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This year's league champions come from different stock.
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The Carolina Tobs recorded 112 wins, best in the BLB and 21 more than second-place Davenport in the Bock division. They've claimed victory in over 80 percent of their contests since the calendar flipped to August. When they play baseball, a Tobs victory feels inevitable.
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The Maine Guides rode a different path to their 94 regular season victories and Domestic League pennant. Steady since May, the Guides rode their arms to get this far, scoring just enough runs for the names Hernandez, Neubauer, Alvarez, Aten, or Garner to appear in the winning pitcher column time and again. And who could forget The Crew, whose cornerstones B.J. Leary and Edgar Salazar surrendered only two runs between them in 12 postseason innings.
The Tobs' fearsome lineup scored 844 runs in 2011 — the most scored by any Import League club since the 2005 Windy City Playboys. The free-swinging Tobs led the Import League in every hitting category this season but bases on balls.
"When your number six or number seven hitter gets 99 RBIs, you're feeling really good." said longtime Carolina manager Bao Cahn. "It means your lineup is capable of scoring at any time. It puts pressure on the other team."
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Ricky Murillo surely received many Stout Slugger votes for his tremendous season. He finished one stolen base short of a 30-30 year and his 108 RBIs led the club.
Though the Tobs boast the clearly superior lineup, both Maine and Carolina feature slugging catchers.
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Voodoo Davila of the Guides hit .304 with 28 home runs and 77 RBIS while placing third in the Domestic League in on-base percentage. That he also received the third-most intentional walks in the league illustrates the respect he commands when he steps into the batter's box.
Carolina's Bobby Montoya contributed 27 home runs and 85 RBIs and also crossed the plate 91 times, second best on the team to Murillo. His consistent work behind the plate, receiving the Tobs' outstanding pitchers for 145 games, helped set the tone for the team's success.
"Whether we're facing Murillo, Montoya, [Bobby] Tiscareno, or any of those other guys throughout the lineup, we know we're going to have to be careful," said Guides starter Fernando Hernandez. "I think we have a group of veteran pitchers who understand that. We know we can't relax against any of those guys."
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Hernandez had a strong season of his own, and so too did southpaw Edgar Mejia of the Tobs. Mejia no-hit New York on August 22nd, striking out 12 Knights and walking one. Less than a month later, he nearly repeated the feat, throwing eight and two-thirds no-hit innings against Morgantown. His 16-1 record tells the story of his season.
"I think the playoffs usually come down to pitching," said Maine manager Andrew MacGilledon. "Certainly that's been the story for us this year. And I know their pitching was very strong the last couple series as well. We'll have to see how everyone does. Both teams are good enough to win this series."
The Guides and Tobs met in the Brewmaster's twice before.
In 1981, Carolina swept Maine, ending the Guides' run of back-to-back titles. That Tobs club was led by Hall of Fame center fielder Nick Latham and top starter Joe Ponte, who already owned two Pale Ale awards.
The Guides returned the favor four years later. Featuring brand new Hall of Fame inductee Kyoden Kubota having a breakout season and legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Teagan Corrigan, Maine took the 1985 series from Carolina in four games.
26 years later, these organizations meet again in the Brewers League's final October series. With the strength of the two clubs, it's hard to imagine a third sweep lies ahead. Certainly neither team will go quietly.
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</div>The Carolina Tobs recorded 112 wins, best in the BLB and 21 more than second-place Davenport in the Bock division. They've claimed victory in over 80 percent of their contests since the calendar flipped to August. When they play baseball, a Tobs victory feels inevitable.
<div style="float:right;padding:18px;">
</div>The Maine Guides rode a different path to their 94 regular season victories and Domestic League pennant. Steady since May, the Guides rode their arms to get this far, scoring just enough runs for the names Hernandez, Neubauer, Alvarez, Aten, or Garner to appear in the winning pitcher column time and again. And who could forget The Crew, whose cornerstones B.J. Leary and Edgar Salazar surrendered only two runs between them in 12 postseason innings.
The Tobs' fearsome lineup scored 844 runs in 2011 — the most scored by any Import League club since the 2005 Windy City Playboys. The free-swinging Tobs led the Import League in every hitting category this season but bases on balls.
"When your number six or number seven hitter gets 99 RBIs, you're feeling really good." said longtime Carolina manager Bao Cahn. "It means your lineup is capable of scoring at any time. It puts pressure on the other team."
<div style="float:right;padding:18px;">
</div>Ricky Murillo surely received many Stout Slugger votes for his tremendous season. He finished one stolen base short of a 30-30 year and his 108 RBIs led the club.
Though the Tobs boast the clearly superior lineup, both Maine and Carolina feature slugging catchers.
<div style="float:right;padding:18px;">
</div>Voodoo Davila of the Guides hit .304 with 28 home runs and 77 RBIS while placing third in the Domestic League in on-base percentage. That he also received the third-most intentional walks in the league illustrates the respect he commands when he steps into the batter's box.
Carolina's Bobby Montoya contributed 27 home runs and 85 RBIs and also crossed the plate 91 times, second best on the team to Murillo. His consistent work behind the plate, receiving the Tobs' outstanding pitchers for 145 games, helped set the tone for the team's success.
"Whether we're facing Murillo, Montoya, [Bobby] Tiscareno, or any of those other guys throughout the lineup, we know we're going to have to be careful," said Guides starter Fernando Hernandez. "I think we have a group of veteran pitchers who understand that. We know we can't relax against any of those guys."
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</div>Hernandez had a strong season of his own, and so too did southpaw Edgar Mejia of the Tobs. Mejia no-hit New York on August 22nd, striking out 12 Knights and walking one. Less than a month later, he nearly repeated the feat, throwing eight and two-thirds no-hit innings against Morgantown. His 16-1 record tells the story of his season.
"I think the playoffs usually come down to pitching," said Maine manager Andrew MacGilledon. "Certainly that's been the story for us this year. And I know their pitching was very strong the last couple series as well. We'll have to see how everyone does. Both teams are good enough to win this series."
The Guides and Tobs met in the Brewmaster's twice before.
In 1981, Carolina swept Maine, ending the Guides' run of back-to-back titles. That Tobs club was led by Hall of Fame center fielder Nick Latham and top starter Joe Ponte, who already owned two Pale Ale awards.
The Guides returned the favor four years later. Featuring brand new Hall of Fame inductee Kyoden Kubota having a breakout season and legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Teagan Corrigan, Maine took the 1985 series from Carolina in four games.
26 years later, these organizations meet again in the Brewers League's final October series. With the strength of the two clubs, it's hard to imagine a third sweep lies ahead. Certainly neither team will go quietly.
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