Finals Wk1 Recap and Wk2 Preview

The Finals Week 1 featured a 6-6 tie between the Poppers and Slumpbusters. So it's all up to the final 6 days. Jason must win 6.5 categories to finish first, otherwise Calvin becomes the first 4-time champion.

RECAP: Even in HRs and SBs, the Slumpbusters scratched by in Runs on the final day while the Poppers offense crushed the rest of the hitting categories by a very wide margin. A better-than-average week for Slumpbuster pitching resulted in 1 more win and 2 more saves, and getting 9 more IP helped top the K-BB category by 4. However, a solid Poppers rotation gave Jason the edge in ERA/WHIP despite Scott Olsen's mishap on Saturday.

HITTING PREVIEW: Going into the final 6 days, the Slumpbusters offense takes a huge hit as team MVP Nick Johnson goes down with a broken femur, joining fellow stud 1B Derrek Lee on the pine. Can super-subs Mark Sweeney and Russ Branyan save the Slumpbusters from another crushing at the hands of (gulp!) Luke Scott and Barry Bonds? Baserunning should be a toss-up, with Hanley Ramirez and Endy Chavez running for the Poppers versus Felipe Lopez and Eric Byrnes for the Slumpbusters.

PITCHING PREVIEW: Poppers will get 7 starts from their 5 SP, while the Slumpbusters get 6 from 6. The nod goes to the Poppers if Maddux can survive a trip to Coors and then beat ROY candidate Matt Cain on 3 day's rest. Calvin's closing trifecta of Borowski/Cordero/Wickman should get ample opportunities as the Fish, BrewCrew and Braves try to spoil the Phils, Cards, and Astro's postseason hopes. Popper closers Flash and Wheeler should keep it close, as PHI/HOU are white hot and can smell October.

CALVIN'S CALL: Poppers 10-2 in the final week to take the trophy. Slumpbusters manage to tie in Runs and SBs, while winning only the Saves category outright. 'Carpenter & the Kids' can't overcome the steady veteran presence of Zambrano, Maddux and Webb, as Pedro again implodes and the kids (Hamels, Anibal, James, R.Hill) crumble under pressure.

FINAL WEEK MVP: Brandon Webb, with 2W, 1 SHO, 12 K-BB and winning the Cy Young over the Slumpbuster's Chris Carpenter.

Semifinals Results

One comeback and one sweep setup an interesting championship between a semi-underdog and a team that should have got there.

Calvin followed up his 7-5 win over Andy to smash him 9.5-2.5 and head into the championship round.  Andy had a horrible week as his strength, pitching, let him down.  Calvin left the door open with his average hitting week, but Andy couldn't capitalize and is out of the playoffs.

Jason parlayed a great pitching week into a 8.5-3.5 comeback win after losing 7-5 in week one.  Kelley tried to keep it close with a great power week, but poor pitching and poor hitting overall did him in.  It was a close series the whole way.

The final matchup in the BVRRL championship will be Calvin's Slumpbusters versus Jason's Poppers.

Semifinals

Couple close game 1's.  Both 7-5.

Kelley hung on for the victory against the Poppers as both teams were very even.

FKAKY 7 - Poppers 5

 

Calvin took one pitching category from Andy and all the hitting categories which was good enough for the 7-5 win.

Slumbusters 7 - Full Flanal 5

Round 2 Results

Great comeback by Calvin to push into the third round of the playoffs.  Everyone else pretty much held status quo and the winners won both games.

Poppers - 7.5, Utility Men - 4.5
Poppers - 8.5, Utility Men - 3.5

FKAKY - 9.5, Faux`s Footlongs - 2.5
FKAKY - 8, Faux`s Footlongs - 4

Heaters - 8,  Slumpbusters- 4
Slumpbusters - 11, Heaters - 1

Full Flanull - 8.5, Box Chowers - 3.5
Full Flanull - 10.5, Box Chowers - 1.5

 

Matchups are set and look like this:

Poppers vs. FKAKY

Slumpbusters vs. Full Flanull