Lake Erie Commodore's protected list

Permission to come aboard: R. Refsnyder, S. Espinal, L. Rengifo, J. Altuve, T. Hernandez, A. Santander, M. Maldonado, J. LeClerc,  J. Verlander, M. King, J. Springs, E. Swanson, J. Montgomery, G. Cole, C. Bassitt,  K. Gibson and J. Means. 

Yu Darvish: Dillon Tate. 

Walking the plank: L. Gurriel NC, J. Choi NC, J. Bradley Jr, M. Stassi NC, C. Pache NC, A. Velazquez, R. Thompson, R. Montero, B. Burke, R. Hill NC, L. Hendricks NC, and C. Archer NC.

Mount Pleasant vs Wichita

In what looks to be a great matchup on paper, the Leyland Division winning Wichita Bandits travel to the Mount Pleasant Train Wreck, winners of the Ausmus Division. Wichita led the regular season in batting average, on-base percentage, and steals while Mount Pleasant easily led the league in home runs and slugging. Both pitching staffs features heavy hitting aces and deep bullpens.

Game 1 – Wichita starts out with Cy Young runner-up Dylan Cease to face Mount Pleasant’s top left handed pitcher Shane McClanahan. McClanahan was the first to flinch in the sixth inning, serving up a meatball for Luis Robert to gobble up for a home run, giving Wichita a 2-0 lead. Mount Pleasant turned to the bullpen to get them out of the inning but that lead felt insurmountable with Cease living up to his billing.  A late pinch-slugger solo HR by Matt Carpenter made it closer than it looked, as Wichita immediately steals home field advantage with a 2-1 final score. WICHITA 1-0

Game 2 – The next night pitted Wichita’s Logan Gilbert against Mount Pleasant’s trade deadline acquisition Joey Cueto. Again, nobody can stroke their wood to locate the ball until Eugenio Suarez erects a towering 2-run bomb, giving Mount Pleasant a pair and a 2-0 lead. The Bandits respond with a Matt Champman RBI single to shrink the lead by one, but the Train Wreck respond by scorin two more on a single and an error. Cueto, after a strong 6.2 innings and 7 strikeouts, gave way to a strong bullpen who locked in the 4-1 score and tying the series. Amed Rosario went 4-4. TIED 1-1

                                                     Wichita's Alvarez stayed hot all series  

Game 3 – Looking to change the temperature of their offense, the series heads to Wichita. Mount Pleasant showcased their top pitcher, Triston McKenzie, while Wichita featured Ross Stripling, who did boast the lowest ERA on a strong rotation. Wichita attacked McKenzie early, including a 2-run blast from Tim Anderson. Stripling held down the fort, tossing 7 innings, 1 run, and 7 strikeouts. JP Crawford and Yordan Alvarez each hit a home run late to enter the 9th inning with a 5-1 lead. Mount Pleasant eventually showed some fight, scoring a run on an error before setting the scene for Seth Brown, previously waived by Wichita before the start of this season, to step to plate down three runs with runners on first and second base. Brown, thus far 0-10 in the series, had a chance to become the hero for Mount Pleasant against the very team who dumped him. With the Matt Stafford-Jared Goff parallels floating in his brain, Brown stared down closer Jimmy Herget and took a MIGHTY rip on a fastball, casually grounding out to second base, ending the game and giving Wichita a 2-1 series lead. WICHITA 2-1

Game 4 – The fourth game of any series is inherently critical in determining the outcome. Your ace is still sore from game 1 and your bullpen is being stretched thin, eyeing that off day after tomorrow. It’s here the teams have to reach deep into the stable and ride a workhorse into the second half of a game, do or die. Both Mount Pleasant and Wichita did just that, trotting out Lucas Giolito and Sonny Gray, respectively. Vlad Guerrero Jr. finally flexed some power, knocking a solo home run out of the ring. Yordan Alveraz tied it back up but in the 4th inning a Eugenio Suarez home run attributed to four runs galloping across home plate. Giolito checked out of a 5-2 game after 7 innings and 9 strikeouts. Just as Wichita started to climb back, Guerrero Jr. kept on flexing, and guaranteed the series to return to Mount Pleasant with a two run home run in the 9th, allowing Jovani Moran to secure the final outs in an 8-4 victory. TIED 2-2

          

    The Game 5 Porn 'Stache Showdown

Game 5 – With the series tied and the top of the rotation back on the mound for each team AND the series soon shifting back to frigid Mount Pleasant, game 5 was absolutely crucial. Mike Trout launched his first home run of the series and an RBI double from Suarez gave Mount Pleasant an early 3-0 lead. Dylan Cease came back in the second inning, toeing the rubber only to see Professional Pinch Hitter Matt Carpenter step to the plate from the 3-hole in a rare start for the slugger, finally ready to determine who had the better porn ‘stache. Cease fired and Carpenter licked his upper lip spotting a juicy fastball down the middle, cranking it into the upper deck, and giving the Train Wreck a 6-0 lead in the second. Shane McClanahan continued to deal, as the lefty baffled the Bandits lineup striking out 10 batters across 8 innings. Despite chipping away at the six run lead, the game never felt close, especially when closer Jordan Romano entered the game in the ninth to close out a 6-4 victory, giving Mount Pleasant a chance to clinch the series at home. MOUNT PLEASANT 3-2

Game 6 – With their back against the wall, Wichita turned to clean-faced Logan Gilbert while Mount Pleasant welcomed back Johnny Cueto. With everything on the line, Yordan Alverez found an opportunity to smash his fourth home run of the series, jumping out to an early 2-0 start. But Mount Pleasant answered immediately with another Mike Trout 2-run homerun, tying game. Cueto settled in, putting Wichita away 1-2-3. And then the Mount Pleasant offense found its groove; Suarez single, Brown double, Rutschman walk, Correa sac fly RBI, Guerrero Jr. walk, Carpenter double, and ANOTHER Mike Trout home run to cap off a six run inning. Mount Pleasant would tack on two more in the third inning, suddenly forcing Wichita to zoom out and look at their season in the hands of a 10-2 deficit. Yet they didn’t give up. A Chapman homer, Robert RBI single, and Kwan RBI double in the fourth cut the lead to just four. An Alvarez 2-run homer in the fifth renewed the game entirely. In the eighth inning, Chapman blasted another home run to nearly erase the massive lead, flashing a 10-9 score on the board. Mount Pleasant subbed in stud reliever Felix Bautista to attempt the four out save. After the heart of Mount Pleasant’s order went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Bautista steps back onto the mound with a chance to go to the championship. He starts by fanning Kwan. Crawford makes good contact but the ball dies in the outfield for out two. Finally, Sean Murphy, with the season on the line, whiffs on strike three to end the series! MOUNT PLESANT WINS 4-2

 

Mike Trout Celebrates with his Mount Pleasant Teammates

Mount Pleasant will move on to face Maine for a chance at their first championship. Wichita had a great season and Yordan Alvarez nearly won the series on his own. He batted an incredible 8-21 with 5 home runs, 8 RBIs and a comical 1.190% Slugging. Wichita’s offense couldn’t muster help elsewhere, Tim Anderson being the next best bat going 8-23 with one homer and three RBIs. Anthony Rizzo left a massive hole in the Wichita offense, registering a decent 5-19 but with next to no power - hitting four singles and just one double. Steven Kwan, Adam Frazier, and Sean Murphy combined to go 6-58.

The pitching for Wichita was a bastion early in the series, seeing Cease, Gilbert and Stripling mute the high-powered Mount Pleasant offense but they collapsed in the second half. Eli Morgan was the workhorse for their bullpen, pitching 8 innings, striking out 14, and allowing just one run. Four other Bandits who pitched relief in the series allowed no runs but by the time they entered the game, they were trying to put out the fires their starters set.

On the other end of the box score, Mount Pleasant got a very balance contribution down the lineup. Four different players had multiple home runs in the series, led by Mike Trout’s three home runs and leading 6 RBIs. Suarez, the second first round pick for Mount Pleasant in the draft this year, drove home 7 RBIs, going 7-20 with two homers and two doubles, making his case for Series MVP. Finally Matt Carpenter was absurdly efficient, batting 4-8 with two home runs, a double, two walks, and 6 RBIs.

Mount Pleasant’s pitching was the star, lead by series MVP Shane McClanahan. His two starts across 13.2 innings yielded 18 strikeouts and really beat down Wichita’s heavy left handed trio of Kwan, Alvarez, and Rizzo, holding them to 3-10 with six strikeouts. His 8 inning start in game 5 both won the game and rested the entire bullpen to be unleashed in the clinching game 6. The 8th and 9th inning combo of Felix Bautista and Jordan Romano partnered for 5.2 innings, 8 strikeouts, 1 earned run, and 3 saves.

With that, Mount Pleasant will head to Loggers of Maine for a showdown of the top two teams this season. Stay posted for tickets to that series as we will be planning a day to play in person and crown a champion to end the season.

Toronto Thunder Protection List

Only a few choices this year as injuries once again took their toll.

Keepers Sandoval,P* SP Sale,C* SP Stephan,T RP Holmes,C RP Poche,C* RP Garcia,L SP Fairbanks,P RP Karinchak,J RP Witt Jr,B SS Arozarena,R LF Diaz,Y 1B Langeliers,S C Kepler,M* RF Judge,A RF Diaz,A SS Polanco,J+ 2B Jeffers,R C Yu Darvish Baz,S NC

Drops Kaprielian,J S/R Cisnero,J RP Baker,B RP Suarez,J* S/R Bubic,K* NC Hearn,T* NC Festa,M NC Isbel,K* CF Miranda,J 3B Schoop,J 3B Hedges,A NC Trivino,L NC

Loggers Win "Brothers in the Boat" Series, Advance to World Series

The much-maligned Maine Logger franchise has been waiting for a World Series winner since 1994, but they had put themselves in good position by clinching home field with the league's best record.  Now, the fans were frothing at the mouth as the much more famous and successful franchise directly to their south was having to travel to the Lowe's Lumber Dome for the first two games.  But these weren't your daddy's Boston Bobcats.  There was no Alex Rodriguez or David Ortiz to throw fear into the opponent.  Managerial brothers, Steve and Andy Willnus, good friends in real life, would have to set aside that friendship for this week.

Game One was over before fans could even get settled in.  Boston went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, and anticipation was in the air as the Loggers came to bat in the bottom of one against Luis Severino.  Maine had the worst team batting average in the league (.223), but had drawn the most walks of any team.  That patience paid off immediately, as both Aaron Hicks and DJ Lemahieu walked to start the frame.  Up stepped part-timer Kerry Carpenter, and he wasted little time, lacing the first pitch he saw in his playoff career off the right field wall for a double.  Up stepped the man who was involved in the trade that sent Tyler Glasnow to Boston in exchange for the last pick of the first round in 2022 - the Loggers used that pick to select stud RF Adolis Garcia.  And Garcia sent the Maine fans into an absolute frenzy by launching a 3-run monster blast to left that even bat-flipping Jose Bautista would have been proud of.  With two down, light hitting Gio Urshella got himself a fastball down Broadway and did not miss it, homering to increase the advantage to 5-0.  Boston managed to respond, with three runs in the top of the second including a two-run shot by Drew Waters.  Then, it was the Martin Perez show.  Perez has shuttled between countless Friendship League teams over the years, but found a home in Maine, winning 10 games this year.  He was more than ready for his moment on the big stage - he shut down Boston for the next six scoreless innings.  And then with the score still 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh, here came that bad man to the plate again.  Adolis Garcia launched a second three-run homer into the Maine night sky, causing the local college in Bangor, Maine to register a small earthquake of 2.7 on the Richter Scale.  Maine wins 8-3.  Garcia goes 3-4 with 2 HR's and 6 RBI.

Game Two started almost exactly the same way.  Boston went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, and the fireworks were launching from the digitized scoreboard in left-center in the bottom of the inning.  This time it was 2023 first-round pick Gunnar Henderson doing the damage, launching a 2-run shot to the give the Loggers the lead.  DJ Lemahieu, a trade acquisition three years ago, got into the fray, hitting a homer of his own in the third inning to give Maine a 3-0 lead.  With the man who finished third in the Cy Young voting on the mound, Maine was in control.  Jose Urquidy went eight strong innings, allowing one run on five hits , before handing the ball to Cy Young winner Jason Adam for the ninth.  Adam had a scare.  With two down and a runner on first, Ty France made a bid to tie the game, with a HR 1-5, Flyout 6-20.  With his back to the left field wall, Akil Baddoo watched the ball descend safely into his glove (a 16 on the split die) for the final out, and a 3-1 win.  

The scene shifted to Boston, where surprisingly, the Bobcats had gone just 20-21 in the regular season.  With the speakers blaring the saucy, racy "Bobcats" theme song, Boston fans were in a partying mood, ready to watch their team get back into the series.  Inexperienced Joe Ryan took the mound for Maine in his first playoff appearance.  Ty France, who had just missed the game tying homer for Boston in Game 2, was still flexing for Boston, homering in the fifth and seventh innings off of Ryan.  The Loggers had some flexing of their own going on, as ROY candidate Gunnar Henderson homered again.  But the big blow came from the often-maligned Isaac Paredes.  Parades, acquired in this year's draft, had had a dreadful first season in Maine, hitting just .126 while playing in 78 games.  Manager Kirk Gibsom, with few other options at first base, kept trotting him out there, hoping for the best.  Well, apparently he was saving his best for this day, launching a 2-run game-changing blast over the green monster in left.  Jason Adam saved the game in the 9th again, with the Loggers winning 4-2.     

In Game Four, the Boston Bobcats did their best Philadelphia Eagles impersonation, and decided to just mail in the season.  In what was a series-long theme, the Loggers jumped out to an early lead in the first, on yet another homerun from Gunnar Henderson.  Gio Urshella got into the act in the second with a three-run shot, and the Loggers jumped on Aaron Civale for 7 runs in the first two innings.  Second-round pick Luis Castillo fired 6 2/3 scoreless innings, and the Loggers pounded out 14 hits, leaving little doubt, winning 12-0.  

Bangor, Maine saw heavy damage from partying fans, who set fire to two police cars and Howard's Furniture on Elm Street.  Series MVP honors went to rookie Gunnar Henderson, who went 5-9 (.555) with three homers, and 7 RBI.   Of note: Henderson only had ONE homerun in 72 AB in the regular season.  The Loggers now await the winner of the Wichita - Mount Pleasant series.  Mount Pleasant was the only team to register a winning record this year against Maine, going 4-2.