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10/09/2039
(AP) - The writers of the DK have pooled together to focus on the upcoming 2039 Division Series. May we all enjoy some exciting series and good luck to all!
Toronto Canadians (95-67, Away: 42-39)
Pittsburgh Millers (101-61, Home: 49-32)
Season: Pittsburgh 2 - 9 Toronto
As you can see from the season series the Canadians absolutely owned the Millers during the regular season. Pittsburgh's wins came in April during their first match-up and then in June when they won 14-5. The other nine games they were outscored by 26 runs. Robert Jessee was the main thorn in the Millers side as he hit .439 with 9 HR's and 20 RBI's, while pitcher Pat Arballo was 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA. One change that might help is that Pittsburgh no longer has Christian Carroll closing games. Against Toronto he pitched four innings, was 0-3 and sported a 20.25 ERA. He's still in the bullpen though where the Millers rank 11th in the DL with a 4.60 ERA. With a pen like that it might be time to remove the pitch counts from Cordarius Gomez and Kelani Encinia who will be their 1-2. Combined on the season they are 22-5 and Encinia is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last three starts. Toronto though counters with Arballo and Dusty Borchers. Over the last three games Borchers is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA. The only time he saw Pittsburgh this season though was when he was with Pawtucket where he allowed only one run in 5.1 innings pitched.
Overall we look for a high scoring affair. Pittsburgh was 1st in the DL in runs while Toronto was 2nd. If Gomez and Encinia can stay in the games until late it will be hard to beat Pittsburgh over a seven game series. If Toronto can chase them out early then look for the regular season to repeat itself where the bullpen was responsible for seven of the Millers nine losses. We think they are going to get chased and the Millers bullpen will collapse as they are so often prone to do.
Toronto in 7
Miami Baseball Team (83-79, Away: 37-44)
New Orleans Voodoo (107-55, Home: 57-24)
Season: New Orleans 8 - 4 Miami
New Orleans is the heavy favorite to represent the Domestic in the Brewmasters but nobody is more about randomness than the Miami...er...Baseball Team. After their GM just up and quit last month he was replaced by longtime GM Brad Z who guided them to the playoffs and wildcard victory over Wilmington. Now they face one of the best franchises in the league. With 107 wins this team dominated almost everyone that came at them. They are first in starters ERA, runs allowed, hits allowed, walks, and strikeouts and currently have three starting pitchers on hot streaks. Dusty Dills (one of the mentioned 'hot' pitchers) was also 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA against Miami. Ok so they can pitch, but can they hit. Of course they can hit...they won 107 games! Led by Stout Slugger candidate Chet 'Dirty' Sanchez they are second in average, slugging, and hits and third in runs scored. We also shouldn't forgot about Elmer 'Bane' Caceres who hit .312 with 44 HR's or Parker Wood who hit .294 with 39 HR's.
So should Miami just forfeit now? Not for a team who is second in ERA and runs allowed, and first in bullpen ERA and home runs allowed. Throw in that team ZR of +29.0 and the Voodoo might have a hard time scoring when it's needed most. Especially since the Baseball Team can also claim three streaking hot starting pitchers in Reutter, Cabral, and Crosby. Remember this team just held Wilmington, who led the Domestic in home runs, to only two dingers and nine total runs in three games. In the 12 games against New Orleans in the regular season they also allowed only six home runs.
In the end though New Orleans is just too tough. Offensively they can crush you, and even if you get into a pitching duel with them...well they can beat you then as well.
New Orleans in 5
Windy City Blues (98-64, Away: 43-38)
Batavia Red Jackets (101-61, Home: 54-27)
Season: Batavia 6 - 5 Windy City
The IL match-ups are pretty even as the Red Jackets barely hold a 6-5 regular season advantage. All but two of those games were close, with Batavia winning one game 10-0 and Windy City winning another 11-1. The other nine games feature a run difference of two which was in Batavia's favor. So throw in the two ten-run victories and you have 11 games with a two run difference. We're not really sure how to differentiate between these two great teams.
Obviously Windy City has Mejia who is the best pitcher in the game, but Batavia has Sheng 'Admiral' Jong who tossed a no-no a little over a month ago and was 20-8 on the season. They also have Jayden McLean who won 17 games, and Cirian Ortiz who also won 17 games. Offensively they are first in SLG, OBS, home runs, and runs scored. They have so many star names between Marco Taylor, Roddy Sierra, Javy Gudino, and Jimmy Brabec that you don't even think of outfielder Lucas Wilkins who hit .294 with 39 HR's and torched the Blues this season to the tune of .308 with 7 HR's and 14 RBI's. The poor guy is so unknown he didn't even get invited to the All-Star game.
Windy City doesn't have the offensive firepower of Batavia but as we mentioned they have Pale Ale starter Barton Mejia who can take the mound. He shut out California in the decisive game five of the wildcard round but he's still exhausted from that one. This is what we believe the difference will be. Even with King Sadiraj who won 17 games and a team led by Dawson Davis (.298 - 39 HR's) and rookie Sidney 'Doofus' Ishibashi (.280 - 41 HR's) this team is at a severe handicap because Mejia will get no more than two games action at best. If he was fresh we think they would have a chance, but as of now unless he goes on extremely short rest we just don't see them pulling (it) out.
Batavia in 6
Washington Bats (99-63, Away: 49-32)
Seattle Pilots (101-61, Home: 57-24)
Season: Seattle 6 - 5 Washington
If Seattle had a slogan it would be "Just Win Baby". Known for every trick of the trade off the field they are also absolutely amazing at running out pitchers and lineups that take advantage of unsuspecting regular season foes. Does this mean they are not the best team in baseball...not at all...but it does mean that come postseason the odds are a little more evened out. To even things out even more they are a little banged up as starter Demetrius Insua (15-7, 3.43 ERA) is out a few more days and starter Dave Martwick (11-5, 2.92 ERA) is out for another week. They still have 24 year old Bradley Beehn who won 15 games and was 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA against the Bats, and a bullpen that is first in the league in ERA. They are also first overall in runs allowed, hits allowed, opponents average, and strikeouts. Offensively they are first in average, hits, and stolen bases...but when you have two .400 hitters, one who set the single season stolen base record, it usually works out that way. Speaking of 'Powder' he did quite well against Washington in the regular season to the tune of hitting .356 with five RBI's and seven stolen bases.
The Bats swept their way through LAD in the first round and thanks to California dragging Windy City to five games now come into this series fully rested. Starter Kevin Alston is hot after going 2-0 with no runs allowed in his last two starts, and could get the nod for game one. Another potential starter would be Frederick Wilson who won 15 games this season and was 2-0 against Seattle during the year. Washington is near the top in nearly every pitching category but isn't the dominant force they were a few seasons ago. Offensively they have a lineup that features Reger Zuniga, Pat Nunes, and Blake Hartmen in the 2-3-4 spot. Each of them hit over 30 home runs and they combined for 320 runs driven in. After that though they aren't that impressive. They were 10th in home runs, 7th in batting average, and 5th in runs scored.
Even with the injuries we think Seattle has enough tricks up their sleeve to hold on early in the series. Even if they find themselves down 2-1 or 3-1, once they get those pitchers back it will be a different series. No one gets more out of their team than their GM, and they will advance once again to the LCS.
Seattle in 7
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