In a Christmas Eve matchup, my Twin City Thunderchickens faced off in a nine-game series against Don Smith’s Molly Putts Marauders. This had heavy Illowa APBA League playoff implications for the Chickens as we are battling for fourth place and the last playoff spot. This was also my last series of the 2019 IAL season so I would have to make it count.
So how did we do?
Wow, what a series! In game one, we came rallied from an 8-0 deficit in the top of the 8th inning only to lose 8-7. Game two was similar. Molly had a 9-2 lead in the top of 7th. We rallied again but this time we held on win in extras 12-10!
The Thunderchickens lost the next three games and I was beginning to think that I was going to watching the postseason on Illowa Broadcasting Network at home. Then we buckled down and took three of the last four games of the series for a 4-5 series loss.
Both Molly Putts and Twin City drove the ball hard. For the nine-game series, Molly scored 59 runs and Twin City scored 57. The big hero of series was rookie firstbaseman Luke Voit (1-1-1-0-0). Oh yeah, he’s got a monster card! In nine games, he went 14 for 32 with seven homers and ten rbis. I must have hit that 33-1 at least three times!
Don was patient with me after each game as it was my last series. I had to calculate player usage in order to stay within league-regulated limits. Game two’s extra innings didn’t help!
Was it enough??
With the 4-5 series against Don, I finish the 2019 Illowa APBA League season with an 86-76 record. Will it be enough? I hope so. Above you can see the current standings which does not include my January series with Don. I have two competitors for the fourth place in the standings which is the last playoff spot. Commissioner Mike Bunch’s Green Rock Bombers would need to win seven out of nine to pass me. Dan Bunch’s Colona Hustlers would need to win eight out of nine.
The good news? Both the Bombers and the Hustlers play the first place Moline Upperdeckers to finish the season. I have now joined Marcus Bunch’s Upperdecker fan club!!
Time will tell in a few weeks. Either way, the Illowa APBA League World Series and Draft weekend has been set for February 21-22.
Thunderchicken notes: Could there be a Twin City MVP-Cy Young sweep in 2019? There is a slim chance of that.
J.D. Martinez has very stiff competition among other IAL colleagues (*cough* Yelich) but he makes a good case batting .322 and slugging .622 with 42 homeruns, 41 doubles and 119 rbis.
Kyle Freeman is my nominee for Cy Young award and I think he a good shot. He finished the year with a 19-5 record with a 2.98 ERA and will probably lead the league in wins. If he doesn’t that means Verlander is getting some wins for the Upperdeckers and that can’t be a bad thing (see above).
Happy New Year, everyone!
