"The Naturals" Keeper League Season 6 - Farewell ATG II!!
by goffchile » Sat Aug 05, 2006 1:23 pm
After making the playoffs every season, it looks like the Blues go out with whimper in the final season of ATGII Naturals. Congrats to the playoff squads and am looking forward to the New, New Minglewood Blues in ATGIII.
- goffchile
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by ArrylT » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:58 pm
[b:c8494134e0]AT Press: [i:c8494134e0]'The Naturals Playoffs Begin Tonight[/i:c8494134e0][/b:c8494134e0]
It all comes down to this - the playoffs. Who will be crowned Season VI Champion, and the last 'The Naturals' Champions before the floodgates of ATG III brings in another new batch of fresh talent?
None of the playoff teams have previously tasted much glory, and in fact none of them have previously won a 'The Naturals' Championship. It may even be likely, that between cpl5454, dr. x, novie & tycobb have made it to the Finals of a 'The Naturals'.
Interestingly enough, all the managers in the playoffs, are relative newcomers, in the sense that none of them were with the league when Season I first began. All the heavyweights are on the sidelines this season, as goffchile, Munich_Man & tkl33, who can usually be counted upon to secure a playoff berth, have all fallen to the wayside this season.
The favourite, by virtue of W/L record, is the Red Headed Step Children, who won 8 more games than the 2nd place Folsom Prison Blues. However they only went 13-11 vs. the Wildcard Peaches, so their advancement to the Finals is by no means a certainty.
It all comes down to this - the playoffs. Who will be crowned Season VI Champion, and the last 'The Naturals' Champions before the floodgates of ATG III brings in another new batch of fresh talent?
None of the playoff teams have previously tasted much glory, and in fact none of them have previously won a 'The Naturals' Championship. It may even be likely, that between cpl5454, dr. x, novie & tycobb have made it to the Finals of a 'The Naturals'.
Interestingly enough, all the managers in the playoffs, are relative newcomers, in the sense that none of them were with the league when Season I first began. All the heavyweights are on the sidelines this season, as goffchile, Munich_Man & tkl33, who can usually be counted upon to secure a playoff berth, have all fallen to the wayside this season.
The favourite, by virtue of W/L record, is the Red Headed Step Children, who won 8 more games than the 2nd place Folsom Prison Blues. However they only went 13-11 vs. the Wildcard Peaches, so their advancement to the Finals is by no means a certainty.
- ArrylT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by ArrylT » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:51 pm
[b:2d70ec70ac]AT Press: [i:2d70ec70ac]Semi Finals - Georgia Peaches vs. Red Headed Step Children[/i:2d70ec70ac][/b:2d70ec70ac]
Although the Step Children had had some problems against the Georgia Peaches during the regular season, they must have taken the expression "the playoffs are a brand new season" to heart, as they opened the semi-finals at home with a couple of wins.
Game I was a tight, exciting matchup, with the score changing hands several times. The visiting Peaches scored first, but the Step Children answered back immediately with 2 runs.
The Peaches took a 4-3 lead in the 8th thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Peckingpaugh, and a pinch hit double by Felix Jose. But in the bottom of the 9th, the Step Children rallied, fighting to preserve their right to be adopted by the Brady Bunch. Lombardi earned a leadoff single and was advanced to 2nd base by Doerr. Then on a routine groundball, hit by Lacy, S. Bando flubbed the throw to 1st base, and Lombardi scored to tie the game!
Ott tried to rally the Peaches in the 9th, but Hershberger hit into a double play. The Step Children took matters into their own hands in the bottom of the 11th when Paskert worked his way on with a 7 pitch single, and quickly stole 2nd. Doerr promptly drove a ball deep into the outfield for a standup double, and Paskert easily scored to win Game I 5-4 for the Step Children.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=973]Step Children 5 Peaches 4[/url]
Game II ended up being another 1 run affair, however the Step Children tended to dominate the game for the most part. They opened up the scoring with a 2 run 2nd inning, and added 3 more runs in the 3rd. Georgia fought hard, and tallied a 4 run 4th, but the Step Children kept pressing and by the 7th inning had taken a 9-4 lead.
The Peaches rallied in bits, scoring solo runs in the 7th & 8th inning and chasing Demaree in the 7th. Bando made up for his costly error in Game I with a 2 run HR that closed the gap to 1 run, but Schultz settled down and got 3 of the last 4 batters to hit weakly in the 9th to end the Peachy threat.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=975]Step Children 9 Peaches 8[/url]
Although the Step Children had had some problems against the Georgia Peaches during the regular season, they must have taken the expression "the playoffs are a brand new season" to heart, as they opened the semi-finals at home with a couple of wins.
Game I was a tight, exciting matchup, with the score changing hands several times. The visiting Peaches scored first, but the Step Children answered back immediately with 2 runs.
The Peaches took a 4-3 lead in the 8th thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Peckingpaugh, and a pinch hit double by Felix Jose. But in the bottom of the 9th, the Step Children rallied, fighting to preserve their right to be adopted by the Brady Bunch. Lombardi earned a leadoff single and was advanced to 2nd base by Doerr. Then on a routine groundball, hit by Lacy, S. Bando flubbed the throw to 1st base, and Lombardi scored to tie the game!
Ott tried to rally the Peaches in the 9th, but Hershberger hit into a double play. The Step Children took matters into their own hands in the bottom of the 11th when Paskert worked his way on with a 7 pitch single, and quickly stole 2nd. Doerr promptly drove a ball deep into the outfield for a standup double, and Paskert easily scored to win Game I 5-4 for the Step Children.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=973]Step Children 5 Peaches 4[/url]
Game II ended up being another 1 run affair, however the Step Children tended to dominate the game for the most part. They opened up the scoring with a 2 run 2nd inning, and added 3 more runs in the 3rd. Georgia fought hard, and tallied a 4 run 4th, but the Step Children kept pressing and by the 7th inning had taken a 9-4 lead.
The Peaches rallied in bits, scoring solo runs in the 7th & 8th inning and chasing Demaree in the 7th. Bando made up for his costly error in Game I with a 2 run HR that closed the gap to 1 run, but Schultz settled down and got 3 of the last 4 batters to hit weakly in the 9th to end the Peachy threat.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=975]Step Children 9 Peaches 8[/url]
- ArrylT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by ArrylT » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:29 pm
[b:4a941ef79e]AT Press: [i:4a941ef79e]Semi Finals - Savoy Specials vs. Folsom Prison Blues[/i:4a941ef79e][/b:4a941ef79e]
Fans of Folsom Prison were singing themselves the Blues after Game I of this Semi Final against the visiting Savoy Specials, who gave the home team a discount (or K-Mart Special) on tissue paper.
Mike Scott and Mike Garcia were having a respectable RH pitchers duel ... at least until the 6th inning came along. That was when Garcias body order protection ran out, and the Specials were able to smell out what kind of pitching he was throwing.
7 Consecutive batters reached base safely in the top of the 6th, before an out was recorded. 2 doubles followed by 2 singles, followed by a 3 run HR Blast by Collins, after which Garcia was relieved, and then a walk and another double. Morgan quickly replaced Klink, and while he allowed another single, was able to get out of the inning with minimal damage.
Of course, by then, the damage was pretty intense, as 7 runs had scored, and a 2-2 pitchers duel turned into a 9-2 rout. Al Simmons made it 9-3 with a run scoring triple in the bottom of the 6th. However E. Collins added another RBI to his tally as the Specials responded in the 7th with anothe run, making the score 10-3.
The Blues tried to rally, adding a run in the 8th, and 2 more in the 9th, but it was too late, and Jerry Adair got Cecil Cooper to ground out with the bases loaded, preserving the Savoy victory.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=974]Specials 10 Blues 6[/url]
The tears stopped flowing pretty quickly, as the Blues were able to rebound in Game II to salvage a 1-1 split at home.
Maddox pitched 6 effective innings, and the Blues were able to pick away at Russo and Wyatt, to build a 4-1 lead. Then the bullpen took over for the Blues, although it took 5 relievers, and pitched 3 nearly perfect innings, allowing but 1 walk in the last 3 innings, after Flood had homered to open the 7th.
Not sure what the Specials were doing, but all 3 batters in the 9th seemed to be aiming for the fences, and failing, as Humphreys got Weaver, Flood & T. Pena to all fly out.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=976]Blues 4 Specials 1[/url]
Fans of Folsom Prison were singing themselves the Blues after Game I of this Semi Final against the visiting Savoy Specials, who gave the home team a discount (or K-Mart Special) on tissue paper.
Mike Scott and Mike Garcia were having a respectable RH pitchers duel ... at least until the 6th inning came along. That was when Garcias body order protection ran out, and the Specials were able to smell out what kind of pitching he was throwing.
7 Consecutive batters reached base safely in the top of the 6th, before an out was recorded. 2 doubles followed by 2 singles, followed by a 3 run HR Blast by Collins, after which Garcia was relieved, and then a walk and another double. Morgan quickly replaced Klink, and while he allowed another single, was able to get out of the inning with minimal damage.
Of course, by then, the damage was pretty intense, as 7 runs had scored, and a 2-2 pitchers duel turned into a 9-2 rout. Al Simmons made it 9-3 with a run scoring triple in the bottom of the 6th. However E. Collins added another RBI to his tally as the Specials responded in the 7th with anothe run, making the score 10-3.
The Blues tried to rally, adding a run in the 8th, and 2 more in the 9th, but it was too late, and Jerry Adair got Cecil Cooper to ground out with the bases loaded, preserving the Savoy victory.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=974]Specials 10 Blues 6[/url]
The tears stopped flowing pretty quickly, as the Blues were able to rebound in Game II to salvage a 1-1 split at home.
Maddox pitched 6 effective innings, and the Blues were able to pick away at Russo and Wyatt, to build a 4-1 lead. Then the bullpen took over for the Blues, although it took 5 relievers, and pitched 3 nearly perfect innings, allowing but 1 walk in the last 3 innings, after Flood had homered to open the 7th.
Not sure what the Specials were doing, but all 3 batters in the 9th seemed to be aiming for the fences, and failing, as Humphreys got Weaver, Flood & T. Pena to all fly out.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=976]Blues 4 Specials 1[/url]
- ArrylT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by ArrylT » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:35 pm
[b:6e73464d39]AT Press: [i:6e73464d39]Semi Finals - Georgia Peaches vs. Red Headed Step Children[/i:6e73464d39][/b:6e73464d39]
It is a bird ... it is a plane ... it could be the biggest semi-final upset seen in recent 'The Naturals' history!
The Step Children were ahead 2-0 in the Semi Finals, and went into Veteran's Stadium acting as if they were the owners of the place. And for much of the game, it seem as though the Peaches might let them.
Ahead 6-5, needing but 3 outs to clinch a berth in the Finals, the Step Children sent in Daryl Patterson. Who? Yeah that is what I was thinking also! Maybe it was the decision to send in an RP with a ERA of 7.39 and a WHIP of 2.00 that finally energized the Peaches. They must have been offended that the Step Children though that they could breeze through the 9th.
Of course, facing C. Stahl & G. Mcdougald, one could hardly blame them. ;)
However, Stahl led off the inning, fighting every pitch, until he laced a single. Rattled, Patterson threw a misplaced changeup that Mcdougald also turned into a single.
No outs, 2 on. Down by a run. I suppose it was the right time to attempt a bunt. Nonetheless, the call was the right one, as Meusel lay down a perfect bunt that moved the runner from 1st over to 3rd.
2 men in scoring position and only 1 out. Patterson made the right call in walking Mantle, and hope to get Bando to ground into a double play. It could have happened also. But alas Jimmie Foxx flubbed the toss to 2nd base and it rolled into right field. The Peaches fans were estatic as they watched 2 runs score and the Peaches were alive to play another day!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=977]Peaches 7 Step Children 6[/url]
The upset attempt continued the very next game. And once again it came down to the bottom of the 9th.
This time the score was tied 13-13 after a wild game, in which both teams scored runs in bunchs of 3's or 5s. The Step Children were pretty liberal with the use of their RP, probably hoping that they could outscore the Peaches. So in the 9th they called upon Oil Can Boyd, who doesnt even have a relief rating, to hold the fort.
Boyd did his best, but Milt May got a single, and after Peckingpaugh hit into a fly out, Sambito got a rare pitchers hit and advanced May to third. Then McDougald followed the plot line done by Meusel in Game III and lay down a perfect bunt to drive in the winning run & knot the series at 2 a piece!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=979]Peaches 14 Step Children 13[/url]
It is a bird ... it is a plane ... it could be the biggest semi-final upset seen in recent 'The Naturals' history!
The Step Children were ahead 2-0 in the Semi Finals, and went into Veteran's Stadium acting as if they were the owners of the place. And for much of the game, it seem as though the Peaches might let them.
Ahead 6-5, needing but 3 outs to clinch a berth in the Finals, the Step Children sent in Daryl Patterson. Who? Yeah that is what I was thinking also! Maybe it was the decision to send in an RP with a ERA of 7.39 and a WHIP of 2.00 that finally energized the Peaches. They must have been offended that the Step Children though that they could breeze through the 9th.
Of course, facing C. Stahl & G. Mcdougald, one could hardly blame them. ;)
However, Stahl led off the inning, fighting every pitch, until he laced a single. Rattled, Patterson threw a misplaced changeup that Mcdougald also turned into a single.
No outs, 2 on. Down by a run. I suppose it was the right time to attempt a bunt. Nonetheless, the call was the right one, as Meusel lay down a perfect bunt that moved the runner from 1st over to 3rd.
2 men in scoring position and only 1 out. Patterson made the right call in walking Mantle, and hope to get Bando to ground into a double play. It could have happened also. But alas Jimmie Foxx flubbed the toss to 2nd base and it rolled into right field. The Peaches fans were estatic as they watched 2 runs score and the Peaches were alive to play another day!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=977]Peaches 7 Step Children 6[/url]
The upset attempt continued the very next game. And once again it came down to the bottom of the 9th.
This time the score was tied 13-13 after a wild game, in which both teams scored runs in bunchs of 3's or 5s. The Step Children were pretty liberal with the use of their RP, probably hoping that they could outscore the Peaches. So in the 9th they called upon Oil Can Boyd, who doesnt even have a relief rating, to hold the fort.
Boyd did his best, but Milt May got a single, and after Peckingpaugh hit into a fly out, Sambito got a rare pitchers hit and advanced May to third. Then McDougald followed the plot line done by Meusel in Game III and lay down a perfect bunt to drive in the winning run & knot the series at 2 a piece!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=979]Peaches 14 Step Children 13[/url]
- ArrylT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by ArrylT » Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:01 pm
[b:57717a0947]AT Press: [i:57717a0947]Semi Finals - Savoy Specials vs. Folsom Prison Blues[/i:57717a0947][/b:57717a0947]
This time it was the Savoy Specials who may have been singing the blues. The Specials were leading 4-0, going into the 9th, with ace Babe Adams on the mound pitching a 2 hitter up to that point.
The inning started off quietly enough, with Avila popping out, and Ripken grounding out. With the score 4-0, the hometown fans couldn't be blamed if the started to head home to beat the traffic. Alas, for any fans that left early, they missed a classic do or die rally.
Al Simmons belted a 2 out single, followed by R. Smith getting a single after working the count. By this time HAL Blues had seen enough and called in ace reliever Fryman to seal the deal. It was a good call, to have the Lefty face LH Cooper. However Cooper is a crafty vet, and followed Smiths example and worked the count into his favour before driving in a run with the third consecutive single of the inning.
Up came Larry Doby, another LH Hitter, and you could feel the crowd thinking, this time Fryman will show them who is boss. Alas, it was not to be. For the fourth time that inning, the count was worked to 3-2, and then Doby saw a pitch that Fryman missed on, by just a sliver, and with all the power in his arms, he swung for the fences, and connected!!!
Doby had tied the game!! Radios in the Prison screamed ... the warden was so happy he let Johnny Cash out of solitary 1 month early!
However that was were the run scoring would stop, for now. The stunned Specials made an effort in the 9th, but despite help from Cooper doing a Buckner impression, were unable to score any runs, and Whitman weakly ended the inning swinging & hitting a lazy fly out.
Innings would pass, although to some it felt like days or years.
Finally, in the top of the 13th, the Blues would strike again. And the hero would again be Larry Doby!! With 2 swings of the bat, Doby had tied & then won the game!! 2 Home runs in 2 critical at bats ... and the Blues could be releasing him at the end of the season!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=978]Blues 5 Specials 4[/url]
After a game like that, you could almost understand if the Specials had wiltered & given up. But no they did not! Making this playoff season one for the ages!
The Specials stormed back, and rallied quickly from a 2 run deficit to take a 3-2 lead, and slowly extended that lead throughout the game while shutting down the Blues offense, even Doby, from the 2nd inning on! G. Nelson pitched the last 3 innings and allowed but 1 hit & 1 walk while earning a key save to allow the Specials to re-tie the series at 2-2.
Who will win tonight? Will it be the Specials using their rebound momentum, or will the Blues take care of it with homefield advantage. And will they meet the upset possible Peaches, or the ever dangerous Step Children?? Stay tuned!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=980]Specials 7 Blues 2[/url]
This time it was the Savoy Specials who may have been singing the blues. The Specials were leading 4-0, going into the 9th, with ace Babe Adams on the mound pitching a 2 hitter up to that point.
The inning started off quietly enough, with Avila popping out, and Ripken grounding out. With the score 4-0, the hometown fans couldn't be blamed if the started to head home to beat the traffic. Alas, for any fans that left early, they missed a classic do or die rally.
Al Simmons belted a 2 out single, followed by R. Smith getting a single after working the count. By this time HAL Blues had seen enough and called in ace reliever Fryman to seal the deal. It was a good call, to have the Lefty face LH Cooper. However Cooper is a crafty vet, and followed Smiths example and worked the count into his favour before driving in a run with the third consecutive single of the inning.
Up came Larry Doby, another LH Hitter, and you could feel the crowd thinking, this time Fryman will show them who is boss. Alas, it was not to be. For the fourth time that inning, the count was worked to 3-2, and then Doby saw a pitch that Fryman missed on, by just a sliver, and with all the power in his arms, he swung for the fences, and connected!!!
Doby had tied the game!! Radios in the Prison screamed ... the warden was so happy he let Johnny Cash out of solitary 1 month early!
However that was were the run scoring would stop, for now. The stunned Specials made an effort in the 9th, but despite help from Cooper doing a Buckner impression, were unable to score any runs, and Whitman weakly ended the inning swinging & hitting a lazy fly out.
Innings would pass, although to some it felt like days or years.
Finally, in the top of the 13th, the Blues would strike again. And the hero would again be Larry Doby!! With 2 swings of the bat, Doby had tied & then won the game!! 2 Home runs in 2 critical at bats ... and the Blues could be releasing him at the end of the season!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=978]Blues 5 Specials 4[/url]
After a game like that, you could almost understand if the Specials had wiltered & given up. But no they did not! Making this playoff season one for the ages!
The Specials stormed back, and rallied quickly from a 2 run deficit to take a 3-2 lead, and slowly extended that lead throughout the game while shutting down the Blues offense, even Doby, from the 2nd inning on! G. Nelson pitched the last 3 innings and allowed but 1 hit & 1 walk while earning a key save to allow the Specials to re-tie the series at 2-2.
Who will win tonight? Will it be the Specials using their rebound momentum, or will the Blues take care of it with homefield advantage. And will they meet the upset possible Peaches, or the ever dangerous Step Children?? Stay tuned!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=980]Specials 7 Blues 2[/url]
- ArrylT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by ArrylT » Thu Aug 10, 2006 4:37 pm
[b:90796c85aa]AT Press: [i:90796c85aa]Semi Finals - Georgia Peaches vs. Red Headed Step Children[/i:90796c85aa][/b:90796c85aa]
It's an Upset! It's an Upset! It's a Peachy Keen Upset!
The Georgia Peaches have ralled from a 2-0 deficit in the Semi-Finals to clinch a berth in the Finals, winning Game V at Step Childrens Fenway Park.
The Peaches never trailed in Game V and Hubbell outdueled Cy Young in a matchup of stud aces. Interestingly enough, the term Georgia Peach is a nickname for Ty Cobb, who happened to be playing for the Step Children. Even more intriguing is the fact that Ty Cobb performed miserably in the playoffs, batting a mere .261, the lowest batting average of any Step Child and slugging under .400.
Could this just be coincidence, or is the greatest 'The Naturals' playoff rally in recent memory nothing more than the greatest scam since the 1919 White Sox?!? We may never know!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=981]Peaches 6 Step Children 3[/url]
It's an Upset! It's an Upset! It's a Peachy Keen Upset!
The Georgia Peaches have ralled from a 2-0 deficit in the Semi-Finals to clinch a berth in the Finals, winning Game V at Step Childrens Fenway Park.
The Peaches never trailed in Game V and Hubbell outdueled Cy Young in a matchup of stud aces. Interestingly enough, the term Georgia Peach is a nickname for Ty Cobb, who happened to be playing for the Step Children. Even more intriguing is the fact that Ty Cobb performed miserably in the playoffs, batting a mere .261, the lowest batting average of any Step Child and slugging under .400.
Could this just be coincidence, or is the greatest 'The Naturals' playoff rally in recent memory nothing more than the greatest scam since the 1919 White Sox?!? We may never know!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=33072&g_id=981]Peaches 6 Step Children 3[/url]
- ArrylT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
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