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It’s a bittersweet time in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state> right now as the Colonials prepare to take on the California Kodiaks for the IL Pennant. While a team can not be upset to still be playing at this point in the year, the brutal 7-game series with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Davenport</st1:place></st1:city> cost the Colonials more than could have been expected. Ace and likely IL Pale Ale winner Pancho ‘Ironfist’ Herrera tore his rotator cuff in Game 1 and will miss not only the rest of the playoffs, but all of next season while he rehabs. A young career cut down as he enters his prime? Too soon to tell, and a long wait to find out.
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Later in the series, the Colonials also lost Team Captain Dale O’Hegarty. The SS, who was having the best offensive series on the team, now joins All-Star infielders Vincent Nino and Joshua Poling on the DL for the rest of <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state>’s playoff run.
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Is there enough left in the tank for the Colonials to claim their first pennant? Is the world about to end as the final sign of the end of times has come to pass as the IL’s perennial laughing stocks now play for it all? Stay tuned.
<o:p> </o:p>
Lineup:
<o:p> </o:p>
With the injury to O’Hegarty, the Colonials will use a few different lineups against the Kodiaks, so let’s just break down the lineup by position and how they fared this season against the former Wildfire.
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C - Rod Phillips (S) – .238/.271/.286/.557 – The young backstop needs to step up his game in Round 2. His 9 strikeouts against <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Davenport</st1:city></st1:place>, many with RISP, killed more than a few rallies and opportunities. He’ll need to be solid defensively to try to control this smallball Kodiaks lineup when they reach base.
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1B - Everardo Gremades (L) – .200/.429/.350/.779 - Gremades only got 6 whacks at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place> this regular season and their pitching was able to keep him comfortably in check. He got on-base at a .485 clip in Round 1 and will need to continue to not only set the table, but start clearing it a little as well.
<o:p> </o:p>
2B - Cristian Martinez (L) -.375/.375/.438/.812 – <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Martinez</st1:city></st1:place> joins the everyday lineup with the injury to O’Hegarty and needs to contribute for the Colonials to have a chance. Most experts believe that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Martinez</st1:place></st1:city>’ most important role will be defensively where his questionable skills cost him a chance to become an everyday player in past seasons.
<o:p> </o:p>
SS - Doug MacPherson (R) - .167/.500/.333/.833 – MacPherson moves to SS in Round 2 where he is slightly better suited than <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Martinez</st1:city></st1:place>. The rookie contributed in Round 1 with a .438 OBP and 6 runs driven in.
<o:p> </o:p>
3B- Yoritoki Maeda (R) - .289/.370/.632/1.001 – Maeda played well against the Kodiaks this season registering some of his best offensive numbers in his 12 games with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cali</st1:city></st1:place>. He’ll move up the lineup and hit leadoff in some matchups.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>RF- Mel Woodbury (L) - .257/.333/.543/.876 – Woodbury was uncharacteristically average in Round 1 against the Brawlers, as was he during his 9 regular season games with <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>. The reported back-to-back IL Stout Slugger needs to help the Colonials outscore this Kodiaks team that can put runs up in bunches.
<o:p> </o:p>
CF - Danny Nelson (R) - .289/.289/.467/.756 – Danny Nelson’s defense will be a key to this series as the punch and judy hitters in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state> will try to find that big outfield green in these games. Nelson can’t run like he use to, but will need to be rock solid defensively and contribute some pop for the Colonials to move on.
<o:p> </o:p>
LF - Florian Toselli (R) – .292.320.375.695 – Toselli spent way too much time in Round 1 waiting to be driven in and not enough time getting there. He reached base 12 times in 24 ABs, but scored only once. He’ll be moved up the lineup in Round 2 in hopes of taking advantage of his place setting.
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</o:p>
<o:p>***</o:p>
<o:p>
</o:p>
Starting Rotation:
<o:p> </o:p>
The Colonials ride into the playoffs on the arms of their rotation. They have not been outstanding the last few weeks, but clearly the strength all season. It took many, many, many losses to build this pitching staff… and it’s finally paying dividends.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 1 – Jerry Morgan (RH) – No Record – Jerry Morgan never faced the Kodiaks in the regular season, so no real scouting was available. He did not pitch well in Round 1 and needs to be the rock at home as the only right hander in the rotation.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 2 – Nate ‘The Skull’ Magness (LH) – 0-0 – 3.86 ERA – 1.29 WHIP – 1K/0BB – Magness won his only start in Round 1, though it was a far from dominant performance. ‘The Skull’ will be the first of three southpaws in a row, something that is not intimidating to the Kodiaks lineup as they handle them as well as any team in the league.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 3 – Jerry Collins (LH) – 0-1 – 5.23 ERA – 1.74 WHIP – 10K/3BB – Collins had a couple of rough outings against Cali during the season and didn’t fare much better in Round 1 with the Brawlers. Though he went 1-0, he was hit hard and did not give the bullpen much rest.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 4 – Jayson McQueen (LH) – 1-0-1 – 0.00 ERA – 0.77 WHIP – 8K/4BB – McQueen is thrust back into the Starting Rotation after a Last Call Relief caliber season in the bullpen. His numbers against the Kodiaks this season, while impressive, all came in relief and do not provide an accurate picture of his numbers when starting. What we do know is that he was DAMN good in Round 1 against <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Davenport</st1:place></st1:city> appearing in 6 games, working 9.1 innings and striking out 16 Brawlers.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p>***</o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Bottomline:
<o:p> </o:p>
Didn’t make a prediction in Round 1 and I won’t start now. <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state> winning this series on paper is almost as illogical as saying just a few years ago that these two teams would even be here. The Colonials dodged a lot of injuries early in the season to get into a position to win the Stout when they did come late. But you can only fight for so long. For the team to win, guys like Woodbury and Gremades have to be better that great… they have to play like Stout Sluggers.
LINK
<o:p> </o:p>
Later in the series, the Colonials also lost Team Captain Dale O’Hegarty. The SS, who was having the best offensive series on the team, now joins All-Star infielders Vincent Nino and Joshua Poling on the DL for the rest of <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state>’s playoff run.
<o:p> </o:p>
Is there enough left in the tank for the Colonials to claim their first pennant? Is the world about to end as the final sign of the end of times has come to pass as the IL’s perennial laughing stocks now play for it all? Stay tuned.
<o:p> </o:p>
Lineup:
<o:p> </o:p>
With the injury to O’Hegarty, the Colonials will use a few different lineups against the Kodiaks, so let’s just break down the lineup by position and how they fared this season against the former Wildfire.
<o:p> </o:p>
C - Rod Phillips (S) – .238/.271/.286/.557 – The young backstop needs to step up his game in Round 2. His 9 strikeouts against <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Davenport</st1:city></st1:place>, many with RISP, killed more than a few rallies and opportunities. He’ll need to be solid defensively to try to control this smallball Kodiaks lineup when they reach base.
<o:p> </o:p>
1B - Everardo Gremades (L) – .200/.429/.350/.779 - Gremades only got 6 whacks at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place> this regular season and their pitching was able to keep him comfortably in check. He got on-base at a .485 clip in Round 1 and will need to continue to not only set the table, but start clearing it a little as well.
<o:p> </o:p>
2B - Cristian Martinez (L) -.375/.375/.438/.812 – <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Martinez</st1:city></st1:place> joins the everyday lineup with the injury to O’Hegarty and needs to contribute for the Colonials to have a chance. Most experts believe that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Martinez</st1:place></st1:city>’ most important role will be defensively where his questionable skills cost him a chance to become an everyday player in past seasons.
<o:p> </o:p>
SS - Doug MacPherson (R) - .167/.500/.333/.833 – MacPherson moves to SS in Round 2 where he is slightly better suited than <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Martinez</st1:city></st1:place>. The rookie contributed in Round 1 with a .438 OBP and 6 runs driven in.
<o:p> </o:p>
3B- Yoritoki Maeda (R) - .289/.370/.632/1.001 – Maeda played well against the Kodiaks this season registering some of his best offensive numbers in his 12 games with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cali</st1:city></st1:place>. He’ll move up the lineup and hit leadoff in some matchups.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>RF- Mel Woodbury (L) - .257/.333/.543/.876 – Woodbury was uncharacteristically average in Round 1 against the Brawlers, as was he during his 9 regular season games with <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>. The reported back-to-back IL Stout Slugger needs to help the Colonials outscore this Kodiaks team that can put runs up in bunches.
<o:p> </o:p>
CF - Danny Nelson (R) - .289/.289/.467/.756 – Danny Nelson’s defense will be a key to this series as the punch and judy hitters in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state> will try to find that big outfield green in these games. Nelson can’t run like he use to, but will need to be rock solid defensively and contribute some pop for the Colonials to move on.
<o:p> </o:p>
LF - Florian Toselli (R) – .292.320.375.695 – Toselli spent way too much time in Round 1 waiting to be driven in and not enough time getting there. He reached base 12 times in 24 ABs, but scored only once. He’ll be moved up the lineup in Round 2 in hopes of taking advantage of his place setting.
<o:p>
</o:p>
<o:p>***</o:p>
<o:p>
</o:p>
Starting Rotation:
<o:p> </o:p>
The Colonials ride into the playoffs on the arms of their rotation. They have not been outstanding the last few weeks, but clearly the strength all season. It took many, many, many losses to build this pitching staff… and it’s finally paying dividends.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 1 – Jerry Morgan (RH) – No Record – Jerry Morgan never faced the Kodiaks in the regular season, so no real scouting was available. He did not pitch well in Round 1 and needs to be the rock at home as the only right hander in the rotation.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 2 – Nate ‘The Skull’ Magness (LH) – 0-0 – 3.86 ERA – 1.29 WHIP – 1K/0BB – Magness won his only start in Round 1, though it was a far from dominant performance. ‘The Skull’ will be the first of three southpaws in a row, something that is not intimidating to the Kodiaks lineup as they handle them as well as any team in the league.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 3 – Jerry Collins (LH) – 0-1 – 5.23 ERA – 1.74 WHIP – 10K/3BB – Collins had a couple of rough outings against Cali during the season and didn’t fare much better in Round 1 with the Brawlers. Though he went 1-0, he was hit hard and did not give the bullpen much rest.
<o:p> </o:p>
Game 4 – Jayson McQueen (LH) – 1-0-1 – 0.00 ERA – 0.77 WHIP – 8K/4BB – McQueen is thrust back into the Starting Rotation after a Last Call Relief caliber season in the bullpen. His numbers against the Kodiaks this season, while impressive, all came in relief and do not provide an accurate picture of his numbers when starting. What we do know is that he was DAMN good in Round 1 against <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Davenport</st1:place></st1:city> appearing in 6 games, working 9.1 innings and striking out 16 Brawlers.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p>***</o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Bottomline:
<o:p> </o:p>
Didn’t make a prediction in Round 1 and I won’t start now. <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state> winning this series on paper is almost as illogical as saying just a few years ago that these two teams would even be here. The Colonials dodged a lot of injuries early in the season to get into a position to win the Stout when they did come late. But you can only fight for so long. For the team to win, guys like Woodbury and Gremades have to be better that great… they have to play like Stout Sluggers.
LINK
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