It's a scandal! Kenneth's Starrs top Golden Sombreros.
In probably the biggest upset of the first round, Nate Silver's Golden
Sombreros (109-53) lost in 5 games to Brad Biggs' Kenneth's Starrs (85-77).
It should be noted that the Sombreros are an AL-only team, while the
Starrs could pick and chose from both leagues. Nevertheless, a 24-game
differential is still big. There really is no single reason that the
Starrs won; a little better defence (2E vs 6E), a little better pitching
(19ER vs 20ER), a little better hitting (52H vs 47H) added up to a LOT
better result.
Game 1
Randy Johnson (Sombreros) vs Roger Clemens (Starrs). This is just about as
good a pitching matchup as you can get. Through eight innings, it was dead
even, 3-3, and both pitchers going strong (Johnson with 10K, Clemens 9K).
The only blemish on either pitcher's record was a HR by McGwire for the
Sombreros. Johnson then threw a perfect 9th inning (recording his 11th K).
Then the virtual manager for the Starrs made a tactical error: it yanked
Clemens and put in Wickman for the bottom of the 9th. An out, a double by
Greer and a single by O'Neill and it was game over, 4-3 Sombreros.
Game 2
The Sombreros played catch up the entire game (yet never did) as they lost
5-4. Bohanon (7IP 3ER) and Pettite (7IP 4ER) provided workman-like starts
for their teams surrendering HR to Stanley (Sombreros) and Andruw Jones
(Starrs) respectively. An awful lot of men were left standing on base at
the end of the innings, but it came down to the exciting SF from Ben Grieve
in the top of the 9th that scored Andruw and staked the Starrs to a 5-3
lead. Not content to end things quietly, Rivera allowed a double to Kurt
Abbot, a 1-out run-scoring single to Greer and a 2-out single to McGwire,
before retiring Stanley to end the game and garner the save.
Game 3
Knowing when a pitcher has run out of steam is one of the most important
instincts a manager can have. In the third game, it became apparent that
this instinct could have been handy for the Sombreros' virtual manager.
Erickson was the pitcher in question who, after being staked to a 4-0 going
into the bottom of the 7th (by virtue of a 3-run 6th and a solo shot by
Ramirez in the 7th) off Radke and Wickman, proceded to run out of gas.
With one out, he surrendered a walk, a single, another single, a 2RBI
double to Joyner, and a sac fly to Will Clark, bringing the score to 4-3.
Surely that was good enough to pull him, even after he got the last out of
the 7th? Not so it seems, as he proceeded to repeat his performance in the
bottom of the 8th; one-out single to Raines, two-out RBI double to
Hatteberg, and the game-winning RBI double to (gulp) Chris Gomez. Rivera
pitched a clean 9th inning, getting the save and making a winner out of
Wickman.
Game 4
Home runs finally arrived in bunches in this game, but they didn't prove to
be the deciding factor. After jumping out to a 2-1 for Williams vs
Escobar, the wheels started to fall off the cart for the Sombreros. An
error by Cirillo in the bottom of the 5th proved to be costly as the Starrs
struck with back-to-back, 2 out home runs from Will Clark (3-run shot) and
Chipper Jones, making it a 5-2 game. More damage was done in the next
inning as 3 consecutive singles scored another run, ending Williams day.
Then Escobar coughed up back-to-back-jacks to start the top of the 8th to
McGwire and Higginson and got yanked himself. But the fun doesn't end
there! Wickman strolled in from the bullpen and then walked Ramirez,
walked Cirillo (with a passed ball from Hatteberg), gave up a SH++ to Jose
Valentin, ANOTHER walk to pinch-hitter Sean Casey before finally retiring
the side with double play. Not to be outdone, the Starrs themselves left
the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, but managed to hang on to win
6-4 with Escobar getting the win and Rivera the save.
Game 5
It's unfortunate to see a close fought series end with an ugly game,
especially when it featured a return match-up between Johnson and Clemens.
This had it all: home runs (3 solo shots by the Sombreros; Alomar, Greer,
O'Neill and 2 by the Starrs; Andruw Jones (2 run shot) and Grieve), errors
(3 for the Sombreros and 2 for the Starrs) and a bat-around inning for the
Starrs (scoring 5 runs). Johnson was the victim of unearned runs (4.2Ip 6R
2ER) and Clemens surrendered very little beyond the HR (8IP 3ER). Aaron
Sele added gasoline to the fire by giving up 3 runs in 2.2IP for the
Sombreros and the game came to a merciful end as Ligtenberg struck out
McGwire for the 9-3 win.
Game 1 Kenneth's Starrs 3 L: Wickman
Golden Sombreros 4 W: Johnson
Game 2 Kenneth's Starrs 5 W: Bohanon Sv: Rivera
Golden Sombreros 4 L: Pettitte
Game 3 Golden Sombreros 4 L: Erickson
Kenneth's Starrs 5 W: Wickman Sv: Rivera
Game 4 Golden Sombreros 4 L: Williams
Kenneth's Starrs 6 W: Escobar Sv: Rivera
Game 5 Golden Sombreros 3 L: Johnson
Kenneth's Starrs 9 W: Clemens
Series MVP: Mariano Rivera (3 saves, 4IP 1ER)
__________________1___2__3__4___5__6____7___8____9_______________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Offerman,Jo K O _O_ 2B O Clemens,Ro 8 9 3 3 3 9
LF Raines,Ti 1B K O BB O Wickman,Bo 0.1 2 1 1 0 0
3B Jones,Ch O+ 1B O 1B __K_
CF Jones,An 2B* _K _K _O_
DH Clark,Wi BB K K 2B
1B Joyner,Wa _K_ O O SH+
RF Grieve,Be O BB _K__ K
SS Weiss,Wa O 1B O 1B*
C Alomar,Sa _O 1B* K _O_
P__Clemens,Ro____________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Alomar,Ro O K BB _K__ \ O Johnson,Ra 9 9 3 3 3 11
CF Greer,Ru O K O O 2B
DH O'Neill,Pa BB _K 1B K 1B*
1B McGwire,Ma _K_ HR _O BB
LF Higginson,Bo O K 1B 2B*
RF Ramirez,Ma 2B O K _O_
3B Cirillo,Je O _K_ 1B O
SS Valentin(M,Jo _O 2B
PH Stanley,Mi 1B*+
C Varitek,Ja O
C Fletcher,Da 1B O
PH Casey,Se O
SS Abbott,Ku _O_
P__Johnson,Ra________________________________________R__H_E
Kenneth's Starrs 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 9 0
Golden Sombreros 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 4 11 0
LOB - Kenneth's Starrs 9; Golden Sombreros 10. Win - Johnson,Ra (1-0); Loss - Wickman,Bo (0-1). HR -
McGwire,Ma (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Kenneth's Starrs +0.02; Golden Sombreros +0.02.
__________________1__2__3____4___5___6___7___8__9________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Offerman,Jo K 1B* O 1B BB Bohanon,Br 7 8 3 3 5 6
SS Weiss,Wa O O+ BB _O_ O Rivera,Ma 2 3 1 1 1 2
3B Jones,Ch BB 2B* O K __O
CF Jones,An _O O 1B HR BB
DH Clark,Wi O _O__ 1B* O SH+
1B Joyner,Wa 1B BB p_O_ _K 1B
RF Grieve,Be K DP 1B \1B SF*
LF Kotsay,Ma _O 1B SH+ F _O_
C Alomar,Sa 2B _O O e6
P__Bohanon,Br____________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Alomar,Ro 1B 1B 2B _O_ O6 Pettitte,An 7 10 4 4 3 4
CF Greer,Ru DP O _O O 1B* Lloyd,Gr 2 2 1 1 2 0
RF Ramirez,Ma BB 1B*+ O K K
1B McGwire,Ma BB K BB _K 1B
DH Stanley,Mi _K BB _DP_ HR _O_
LF Higginson,Bo O _K__ BB / K
3B Cirillo,Je O O 1B+ BB
C Varitek,Ja _O 1B
PH Casey,Se SF*
C Fletcher,Da
PH O'Neill,Pa _DP
C Catcher,AAA
SS Abbott,Ku 1B K O 2B
P__Pettitte,An______________________________________R__H_E
Kenneth's Starrs 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 5 12 0
Golden Sombreros 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 11 1
LOB - Kenneth's Starrs 12; Golden Sombreros 10. Win - Bohanon,Br (1-0); Save - Rivera,Ma (1);
Loss - Pettitte,An (0-1). Outstanding Play - Weiss,Wa (1). Error - Abbott,Ku (1). Passed Ball -
Varitek,Ja (1). HRs - Jones,An (1); Stanley,Mi (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Kenneth's Starrs +0.09;
Golden Sombreros -0.05.
__________________1__2__3___4__5___6_____7_____8____9_______________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Alomar,Ro O O O BB __O_ Erickson,Sc 7.2 11 5 5 3 5
CF Greer,Ru 1B 1B BB SF* \ O Corsi,Ji 0.1 0 0 0 0 0
DH O'Neill,Pa O 2B O /_O___ O
1B McGwire,Ma 2B K _O O BB
LF Higginson,Bo _O _O_ 1B O __O
RF Ramirez,Ma O BB 1B HR
3B-SS Cirillo,Je O K 1B _O__
SS Valentin(M,Jo BB K
PH Stanley,Mi 1B**+
3B Chavez,Er O
C Fletcher,Da _O _O O K
P__Erickson,Sc______________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Offerman,Jo O 1B _K 1B /_O_ Radke,Br 5.2 8 3 3 4 3
1B Joyner,Wa O DP_ O 2B** Wickman,Bo 2.1 1 1 1 0 1
DH Clark,Wi 1B O 1B SF*+ Rivera,Ma 1 0 0 0 1 0
3B Jones,Ch _O O BB _K__
RF Grieve,Be O 2B O O
LF Raines,Ti K _O __O___ 1B
CF Jones,An _O K O O+
C Hatteberg,Sc 1B K BB 2B*
SS Gomez,Ch SH+ BB 1B 2B*
P__Radke,Br____________________________________________R__H_E
Golden Sombreros 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 4 9 0
Kenneth's Starrs 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 X 5 11 0
LOB - Golden Sombreros 10; Kenneth's Starrs 8. Win - Wickman,Bo (1-1); Save - Rivera,Ma (2);
Loss - Erickson,Sc (0-1). HR - Ramirez,Ma (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Golden Sombreros -0.05;
Kenneth's Starrs -0.04.
__________________1__2___3___4___5_____6____7____8_____9_______________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Alomar,Ro O O __O_ 1B _DP__ Williams,Wo 5 8 6 2 2 3
CF Greer,Ru K BB O 1B+ \ K Sele,Aa 3 1 0 0 2 2
DH O'Neill,Pa 1B __K O DP_ BB
1B McGwire,Ma _O K BB HR O
LF Higginson,Bo O BB _K__ HR __O
RF Ramirez,Ma O O O /BB
3B Cirillo,Je _O 2B K pBB
SS Valentin(M,Jo O 1B* __K__ SH++
C Fletcher,Da 2B 1B*
PH Stanley,Mi O
C Varitek,Ja
PH Casey,Se BB
C Catcher,AAA
P__Williams,Wo_________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Offerman,Jo O BB O O BB Escobar,Ke 7 9 4 4 3 6
1B Joyner,Wa O +_O 1B __O__ BB Wickman,Bo 1 0 0 0 3 0
DH Clark,Wi _K O4 HR** O __K__ Rivera,Ma 1 0 0 0 1 1
3B Jones,Ch O 1B HR O
RF Grieve,Be BB + K _O__ 1B
CF Jones,An K 1B* 1B _O_
C Hatteberg,Sc _O +_O_ 1B+ e6
LF Kotsay,Ma O O 1B*+ SH+
SS Gomez,Ch O e5 / K O
P__Escobar,Ke_____________________________________________R_H_E
Golden Sombreros 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 4 9 2
Kenneth's Starrs 0 0 0 1 4 1 0 0 X 6 9 0
LOB - Golden Sombreros 10; Kenneth's Starrs 9. Win - Escobar,Ke (1-0); Save - Rivera,Ma (3);
Loss - Williams,Wo (0-1). Outstanding Play - Alomar,Ro (1). Errors - Cirillo,Je (1); Valentin(M,Jo (1).
Passed Ball - Hatteberg,Sc (1). HRs - Clark,Wi (1); Jones,Ch (1); McGwire,Ma (2); Higginson,Bo (1).
Steals - Offerman,Jo (1); Jones,Ch (1); Jones,An (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Golden Sombreros +0.06;
Kenneth's Starrs +0.03.
___________________1___2___3_4___5____5__6___7___8____9_________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
2B Alomar,Ro HR K K _O_ \1B Johnson,Ra 4.2 5 6 2 4 7
CF Greer,Ru K BB HR O O Sele,Aa 2.2 6 3 3 0 1
DH O'Neill,Pa O e6 1B HR O Taylor,Bi 0.2 0 0 0 0 0
1B McGwire,Ma __K O BB K __K
LF Higginson,Bo O __K __O___ _O
RF Ramirez,Ma BB K 1B K
3B-SS Cirillo,Je w O O 1B K
SS Valentin(M,Jo __K O
PH Stanley,Mi K
C Varitek,Ja e5
C Fletcher,Da BB O
PH Casey,Se O
3B Chavez,Er __O_
P__Johnson,Ra___________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K
DH Offerman,Jo 1B __K 3B K O Clemens,Ro 8 6 3 3 4 11
LF Kotsay,Ma K O BB O 2B Ligtenberg,Ke 1 1 0 0 0 1
3B Jones,Ch +BB K e1* 1B 1B*
CF Jones,An K BB K HR* /DP_
1B Clark,Wi __O +BB 1B O
RF Grieve,Be HR __K e3* _O_
2B Bell,Da O O K 1B
C Alomar,Sa O O 1B**+ DP
SS Gomez,Ch e4 O /1B* _O
P__Clemens,Ro____________________________________________R__H_E
Golden Sombreros 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 7 3
Kenneth's Starrs 0 1 0 0 5 2 0 1 X 9 11 2
LOB - Golden Sombreros 10; Kenneth's Starrs 7. Win - Clemens,Ro (1-0); Loss - Johnson,Ra (1-1). Errors -
Alomar,Ro (1); Gomez,Ch (1); Johnson,Ra (1); McGwire,Ma (1); Jones,Ch (1). Wild Pitch - Clemens,Ro (1).
HRs - Alomar,Ro (1); Grieve,Be (1); Greer,Ru (1); Jones,An (2); O'Neill,Pa (1). Steals - Offerman,Jo (2);
Jones,An (2). Fielding Range Bonus - Golden Sombreros -0.05; Kenneth's Starrs +0.05.
Standings,_Pitching____________W___L___pct.__GB___ERA__CG_ShO__RS__Sv___IP_____R___ER___H___BA___BB___K__WP
2 Kenneth's Starrs 4 1 .800 - 3.86 0 0 5.6 3 44.1 19 19 47 .270 25 40 1
1 Golden Sombreros 1 4 .200 3 4.29 1 0 3.8 0 42 28 20 52 .301 19 33 0
____AB____R____H___D___T__HR__RBI__BA__SlgA__OBA__BB___K___SH__F_SF_GDP__SB__CS__LOB__OP__DP__E__OSB_OCS_PB
2 173 28 52 10 1 5 26 .301 .457 .366 19 33 5 1 2 4 5 0 45 1 5 2 0 0 1
1 174 19 47 10 0 8 19 .270 .466 .358 25 40 1 0 2 5 0 0 50 1 4 6 5 0 1
2 Brad Biggs 4-1: @1 3-4, @1 5-4, 1 5-4, 1 6-4, 1 9-3.
1 Nate Silver 1-4: 2 4-3, 2 4-5, @2 4-5, @2 4-6, @2 3-9.