destroyers had been scoring 140+ on a regular basis, but the last two weeks low scoring efforts bring a disappointing end to Steve's season. Yes, the Destroyers would have had to have been huge with the X-Men's big week, but Steve was hoping for a little closer match. Sweeney returned from the DL to lead the team with 32, but a week long DNP from stud OF Gonzo didn't help at all. A solid season for the Destroyers.

Connection 5 Clippers 0
The defending champs are looking like a solid bet to repeat, as Scott/Chris' Connection get a sweep of the Clippers. The Connection have been on a roll for the last 6 weeks, and they are not letting up at all. Minnesota pitching lead the team with 37, while Dye led the offense with 23. Next up for the Connection is the Creeping Death, as the Connection look to repeat. Mike/Harry's Clippers had been stumbling a bit of late, but were completely overmatched this week as the team scored just 87 points. Cubs pitching led the team with 27, but only 3 offensive players scored double digits. The Clippers had their chances this year, but always seemed to let things slip away. The team had been decimated by injuries early on, so a playoff appearance is quite an accomplishment for Mike/Harry.

Creeping Death 3 Hummers 2
The Commish/Mr. Tom Brady rally their team, as the Death comes back from 4 point losses on the first two games of the week. The rally for the Death started on Saturday, as they won 31-17. The Death needed a win on Sunday, as they already held a lead in total points. The team came through for the Commish and Mr. Tom Brady, as they won 21-12 to complete the comeback. The Death got a solid week from Oakland pitching with 31, while Rolen led the offense with 21. Next up for the Death is the red hot Connection. The Death will need a big week to knock off the defending champs. Jeff/Scottx2 had a solid start, but the normally reliable Atlanta pitching posted games of -3 & -2 on Sat/Sun, leading to the comeback by the Death. The Hummers had been a solid team all year, but as they gave up the division lead in the final week, the team just didn't have enough left to advance on. Lieberthal led the team with 21, and Barry continued to get walked but still managed a 19 point week. Good year for the Hummers, they were a team that many feared.

Week #19 Awards:

Player of the Week: Walker, X-Men 42 Points
Larry was healthy for a whole week a posted the league high score to help the X-Men move on to round 2.

Pitching Staff of the Week: Minnesota, Connection 37 Points
A nice week for the Connection staff, as they lead the way to a sweep of the Clippers.

Good luck to everyone in the playoffs! I am outta here!

The Commish