EHCC News

2009-11-11T14:53:00.007-05:00

Am I really this drunk? I feel like I've been asked to write a piece just like this before. I feel like it was a year ago that Dublin was making a bid for its third sports team. While the initial response was very negative about the addition of a baseball team, the city eventually opened its heart to the idea, only to have it ripped out by the folks in Southern Carolina.

Last year, Dublin sports mogul Brad Bodell spent most of his time trying to sell the idea of baseball in Dublin and change the perception of a sport that was widely considered to be played by sissies. The initial reluctance might have been what caused Dublin to lose its bid, despite a late rally by the city getting behind the proposed team. This year, with the city already behind him, Mr Bodell has been able to work on more pressing needs, like finding a stadium, GM and a coach.

Since he already owns the Dublin Bar Brawlers, the struggling, but very young and promising basketball team, and heads the school board of DUBA, home of the Oktoberfests, Mr Bodell has vowed to build a brand new complex to house all three teams if he wins the bid for a baseball team. Sponsors were lining up in hopes to add their name to the new complex, which is expected to become the most cutting edge complex in the world. While the initial leaders where the expected Guinness, Jameson, and Bushmills brands, a dark horse, the Scottish beer company Harviestoun, won the rights. The name they are proposing is Ola Dubh, after their beer which is aged in whiskey casks and a favorite of the locals. While the initial frame work for the stadium is done, they aren't proceeding before they know if baseball is coming.

As for a GM, Mr Bodell wanted someone with Irish ties, but also an understanding of American culture, where a majority of the other teams play. The decision was made rather quickly, bringing in Spicy McHaggis to lead the team. He was made famous by the band he was part of, the Drop Kick Murphy's, who had a very popular song called “The Spicy McHaggis Jig.” Mr Bodell was able to pry him away from the band to chase his lifelong dream of running a sports team. When asked why he was chosen, especially with no experience, he responded “Have you ever lived in Boston? You automatically know more than every professional sports person just by drinking the water.”

As for the coach, again the decision was made to go with someone with no baseball experience, but plenty of sports experience, and a fiery disposition. The man tabbed to lead the proposed team is none other than the famous John McEnroe. This reporter, smart enough to know not to approach him and question his pedigree for the job, sent an intern. As I watched him propose the question, out of know where Jonny Mac whips out a tennis racket and beats the poor intern down with it. At least we know players wont be getting out of line.

As for a team name? Well Mr Bodell seems set on it, but judging by his response, its not set in stone. “As of now, the teams name will be the Dublin Four Leaf Clovers, however I completely reserve the right to irrationally change the name to anything at anytime.”

Well there you have it, a second chance at a baseball team. This report hopes this works out, because these kind of articles take up too much of my drinking time.

-Jameson McStout
-The Chaser

2009 EHCC Champions

2009-10-08T23:56:00.006-04:00

The Bridgewater Weasels are the 2009 EHCC Champions! Championship series MVP Ryan Howard and GM Nastra Diggus celebrate the Weasels first championship in the teams history.

Fired!

2009-09-23T12:27:00.002-04:00

After 4 years on the job, Quebec City has let go of an icon.

Quebec City, CAN – The Quebec City Piglets announced today that Manager Brian Fantana has been fired after four seasons on the job.

“It is with a heavy heart that I deliver this news,” QC General Manager Pat Renaud said in a statement released this morning. “Brian Fantana is a good man, with an amazing mustache and a fashion sense to die for. Unfortunately, we as an organization simply need more than rugged good looks and assorted plaid blazers. We need championships. Mr. Fantana has failed to deliver that, and so we’ll try and find someone who will.”

Renaud was quick to point out that Fantana is a great manager, and certainly has a way with the ladies, but that regular season results can only take you so far.
“We love winning the Western Division every year, obviously” Renaud went on to say. “But I’d trade every last one of them to get our name on that plaque. You have to prioritize.”

Fantana had a bit of a checkered tenure as manager of the Piglets. Under his leadership the Piglets won the Western Division in 2007, 2008, and 2009. However, in his first year in 2006, the Piglets did not win the Western Division, the only time in their history since divisions were implemented that the Piglets have failed to do so. He led the Piglets to their first championship game appearance in 2007, where they were beaten by the 6th seeded Arlington Warriors, a team they’d beaten 10-0 only 4 weeks prior.

Inconsistency was a hallmark of the Fantana Piglets, and in the end his undoing. While the team dominated for a good part of the 2008 regular season, the team collapsed following the All-Star break, losing 4 of their last 9 games, including an 8-2 shellacking at the hands of division rival and lottery team Tokyo in week 18. The collapse proved untimely, as the Piglets would miss out on a bye by 0.5 games, leading to another first-round exit to Weymouth.

Despite a record-setting pitching staff in 2008, the Piglets pitchers all imploded in the first round of that season, costing the team what many thought to be their best shot at a title to that point. Much of the blame fell to pitching coach James Westfall, but Fantana refused to acknowledge his right hand man’s complicity in the collapse, and came into 2009 with his staff largely intact.

After dominating the entire 2009 season, the Piglets again collapsed in the playoffs. This time, it was the offense’s turn to sputter, as the team managed just 8 hits and 3 runs over the first two days, with no RBIs, or Homeruns, essentially punting 40% of the team’s potential points only two days into the contest. As the week went on and the pitching continued the losing trend, it became clear that something needed to give in Canada.

Brian Fantana could not be reached for comment.

“The guy was an icon,” team MVP Tim Lincecum said. “But they’re not too forgiving up here. You need results, or you can expect to get your walking papers.”

Lincecum’s words hang ominously over the Piglets going into the offseason. Renaud has never been afraid to shake things up, and it would seem as if the firing of Fantana is just the first step in what could be wholesale changes to the Piglets roster and managerial staff.

While Renaud has yet to name a replacement, there are many worthy candidates both inside and outside the organization. It is not yet clear if Fantana’s staff will be going with him, but inside sources say pitching coach James Westfall and team physician Dr. Kenneth Noisewater are as good as gone. Meanwhile, the same sources indicate that Bench coach Champ Kind and hitting coach Roy Hobbs appear to have the inside track to be the new manager.

Other sources, however, indicate that Renaud may just clean house entirely and start fresh. Either way, it’s sure to be a cold winter in Canada. Again.

Tale of Two Seasons

2009-09-22T11:41:00.013-04:00

Bridge H2O Today
By: Stevie Miller

Fifth time a charm? Bridgewater finds themselves in there fifth, yes fifth, championship series in the EHCC. It was a long and strange road to get to this point, much different than the prior year.

In the 2008 season, the Weasels dominated out of the gate, not losing a series until week 19 against Peoria. They ended up 16-3-3 that season and clinched a number one seed, first round bye in the playoffs. In the playoffs, the Weasels took down their Rakeville rivals and found themselves in the championship where they would go on and get demolished by the unstoppable Doggs. Another year, another loss in the championships.

Bridgewater’s supremacy in 2008 was long forgotten when the 09 season started. The Weasels looked like an old weak team from the get go. In the first half of the season, they went 4-6-1 getting blown out in the losses and barley sliding by in the wins. Injuries were a big part of it, but it just didn’t seem like the team had their pizzazz anymore. It seemed that the Weasels were going to miss out on the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. “It was embarrassing how we were playing, I was about to fake an injury just so I wouldn’t have to deal with this crap anymore” said Jimmy Rollins.

Owner Nastra Diggus didn’t think so highly of the team as well. Coming upon the approaching trade deadline, Diggus had some ideas and was thinking of blowing up the team. “I was thinking for the future, I didn’t think we were going to go anywhere this year and we were getting old, so I was thinking young” Diggus said. Bridgewater, which most of the core players have been together for awhile now, thought about cleaning house much like Rakeville did.

When the second half of the season started Bridgewater started looking at some younger players to trade for. That wasn’t the only thing they were doing though, they were also winning. In the first 3 games of the second half, Bridgewater won 7-3, 7-3, 9-0. There was hope again and the trade talks turned to whispers. The next week though QC came through and knocked the Weasels back down (lost 3-7) and brought the blowing up the team conversation back in. In week 16, the Weasels were on the outside looking in at the playoffs and had the trade deadline looming. “I really thought I was going to dismantle this team and start fresh, something we’re not accustomed to here” said Diggus.

By the end of the week the decision had to be made, and the team made if for Diggus. By the deadline the Weasels were crushing Weymouth and had a great shot at making the playoffs. Diggus decided he would make a run at the playoffs instead. And they did, not losing a single series from there on out and ended up going 8-1-2 in the second half of the season, scoring 7 points or more in those 8 wins. Not only did they get into the playoffs, they got the 5^th seed and almost snagged a bye for the eastern conference. “This team is filled with professionals who never give up, especially if you back is against the wall. I was just glad the rest of my team finally stepped up like I’ve been doing all year” said Weasels pitcher Chris Carpenter.

Last year the Weasels cruised into the playoffs without lifting a finger, in 2009 they had to claw and scratch their way in, with both stories ending the same way….championship series. The Weasels hope this years story turns out a little bit better than last years.

2009 PEORIA CARDINALS POSTSEASON MEDIA GUIDE

2009-09-14T17:19:00.004-04:00

Peoria Cardinals Media Relations Department has released its first ever Postseason Media Guide. The Cardinals are set to take on the Golden Gryphons in 2009 EHCC Semifinals.

2009-08-31T15:51:00.004-04:00

PEORIA CARDINALS CLINCH FIRST EVER PLAYOFF BERTH!!

Rickey On Rickey

2009-08-04T18:06:00.006-04:00

The EHCC will be making a few important decisions this off-season, including a vote on the league commissioner at the 2010 Winter Meeting. With Ellis Burks' term coming to an end he is expected to run for re-election, while a new face is entering his hat into the ring for consideration - Rickey Henderson.

Rickey on Rickey
By: Rickey Henderson

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rickey [Henderson] the other day to pick his brain on the EHCC and his plans to run for commissioner.

Rickey: Thanks for taking the time to sit down with me. I know your life has been hectic as of late, with the Hall Of Fame inductions, having your number retired in Oakland, and signing autographs at root beer float socials.

Rickey: It's a pleasure to sit down with you. It really takes the stress level down a notch from my every day activities.

Rickey: You've been so busy in the MLB - playing for 9 different major league teams, coached 1st base for the New York Mets (along with being Jose Reyes' special base stealing coach), hold several MLB records, a two time MLB World Series winner, 10 time MLB All-Star, and are now a MLB Hall of Famer. Why continue your career in a rival league such as the EHCC?

Rickey: As I've said in the past, I've always wanted to be around the game. That's something that's in my blood. I said that in 2007, and it fits well now. I have the opportunity here in the EHCC to really make my mark, even more so than I did as a player.

Rickey: What kind of mark are you looking to make?

Rickey: I'm a big proponent of the divisions in the EHCC. I was a fan of the decision to start really using them in the 2009 season, even if it wasn't to the degree I'd like them used in the future. There needs to be a better way of creating rivalries and getting the fans more involved, and an unbalanced schedule based on the divisions would be a good way to start that. That will be one of the big things I'll push for.

Rickey: Are there any aspects of the EHCC you'd like to see expanded?

Rickey: There's one main area that comes to mind - I'd love to expand the league itself to 14 teams. Branching off to new markets would really help promote the league and the other teams already involved. It will bring out more competition and really start to separate those dedicated to winning from those, well, not so dedicated.

Rickey: What else would you push as commissioner?

Rickey: I'd like to see a waiver-like trading period, like in the MLB. A time after the trade deadline where teams could send players on informal trade waivers in order to get a trade done after the deadline.

Rickey: Are there are changes that Burks made while commissioner that you agree with?

Rickey: I'm a fan of the roster moves limitations placed on teams on a weekly basis, as well as the rule that doesn't allow recently drafted/signed minor league players to be drafted in the MiDraft until following season. It gives teams a good chance to study the players and know what they're getting with their picks, rather than gambling on a young player with a well known name.

Rickey: Once again, thanks for taking the time to sit down with me. Is there anything else my readers should know about your campaign before I let you go?

Rickey: I should make sure it is clear that I think Ellis Burks has done a wonderful job while in office. Moving forward I just believe Ellis has put a lot more on his plate than he should have to deal with. I've moved away from my previous, though I still keep in touch and occasionally help out with past endeavors, I've got a lot more free time to dedicate to the EHCC it seems. Ellis deserves a break.

Peoria Free Press: A First For the Cardinals

2009-07-16T13:18:00.013-04:00

3.5 Seasons Later, Peoria Makes It's First Ever Minor League Draft Pick

For years, the front office staff in Peoria has used the All-Star break as an opportunity to plan family trips, interview for new careers, or simply bum around in their pajamas for three days. Heading into this season's all-star break it looked to be another opportunity for the Cardinals to save on the office's electric bill and take a few days off. Then, out of nowhere, GM Dave Grubb started blowing up the phone lines, taking an odd interest in jumping into the 2009 Minor League Draft process. But why??

I was able to catch up to the GM of the Cardinals this afternoon and asked him that very question. "Well, we have never really been fully content with our EHCC roster, so in the past it made sense to try and trade out of the Minor League Draft and acquire young talent that was a gaurantee. We took over an absolutely abismal team when we bought out the Plymouth Bells and are just now getting to a point where we feel we can compete on the field AND now start to think about how we can grow talent down on the farm for success in the future. When I took over for this franchise, I made it clear that winning at the big league level was top priority. I believe we have our finest team in the history of this franchise blossoming in Peoria, and it is about time we start to turn the Cyclones into a franchise to be proud of as well", stated the GM.

While it was widely known that the Cardinals were in discussions with several teams in hopes to move up high enough to draft C Buster Posey, the team seems more than happy with the addition of SP Jeremy Hellickson. Scouts around the league were slow to warm to Hellickson because of his smaller stature (6'1, 185 lbs), but the Cardinals believe this 22 year-old righty has a big future on their staff. In 2008, Hellickson ranked 2nd in all of the minor leagues with an 8.1 K/BB ration, while racking up 162 K's while walking only 20, in 152 innings. Thus far, Hellickson has backed up his 2008 numbers with just as impressive 2009 numbers (through 44 innings he has racked up 53 K's, with an ERA of 2.45).

After making his first ever minor league selection, GM Dave Grubb felt so excited over it he turned around and made another trade to acquire Greg Halman. Halman, a virtual unknown is seen more of a project than a prospect. With great power and speed, the question on Halman is if he will ever develop enough play discipline and contact to ever make his mark on the Peoria club. After posting a 29 HR, 33 SB campaign in 08, Halman has followed up with a Double-Eh leading 20 HR in the first half of 2009. If the team can get this guy to increase his contact and decrease his K's, he could end up patrolling the OF in Peoria with fellow youngsters Jay Bruce and Matt Kemp for years to come.

Nobody can question the approach the Cardinals have taken. Over the past 3.5 years, fans have seen the team go from the laughing stock of the league, to a legitamite playoff contender as we head down the stretch in 2009. It looks as though the team is finally beginning phase 2 in turning Peoria into a quality franchise from top to bottom that can eventually compete with the likes of Quebec City and Las Vegas. Stay tuned folks.

Peoria Free Press, May 2009

2009-05-24T16:23:00.008-04:00

After a disappointing start to the 2009 season, the Cardinals are starting to show signs of life, led by their top draft pick Raul Ibanez.

Raul Ibanez - "Who's Laughing Now?"
By: Rey Bringo

It was EHCC Draft Day 2009, and to nobody's surprise youngsters were flying off the board in the first round. The Peoria Cardinals, lacking a first round pick in the draft, had set their sites on improving the ball club immediately. With a very young nucleus to the EHCC squad, GM Dave Grubb felt as though 2009 was the year that the Cards would finally break into postseason baseball.

The Cardinals, the only team not represented at this years Draft Headquarters, were forced to draft from the war room within their park, the Keystone Bird Cage. All along, the team had Raul Ibanez at the top of their wishlist going into the draft. When the 17th pick finally came around, and it was time for Peoria to make their first selection, the Cardinals wasted no time relaying their pick and wildly celebrating throughout the room that their guy had lasted through the first 16 picks. While Peoria was elated with their pick, it was later leaked that their confidence in Ibanez was not echoed throughout the league.

According to media sources at the draft, "all the other owners had a good laugh when Peoria chose Ibanez as their top choice in the 09 draft." Word of this disrespect wasted no time getting back to the Peoria front office and Raul Ibanez. "That's fine", said the slugger. "To be quite honest with you, I feel like Peoria is the perfect fit for me. There was absolutely no way I would have moved to Mexico, wanted to start fresh with the team in Carolina, or played for a team whose owner is more or less non-existent like the team in Arlington. The Cardinals have improved tremendously over the last few years and I am the missing link to get us over the hump", said Ibanez.

So far, so good for the left handed cleanup hitter. To date, Ibanez leads in 2 out of 3 triple crown categories. He is first in HR (17), average (.352), and only trails by one in RBI (43). Not too bad for somebody skipped by 16 other picks and then mocked for his selection. Not only is Ibanez a sure All-Star starter thus far, but he also has to be the top choice for MVP so far this season.

While the 2009 campaign has been a disappointment for the Cardinals as a whole, Ibanez has added a spark in the lineup and a veteran presence in the clubhouse to keep the young Cardinal players hungry and ready to play everyday. After a disastrous start to the season, it seems as though this years Peoria squad is starting to turn it on and look poised to making a run for the playoffs throughout the summer.

Week 7 Fact or Fiction

2009-05-15T15:49:00.003-04:00

Will Week 9 feature a battle of undefeated teams? Will Winston-Salem get the monkey off their backs? Does Tokyo still suck? Pedro Gammo and Jayson Snark give you the answers in between shots of patron...okay, Jager. But they're drunk, and that's what matters.

1.) QC and LV will meet in week 9; both undefeated

Gammo – FACT

At this rate, the Doggs won’t make it past week 6 undefeated, but something tells me they’ll come back. Both the Doggs and Piglets have a pretty easy road ahead of them leading up to their anticipated match up in week 9. Vegas faces off against Tokyo and Peoria, both teams currently at .500 or lower, while Quebec has Arlington and Tijuana, who sit in last place in their respective divisions. These two teams seemed destined to face off in the finals this year, but knowing the history of both (LV not being able to win back-to-back championships and QC choking in the playoffs), no one will be surprised if it doesn’t happen.

Snark – FICTION

The Doggs must be chewing on a bone, because they’re choking this week. While our friendly neighborhood flu-carriers to the North should roll into the Week 9 showdown with an 8 game unbeaten streak, the Doggs will get stopped in their tracks by division rival Weymouth. The scrappy Shaddypoo are putting together another strong team, once again led by battle-tested veteran Johan Santana and his band of merry poos. While some of these pitchers are pitching way over their heads (I’m looking at you, Zach Duke) and will eventually come crashing back to Earth, it won’t be this week. And even if Las Vegas does pull off a miracle comeback win, things don’t get much easier after that with Tokyo in Week 7 (who ever thought we’d be typing those words?), another squad with a vastly improved pitching staff. Look for the Pups to have dropped one or two matches before the much-anticipated matchup in the desert.

2.) The WEST is actually better than the EAST this year

Gammo – FACT

With Rakeville, Arlington, and Peoria all falling further than their respective goals, the East has really taken a hit. It’s really early to say, but as of now the West has shown to be more durable with just 13 players on the DL within the division to the East’s 18, which will go a long way through a long season. As a division, they’ve racked up 17 more wins than the East, playing mostly against Eastern Division opponents. Even with Las Vegas’ current winning streak, Quebec City sits in the top 2 of every offensive category, with Golden in the top 4 in 4 out of 5. My prediction: of the 6 playoff teams, 3 will be from the West this year, along with teams 7 and 8. Remember, they did win the 2008 EHCC All Star game after all, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

Snark – FACT

These things happen when you’re not paying close attention. While the fat cats in the East were resting on their championship laurels, the West was getting hungrier and hungrier for a title, and making moves designed to make it happen. Rakeville and Bridgewater are getting old and complacent, Arlington won a title and then decided to blow the franchise up and is now arguably the worst team in the league, and Peoria has never been a playoff contender and doesn’t appear poised to start now. Only Las Vegas and Weymouth continued to make moves designed to keep their franchises in contention, and as such, the East is suddenly looking like that guy at the gym who only works out his upper body—top heavy and a little bloated.

3.) It's already time for Rakeville to start panicking and thinking about 2010 and beyond

Gammo – FICTION

It’s fun to say it is, but really when it comes down to it Rakeville still has a very competitive team. Will they win a championship this year? Probably not. Then again, they couldn’t win a championship when they were good either. Rumors out of Rockets’ camp is that the team may be planning a small “fire sale” in the coming weeks ahead if the team continues to dip due to injuries and poor play. I just can’t see this continuing the rest of the season. BJ Upton should turn things around, and Josh Beckett will follow suit. The issue the Rockets have is with their DH David Ortiz on offense and their three minor league pitchers taking up roster spots in their bullpen. They refuse to cut anyone to bring up All Star catcher Joe Mauer, including out of work starter and captain Pedro Martinez, who they’ve kept around as “inspiration” to their young pitchers. Some rumblings around the league feel as though keeping a talent like Mauer on their DL when he’s obviously healthy and ready to produce is a type of tanking, but it may be too early in the season to make that an issue. With the right management, this team can still make the playoffs. They will be getting Manny back in July after all.

Snark – FACT

Right now, Rakeville is a disgrace. Their best player is a steroid user who hasn’t played in over a week, they have arguably the best catcher in the league, putting up an insane line of .455 avg., 10 Runs, 4 Homeruns, and 14 RBIs in just over a week of action, although no one in Rakeville would know it, because GM Jack Reed is too lazy or foolish to put him into the starting lineup, preferring to leave the position vacant. However, that’s not a big deal since so few of Rakeville’s pitches make it past the batter anyway. Their pitching staff is dead last in the EHCC with an ERA of 5.12 and a WHIP of 1.54, both far and away the worst in the league; 7 pitchers on the roster have ERAs of worse than 5.00, and that includes #1 starter Josh Beckett. Meanwhile, upset over last season’s firing of manager Tom Seaver, team captain Pedro Martinez has organized a revolt against interim manager Justin Fuller, refusing to take the mound for the Rockets this season, and getting other young players to follow his lead. Since being drafted by Rakeville in March, prospect Neftali Feliz has also refused to take the mound. The impressionable youngster was unhappy with his contract and all-too eager to take up Martinez’s cause. Since then, young pitchers Dana Eveland, James McDonald, and David Purcey, as well as star OF Manny Ramirez have all joined in the protest, practically daring Reed to trade or cut one or all of them. Reed has found himself in a deadly game of chicken that has led to his team’s rapid descent from one of the EHCC’s elite to a borderline playoff contender that isn’t even as good as their crappy record indicates. Someone should point out to Reed that when nobody flinches in a game of chicken, the cars crash head-on and everyone dies. And sometimes there are explosions. Big ones. It’s awesome. Well, to everyone but the people trapped in the cars screaming for help, but it’s not coming, because of the aforementioned fire and twisted metal. So they die.

That was a metaphor, but Rakeville really does suck.

4.) Zack Grienke will lead the Green Monsters to their first playoff series victory

Gammo – FICTION

Cliff Lee couldn’t do it for the Cardinals in ‘08, and Grienke won’t be able to do it for the Monsters in ‘09. Winston-Salen currently sits 6 games above .500, 3rd in the West, 4th overall. They’ve actually lost every other matchup they‘ve had this season, but blew away their competition in their 2 wins (9-1 and 7-3 respectively), which is keeping them afloat this long. Grienke may not be their only shining star in the rotation, with Justin Verlander and Erik Bedard showing signs of past glory, an area they once struggled in seems to have become their strong point. The issue is that they currently sit in the bottom half of every statistical category except stolen bases, which with the help of Carl Crawford’s 22 stolen bases this season thus far, currently lead all of the EHCC by a considerable margin. Hell, Crawford would be beating 5 EHCC teams by himself thus far. But it just won’t be enough. Their pitching, as much as it’s improved, won’t be able to hold together all season, and unless they can find some extra firepower on offense, the Monsters will fall short once again, perhaps even missing the playoffs, opening up the door for either Tokyo, Rakeville, or Bridgewater to sneak in from behind.

Snark – FACT

And the reason is because it’s not just Zack Greinke leading the way. The Green Monster pitching staff is vastly improved this year, with the continuing maturation of Greinke and the addition of two bona-fide studs to join him at the top in Cole Hamels and Justin Verlander. After a slow start, both pitchers have turned it on in recent weeks, with Verlander being especially dominant. In addition to leading all EHCC pitchers in Ks, Verlander’s 69 strikeouts also lead the league in juvenile clubhouse laughter (you see, if you look closely, the number 69 sort of looks like a man and a woman doing naughty…well, you can pick up a pamphlet for further explanation. Suffice to say, it’s hilarious). With Erik Bedard once again flashing the form that made him one of the best pitchers in the EHCC two years ago, and potential studs in Rich Harden and Francisco Liriano, Winston-Salem’s pitching staff is nothing to sneeze at. Unless you have something in your nose, in which case, feel free to sneeze, but just understand that you’re not doing it at Winston-Salem’s pitching staff. It’s just a coincidence.

5.) Tokyo, currently at .500 and in 6th place, will FINALLY make the EHCC playoffs

Gammo – FACT

Tokyo, a long awaited addition to the EHCC playoffs, should finally make the needed push to break into the season end’s top 6. They’ve had arguably one of the toughest schedules this season thus far, and should be able to gain some ground in the middle of the season when they face off against South Carolina, Tijuana, & Peoria in Weeks 10-12. Their pitching staff is arguably the best in the EHCC, as they stand in the top 3 in every category except wins (5th) and their offense is coming together with Nick Markakis leading the way. They may need to add a bat or two at some point this season to make any type of push in the playoffs once they’re there, but this team has come a long way since entering the league in 2005, and should finally jump their first major hurdle in 2009.

Snark – FICTION

They still suck.

Micromanaging in Mexico

2009-05-12T19:12:00.009-04:00

The Tijuana Hispanics currently roster 18 offensive players on their 25 man roster. That's 2 full line-ups. How is field manager Zachary Waddicor and team captain Brian Roberts dealing with the situation? And how is the strategy working out for these Mexican misfits?

Micromanaging In Mexico
By Max Powers; EhSPN

The Tijuana Hispanics dedicated their entire 2008 second half to testing out their new bullpen heavy strategy. They crushed some weekly records and started some debate in the process. After the 2009 EHCC MaDraft, the Hispanics again showed they were staying with their closer-heavy strategy by not selecting a starting pitcher until the middle of the 6th round (Doug Davis). In all, the Hispanics drafted 3 pitchers (all starters); none of which currently stand on their roster. The other 12 picks made by GM Peter Kantor were offensive additions, ranging from rookie Dexter Fowler to veteran JD Drew.

Entering Week 6, the Hispanics have 18 offensive players (at least 2 at each position except catcher) and 7 active pitchers, only one of which is a starter (Glen Perkins). Tijuana also has three starting pitchers currently on the DL (Kelvim Escobar, Shaun Marcum, and Noah Lowry) - all of which are expected to be dealt when healthy.

This type of roster has its advantages - the team can easily scrimmage for practice (though this has not been showing up on game days). The negative, besides the obvious strain this puts on their starting pitching staff, is that it has become very stressful for field manager Zachary Waddicor.

"It's a lose-lose situation really. No matter who I put in each game there's going to be someone on the bench that would have done it better. It takes a lot of micro-managing and there's a lot of criticism coming from all angles, no matter what I do," Waddicor told reporters.

A lot of critics say that GM Kantor decided to put Waddicor in the situation in order allow himself to start looking for a new field manager. Since the Hispanics haven't made the playoffs since moving from Texas to Mexico, Waddicor has yet to make himself "untouchable", and many think that putting Waddicor in this situation is the easiest way to for Kantor to bring in a new manager without a lot of Mexican media backlash.

"It's really too bad. We all really like coach in the clubhouse. He always brings in bottled water and filtered beer, two necessities when you play down here [Mexico]," said team captain Brian Roberts, one of the few offensive Hispanics that plays every day.

"He gets really stressed before every game," says veteran Mike Lowell, "he's got guys coming in his office before every game begging him for some playing time. There's only so much he can do."

"In some aspects it's a nice luxury," Waddicor told EhSPN, "I'll always know we'll have a full line up on days our opponents won't and I get to rest guys whenever they get tired, knowing I have a bench guy to take their spot. It's not going to completely do away with the possible injury bug, but it helps."

--------------------------------------------

How exactly has Waddicor fared since the start of the 2009 season? Let's go over the numbers - through week 5 of the 2009 season Tijuana starting line ups have logged just 277 more at bats than their bench players and have only scored 25 more times and batted in only 23 more runs, while actually stealing 13 LESS bases and hitting almost ten points lower.

Need more numbers? Probably not, but since I wasted my afternoon doing the research I'm going to tell you anyway - Tijuana starters score a run every 7.3 at bats to the bench players every 6.5; bat in a run every 7.7 at bats to the bench's 6.9; steal a base every 45.4 at bats to the bench's 21.9, and get a hit every 3.9 at bats to the bench's 3.8. The only area in which the starters have the bench beat is home runs, where they hit one every 32 at bats to the bench's 35.3.

If we theoretically gave the Tijuana bench players an extra 277 at bats they would have produced the following fantasy line for the Hispanics: 167/31/158/50/.263 - compared to the line the starters have put up in the same 1089 at bats: 149/34/142/24/.254

In Week 4 the Tijuana bench actually would have BEATEN the starters in total production and would have tied them in Week 1, regardless of the fact that they tallied an average of 55 less at bats each week.

Micromanaging might not be Waddicor's strong suit, but with a roster of 18 bats there's not too many that would be free of the critics and cynics.

DL Train Slams into Bridgewater

2009-05-01T12:38:00.007-04:00

Bridge H2O Today
By: Stevie Miller
The Weasels have been off to a rocky start in the 2009 season, but why? Some say that are just too old now, some think they are just not playing well, and others just think they suck and have always sucked. Whatever the case may be, you can't help but notice a majority of their good players are riding the pine on the DL.

The disable list is no stranger to Bridgewater. But this year it seems to hit extra hard for the Weasels. The Weasels now have 6 players on that list (8 players all together from the season opening roster) which has obviously affected the team. Coming into spring training the Weasels knew they would be without Starter Tim Hudson (Tommy John Surgery) for most of the year. Little did they know that they would be hit with a barrage of injuries. During spring training, Alex Rodriguez had a labrum tear in his hip and would have to get surgery. Bitch Tits was the anchor of the Weasels lineup and with Lance Berkman not playing the outfield anymore due to contract restrictions and Jimmy Rollins using a stick for a bat apparently, the lineup looks lost without their little juice monkey. A couple other big losses came before the season started. Ace John Lackey went down with a strained forearm and the Weasels all time saves leader Trevor Hoffman hit the DL, probably because of Alzheimer’s.

And once the season started, it did not get any better for the Weasels. Injuries plagued thru the pitching rotation. Scott Lewis and Jesse Litsch were the first to go down, and were later cut. The return of Chris Carpenter was spectacular while it lasted. Carpenter realized he was finally helping out the team so he had to change that right away. Bridgewater was actually happy to see BJ Ryan and Chien-Ming Wang to hit the DL as they were just awful when they pitched. So instead of having a pretty good rotation consisting of Lackey, Hudson, Carpenter, Wang, and Wandy Rodriguez, the Weasels were left with a pretty weak scrap heap of players off the wavier wire. When Dallas Braden and Scott Richmond are your top pitchers, you know you’re in trouble. Above that, both all-star Nate McLouth and Derrek Lee have been in and out of the lineup with injuries as well.

But the tide may be turning in Weaseland. Hoffman is now back and already producing, Arod could be back as early as next week, Lackey could be back in two weeks, and Carpenter is quitting his chewing tobacco habit. With a clean bill of health and a clean mouth, the Weasels could get back as a top power team in this league.

Fantasy Name Game - Crawford or Kemp?

2009-03-11T14:04:00.005-04:00

Due to lack of content, I took some time to provide a fantasy baseball article that I wrote earlier this year for another site.. Hope you enjoy! More EHCC related stories to come in-season....

So I’m at work on a Monday morning, and I’m posed with this question… from my boss… Matt Kemp or Carl Crawford? My Boss is in a keeper-league as well, but with only 4 keepers. His last guy to keep is Crawford. It took me a while to dissect my answer, and try to see through my man-crush on Kemp, but let’s take a minute to breakdown the comparison:

Crawford – entering his 27 year.
Career highs (.315 average, 18 HRs, 81 RBIs, 104 runs, 59 SBs).
Biggest Fantasy Strength – Stolen bases.
Biggest Fantasy Weakness – Declining games totals. Never has had that “breakout” year. Doesn’t walk enough to score a ton of runs.
ADP (2009) – 30.

Kemp – turning 25 in September 2009.
Career highs (.342 average – 300 ABs, 18 HRs, 76 RBIs, 93 runs, 35 SBs).
Biggest Fantasy Strength – Potential 5-category player.
Biggest Fantasy Weakness – Only one full season under belt. Isn’t great at anything.
ADP (2009) – 39.

So the debate continues when you look into the potential lineups for Tampa and L.A… With Tampa, they have the power to back up Crawford (see: Pena, Longoria, Burrell, Upton). But, Crawford had a similar lineup last year, got injured, and didn’t post numbers that impressive before the injury. Is he a slap hitter? Is he capable of breaking out? Or has he peaked already?

In L.A., you struggle to find where Kemp should fit. Is he the leadoff guy? Is he a middle of the lineup guy? Joe Torre juggled around the lineup a lot last year to see what fit. Until Manny came along… Kemp and Russell Martin where no longer required to swing for fences. If the Dodgers can re-sign Ramirez, that opens everything up for Kemp to have a fantastic fantasy season. (edit: Manny has since signed with LA).

Personally, I’d go with Kemp. I feel like Crawford “is who we thought he was”. With Kemp, the sky is the limit with his swing and speed. I also have a man-crush on Mr. Kemp… Feel free to discuss or post your view.

Austin seals deal with Myrtle Beach

2008-11-20T09:03:00.008-05:00

Myrtle Beach, SC - Alliteration aside, Marketing Mastermind Matt Austin has closed a deal that buys a large piece of land in Myrtle Beach to construct a minor league facility for his potential professional fantasy baseball club, The South Carolina Fighting Wrens.

The deal comes on the heels of the debut of the SCFW logo/merchandise earlier this week (already producing major cash flows). Myrtle Beach government officials called the deal "a great partnership for Mr. Austin and the community of Myrtle Beach".

The new minor league team, called the Myrtle Beach Tourists, would start operation in December if Austin's proposal to the EHCC Commissioner is approved. With both of Austin's other fantasy teams (South Carolina Rebels, Twin City Tech Red Raiders) in first place, Myrtle Beach hopes his EHCC minor league squad can draw mass appeal and add value to an already booming tourist attraction.

With rising stars such as David Price, Billy Rowell, Josh Vitters, and Austin Jackson already in the fold, Austin believes that "these are the building blocks than can make us a successful team for years. I'm not sure you guys realize this, but a move here - a move there - and we can compete in this thing". Austin's optimism obviously resonates with county officials, as they were all smiles at the Thursday mid-morning press conference.

Rome Liberty Daily....Difficult Entry

2008-11-17T16:55:00.005-05:00

In a recent interview with Sarah Graiman of EhSPN Michael Knight let us the readers into the difficult process of being accepted into the EHCC.

He claims the application process began simply by having a winning and profitable franchise in another well known league. He says "The Rome Spartans have always been a contender, anywhere we have gone we have succeeded and that tradition was a huge benefit for us in attempting to enter this league" Mr Knight continued by going into detail about the comissioner of the league and his resume running great leagues. "The EHCC is posed to be the top Professionsal baseball league and looks to continue growing exponentially over the next few years."

The next part of the process was even more strenuous then the first. Knight commented on each of the talented organizations attempting to join and how each has more then the qualifications to bring a championship to their respective organizations.

All throughout this interview Mr. Knight was focused and extremely intent both on me and his job at hand. Most of all he wanted me to know that this town and especially me will be seeing and hearing from him alot more in the coming months.

Fighting Wrens unveil Logo

2008-11-17T16:12:00.003-05:00

Charleston, SC - Local Marketing leader Matt Austin held a press conference today to unveil the logo for his pro fantasy baseball team, the South Carolina Fighting Wrens. The logo, based on the SC state flag, was designed by Mr. Austin himself using a high tech device called MS Paint.

Droves of excited fans crowded the Austin Convention Center, where the team headquarters is located. Team merchandise is already on sale, with T-Shirts priced at $15, and hats at $18. SCFW flip flops are also on sale for $8.

Austin hopes his pitch to bring an EHCC team to the Palmetto State is successful, as he has completed the 2nd survey stage of the evaluation. Stay tuned for future updates.

2008-11-08T15:33:00.003-05:00

Jameson McStout here, the boss pulled me away from my pint to write about a developing story in our sports world. Whispers of a potential baseball franchise are getting around faster than a floozie after a fifth of whiskey. For a city without any sports teams just two years ago, it’s becoming a very real possibility that a third franchise is on the way. The DUBA Oktoberfests, Dublin’s first team, in only its second season sits alone atop the standing in football (the silly American football, tell me again why they wear pads?). While the basketball team, the Bar Brawlers, are struggling to start the year after making the playoffs in the sport’s inaugural season.

Why, then, a baseball franchise? To find these answers, I wanted to hear what the people had to say. So where is the best place to find out what the locals think about the possibility of baseball coming to their city? The Pub of course. Here are a few of the juicer responses:

“I watch the Americans in the stands, they get to drink, curse and yell at people. What Irishman doesn’t love to do these things?”

“It will never replace cricket. What’s better than the bowler throwing a googly?”

“Men in tights? A bunch of sissies if you ask me”

“Baseball is a great way to generate revenue for the city, build tourism, and put Dublin on the sports world map. It will create thousands of new jobs, new marketing and advertising capabilities, and stimulate the local businesses and economy.”

That last quote, while that kind of intelligent talk is not welcome in the Pub and the gentleman who made it was promptly removed, does fairly well to sum up why this move would be good for the city of Dublin. Even with the relatively new sports scene, the city is screaming for more, and you might not find a better time to start a baseball franchise in Dublin.

The city is so serious about its bid that not only does it have a proposed name for the team, the Nutty Irishmen, but work is being done it Scotland for a location of a possible minor league affiliate. Rumors are swirling that a name has been proposed for that team too, the Scottish Highlanders. That’s all I could find for now, I’ll report anything new, after I finish my pint.

-Jameson McStout
-The Chaser

Roman Liberty Times : Is the League ready for Kutter and the Spartans?

2008-11-07T17:31:00.005-05:00

With the recent news of the contraction of the Santo Domingo White Devils. The EHCC is posed for the addition of a new professional organization. The Rome Spartan’s are starting the process to become the newest member of the EHCC. With new owner/president Maximus Kutter and General Manager Michael Knight looking to break into the league in a big way.
In the past few seasons Maximus has shown interested in purchasing a team as well as joining this well known league. He finally found the funding because of the great success of his Coliseum style female mud wrestling tournaments. Who knew that crowds would gather in such masses to watch women get covered in mud and wrestle. Surely Maximus has able to create a great product with that and that’s what he assures his fans that he will put on the field each and every day.
They are already in the planning stages of building their home stadium, which will be aptly named Kutter Coliseum. Maximus said of his new stadium and project

“The Spartans will be a Championship Organization and they deserve to compete in a stadium of such caliber. My coliseum will be crafted of the finest materials and all fans, from the most wealthy to the common man, will have a seat that makes the feel like an emperor for a day”

Kutter sounds like a man with a plan and from what I have seen and heard from him, he intends to take this challenge and new league by storm. No one should under estimate what he will do. And once part of the EHCC no team will sleep on the Spartans.

Charleston Journal: If you build it.....

2008-11-06T08:19:00.009-05:00

Charleston, SC- Local Marketing Guru, Matt Austin, has announced that he plans to bring yet another professional fantasy team to the great state of South Carolina. With his South Carolina Rebels EHBA expansion basketball team out to a hot start, local and county authorities have fully supported Austin's plans to bring a second pro team to the area.

When asked about the potential sale of the Santo Domingo White Devils franchise to Mr. Austin, South Carolina native Pokey Reese took time away from being MIA at the Hawaii Winter league to say, "Dat wood be off da hoooook!". Austin plans to build an illustrious stadium in downtown Charleston, aptly named "Joe Jackson Park", after the great Shoeless Joe Jackson, a son of South Carolina. When we caught up with Ray Liotta, who played Shoeless Joe in Field of Dreams, all he could say was "If you build it, they will come".... Dynamite drop-in Ray!

Austin's plan for the team also includes naming the club the South Carolina Fighting Wrens. As many of you know, the Wren is South Carolina's state bird. In true Austin fashion, he adds local touch to gain support and awareness of his new franchise (i.e.: South Carolina Rebels, TCT Raiders). Mr. Austin is currently in talks with EHCC commissioner Ellis Burks regarding the purchase of the franchise. With three other cities interested, including two European teams (who wants to make the Tijuana to Europe road trip???), Austin knows that a lot of work needs to be done before the November 24th deadline.

The Charleston Metro area fully-supports this team, with a rally being held before the Rebels/Bar Brawlers game on Friday night at Fort Sumter. The SC fans are confident this team can bring the success that Austin's other pro fantasy teams have had in Project-EH.

Baseball Tri-Weekly: October Cover 2008

2008-09-30T07:41:00.005-04:00

EHSPN: One Sided Affair

2008-09-21T22:46:00.012-04:00

As the first week of this year's EHCC Championship Series unfolded, fans - on both sides - are wringing their wrists. The score (7-3), which puts Las Vegas at a clear advantage heading into the second and final week of play, has Weasels fans nervous while keeping Doggs fans in anticipation.

One Sided Affair
By Max Powers; EHSPN

The home field advantage that the Bridgewater Weasels earned by just a half game over the Doggs has yet to aid the regular season champ in the 2008 EHCC Championship Series. The Weasels have yet to lead at any point during the series, trailing by as much as 8-2 at one point to the two time champion Doggs. The Doggs, who have not lost in Bridgewater since Week 8 of 2005, and have an overall record of 5-2 at The Concrete Jungle, have been impressive all week, putting up powerful numbers in all aspects of the game.

"We're just putting everything together as a team. When one of us struggles one day, someone else picks up the pace," says starting shortstop Jose Reyes. Reyes may have been referring to his hot start this week when he started 8 for 24 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R, and 2 SB while teammate David Wright struggled going just 5 for his first 27. On Sunday Reyes went 0 for 5, while Wright went 2 for 3 with a 2 run homerun, while scoring 3 runs on the day.

"We all know we're going to have to pick each other up at some point so no one gets down on themselves when they struggle," commented Wright after Sunday's performance.

On the other side, Weasels fans have to be worried about the play from EHCC All-Star Lance Berkman, who has recorded only two hits during the first week of play.

"Luckily I have guys like Ryan [Howard] and a Derek [Lee] around me to pick up my slack, but I know I'm going to have to perform the way everyone expects me to next week if we want a chance to win this thing," Berkman told reporters after going 1 for 4 on Sunday, "Believe me, no one wants this more than I do. This is my fourth trip here [the finals], I really don't want to leave empty handed again."

Unofrtunatly for Berkman, and the Weasels, Derek Lee's hot bat may be out of the line up spratically in the coming week. Lee, along with Doggs' hitters Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, has reportedly come down with a very rare sickness. It is said to come and go randomly, without warning. Each of the three players have been listed as day-to-day, and could miss playing time at any point this week, depending on team doctors' recommendation one hour before game time. All three players sat out play this past Sunday and it is unknown when, or if, they will play again this season.

"It's really fustrating. Yesterday I felt fine. Today I could barely move. Right now I feel great. Who knows what I'll be like tomorrow," Ramirez told reporters regarding his current condition.

For most of Week 1, pitching has been a pretty lopsided afair, with Doggs starters dominating the mound. Going into Sunday play only three Weasels starters had an ERA of 3.00 or lower. Three starters actually had ERA's over 14.00 and WHIP's over 2.00. This was far from what GM Nastra Diggus was hoping for.

"We're better than this, and I think our pitching on Sunday will show that," Diggus told EHSPN prior to Sunday play.

Bridgewater pitchers John Lackey and Jamie Moyers went on to prove Diggus right, combining for 12 innings of work, 20 strikeouts, 2 wins, and just 1 earned run between them. Both pitchers were making up for a less than stellar performance earlier in the week.

"We were embarrased, simply put. We had to make up for the hole we helped dig for this team," said Moyer."

"Hopefully their performance on Sunday is a good sign of things to come this week and the rest of the staff will feel motivated by their success," GM Diggus said of his pitchers' Sunday performance, "It's the perfect set up. Everyone likes a big comeback."

Well, not everyone.

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Championship Series 2008

2008-09-17T19:49:00.003-04:00

Two days into the 2008 EHCC Championship Series. It’s a familiar time and place for the Las Vegas Doggs, in line to win yet another championship. The opposing Bridgewater Weasels are also familiar with success, consistently at the top of the regular season standings in the EHCC, but have yet to take that final step to immortality with a Championship Plaque. It is a shortcoming that continues to haunt them, having made it to the Championship three times and fallen short three times.

Regardless of past performance, this will be a great match, but one has to think the two time champions have the advantage. Not only does the team know how to finish a season, but the Doggs have been on a torrid pace for since really the twelfth week of the season, taking only one match loss since that time. Statistically, the Doggs also have an advantage, outpacing the Weasels in every SV, K, ERA, WHIP, HR, RBI, and SB for the season.

Speaking from experience however, the season line is not necessarily the best prognosticator of a team’s success, this became readily apparent as I guided the Arlington Warriors to their first championship last year, carried by a slew of players who stepped up when it counted. Success finds those with the hottest hand.

For Bridgewater players such as Ryan Howard, Alex Rodriguez, Andre Ethier, and Jimmy Rollins on offense as well as John Lackey, Chris Carpenter, Jon Garland, and Jonathan Sanchez on the staff will need to assume such roles. These names played a big part of getting the Weasels this far. Other stars will have to out-produce their recent performances however. In last week’s match up with Rakeville, 1B Derrek Lee contributed a line of 2R, 0HR, 4RBI, 0SB and a .167AVG. He’s shown signs early in this series of fulfilling expectations and the Weasels hope he’s ready to go on a tear. For On the hill? Yet to pitch in this series, but a long-standing ace, Mike Mussina has had a rough week, tossing five innings but failing to provide a win and leaving with a 9.00 ERA, and 2.00 WHIP: not the stuff champions are made of.

In Las Vegas, we see such stars as David Wright, Albert Pujols, and Mark Buehrle rising to the occasion over the last week, but also more non-contributors. Where are Adam Dunn, Brad Hawpe, Oliver Perez, and Roy Halladay? They need to find the stuff that marked them as league stars before a third parade hits the streets of Las Vegas.

The Championship Round is the most nerve wracking experience for a team manager, drawing each to spend more than their already exhaustive time on their team. Every performance is analyzed, match ups are considered, and each change in lead excruciatingly painful or overwhelmingly joyous. The best advice I could offer on a successful week would be to watch the match ups, and consider those categories your team is most likely to win. Pick and choose those battles, weigh whether gains in cumulative stats are worth potential sacrifices in those important averages: batting average, but especially earned run average and walk/hits per inning pitch.

Best of luck to both Las Vegas and Bridgewater, this will be a great series to follow!

P.S. Can’t leave without a prediction: it’ll be Las Vegas by a 6-4 margin.

By Matt Skinner, GM Arlington Warriors

Five EHCC Quick Facts

2008-09-17T12:45:00.006-04:00

1.) This is both Las Vegas' and Bridgewater's 4th EHCC Finals appearance. Bridgewater lost to Weymouth three times (2001, 2003, and 2005). Las Vegas lost to Weymouth once (2002), and then went on to beat Weymouth (2004) and Golden (2006) once each.

2.) Las Vegas and Bridgewater are tied 1-1 in their all-time playoff match ups. Las Vegas beat Bridgewater in 2002 in the semi-final round, while the Weasels (then named the Bellingham Hawks) beat the Doggs in the 2001 semi-final round. Both team went on to lose to Weymouth in their respective EHCC finals.

3.) Only the Weymouth Shaddupu and the Arlington Warriors failed to produce a EHCC Player of the Week during the 2008 season.

4.) Since the introduction of the two divisions in the EHCC, Quebec City has won 4 of the 5 Western Division division championships, but has only made the EHCC finals once (losing in 2007 to Arlington). In the Eastern Division, only Rakeville and Las Vegas have taken home division championship honors: Las Vegas three times (2004, 2006, 2007) and Rakeville twice (2005, 2008).

5.) A Western Division team has never won the EHCC title. The division has only had a representatives in 2 finals (GLD-2006, and QC-2007).

Facts compiled by EHCC Historian Barry Larkin

Rakeville Times: Not hot enough

2008-09-16T03:04:00.005-04:00

Rakeville's Joe Mauer dives to tag a sliding Weasel at home plate but comes up short. The run turned out to be the winner as Bridgewater edges past the Rockets and into the championship series.

Not hot enough
By Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

Bridgewater’s juggernaut offense just couldn’t be controlled as the underdog Rockets fell once again in the semi-finals of the playoffs, losing to the top-seeded Weasels 6-4.

Rakeville entered the final day down 7-3, and a series of solid pitching performances helped close the gap, but wasn’t enough to hold off an unyielding Bridgewater attack. They combined for an amazing 11 runs, three homeruns and 12 RBIs on the final day to lift them to the championship game against Las Vegas.

“We felt so good heading into the playoffs this year,” said Pitcher Roy Oswalt, who provided three career performances in the first two rounds this season. “Sure, no one expected us to win against Bridgewater, but we knew we could if we just played hard. We’d done it all season. I’m so disappointed.”

Critics said they didn’t do enough to solidify their pitching staff at the trade deadline, but after winning the bulk of pitching categories in both matchups, that criticism was clearly off.

“We knew our pitching staff was struggling earlier in the season, but I saw the talent there,” said Rakeville General Manager Jack Reed. “We needed to be patient with the guys we had and we were. Roy (Oswalt) and Josh (Beckett) were brilliant for us the last two weeks. I’m very proud of them, and I’m very proud of our team. It is hard to go through a change of managers and turn it around to win the division. There is a lot we have to look at heading into next season, but we still have a group of players that can win a championship.”

Offense will surely be a focus of the team this offseason. Despite a deadline deal to bring in Manny Ramirez, the Rockets still couldn’t hit well enough to take a single category in the semifinals. Between injuries and ineptitude, the team needs to figure out who is going to deliver Rakeville to the EHCC finals.

“We walked the line this year trying to find the best balance of future potential and present-day product,” said Reed. “Our window remains small, so we are going to do all we can to win a championship for this city.”

Of course, that quest will begin anew next season as the players rode back to the stadium this afternoon.

“They’re still my heroes,” said Tommy Shepard, a young fan who was waiting outside of Reed Field for the team bus. “Yeah, they always lose. My mom said it is O.K. to lose. She said it builds character.”

“You’re mom’s a fucking idiot,” said a drunken fan standing next to him.

Clearly, the pain of another playoff loss will carry us all through the offseason.

Reno Weekly Rag: Weekend War

2008-09-12T13:07:00.018-04:00

The Doggs/Shaddupu match up is too close to call heading into the final 3 days. The Doggs will be missing Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez from their line up for 2 days, with Coco Crisp, Jim Thome, and Mike Lowell taking their place. So with the game on the line, why have the Doggs decided to go without a live back stop during that time?

Weekend War
By Conor Intabedd; Reno Weekly Rag

The Doggs may be winning, but no one on the team feels like they've won. The 2nd round match up against the 6th seeded Weymouth Shaddupu has proved to be a bit more troublesome than most players, and fans, would have expected. The Doggs currently lead by a score of 5-4 thanks to a late night save by closer Kerry Wood, who has recorded the Doggs' only two saves of the week, and a early afternoon home run by outfielder Brad Hawpe.

"It's been a dismal campaign this week," so says Thursday pitcher Matt Cain, who lasted just 3.1 innings in yesterday's appearance. Cain relieved starter Ben Sheets, who went 6 innings, but allowed 5 earned runs on 9 hits and 3 walks, digging the Doggs in a ERA and WHIP hole they aren't expected to climb out of by the end of the week.

The Doggs' offense really isn't putting much together either, at least not by regular season standards. "The only positive thing we have to take away from this week so far, and the main thing keeping us alive is that Weymouth isn't doing too much at the plate either. As poorly as our rotation has been this week, they've done enough to keep their power at bay," commented Doggs' first baseman Albert Pujols.

The Doggs will be missing a few players for first few days of the weekend, as outfielder Alfonso Soriano, designated hitter Aramis Ramirez, and closer Kerry Wood have been trapped in their homes by Hurricane Ike. The Doggs also lost out on free agent starter Jason Marquis, who Las Vegas had been forced to drop due to his inability to start on Friday. The Doggs signed outfielder Coco Crisp and designated hitters Jim Thome and Mike Lowell to day-by-day contracts to fill in the voids left by the two missing sluggers. Matt Harrison and Bartolo Colon have been signed to hourly wages to spot start for Vegas this weekend.

"We are hoping that by signing them to hourly wages that they will last longer than some of our other starters have this week. We need them to come away with a win, and that just can't happen if they aren't pitching at least 5 innings," said GM Howe Doggs regarding the hourly wage contracts of Colon and Harrison.

The Doggs have designated catcher Nick Hundley and reliever Dan Wheeler for assignment. Both players are expected to decline the assignment, and look for work elsewhere once they clear waivers. In the mean time, the Doggs are expected to finish off the weekend without a back stop and down two closers, with Wheeler being waived and Wood missing from action. A strategy many are skeptical about going into the final days of such a tight match up.

"There are so many close categories, and though I understand Wins is one of them, saves is just as important. I'm nervous that this might come back to bite us come Sunday," long time fans and season ticket holder Chris Paul commented.

"We're really going to have to work hard this weekend. With no catcher we're just going to have to strike everyone out so that no one gets on base. If we let anyone get on base we'll lose steals for sure," said Saturday starter Joe Blanton.

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Other EHCC notes:

--Over on the East coast, Rakeville currently trails number 1 seeded Bridgewater 3-6. Most categories are close heading into the final three days. Bridgewater has 5 scheduled starters to Rakeville's 4.

--The Doggs were supposedly making phone calls to Byrd's home at 12:01 am (Pacific time), just after his waiver period had supposedly ended, only to get his voicemail stating that he was still on waivers. Doggs' brass decided to settle on signing starter Bartolo Colon instead and then headed to bed, only to awaken to the news that Byrd had signed with rival Weymouth. Byrd is schedule to pitch against Las Vegas on Saturday, while Colon is scheduled to make an appearance for the Doggs on the same day.

--The Doggs' line up isn't the only one affected by Hurricane Ike. The Weasels will be without sluggers Derek Lee and Lance Berkman for two days. Good news and bad news for Bridgewater fans, as Lee is a dismal 2 for 14 against Rakeville this week, while Berkman is 5 for 12, with 5 RBI and 4 runs scored this week thus far.