September 30, 2063 — Paint the Town Gold: Division Clinched, Sydney Awaits
Say it loud. Say it slowly. Say it with a little disbelief if you must.
The Johannesburg Gold are division champions.
That’s not some preseason fever dream or a wild stretch run fantasy. It’s fact. After four years of swirling mediocrity, rebuild rhetoric, and blown-up depth charts, the Gold went 93–69 and punched their ticket as GBC AfSAmOc kings. Sydney never caught them. Cairo never scared them. And the Brisas? They were the final guests at the coronation party.
And now, for the first time ever, playoff baseball is coming to the Golden Palace.
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How the Crown Was Won
It happened quietly, almost too quietly for a moment this big. On September 27, in front of a home crowd that could smell history in the air, the Gold rode the backs of Kiminobu Seki and a lockdown bullpen to blank Buenos Aires, 2–0, in a tense, masterclass of a win.
Fittingly, it was Juan Anaya, the poster boy of this storybook season, who cracked the game open with an RBI double. Callum Montgomerie followed with a clean single, and just like that, the game, the division, and the future felt firmly in Johannesburg’s grip.
Since then, the Gold have added style points. James Belinda overcame blister issues to smash two home runs on Friday. Adam MacDonald homered again in the season finale while Jeff Bannon dazzled, delivering the club's third shutout in just five days.
And if you’re keeping track, that’s a 6–1 final homestand. No slouching into October here. They’re hot. They’re hungry. And they’re done playing for participation ribbons.
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Dawe Gets His Due
Before the final game, the team announced a well-earned extension: Max Dawe, one of the league’s steadiest starters, will return in 2064 on a one-year, $7.5M deal. He finishes the regular season 11–8 with a 4.15 ERA and enough grit to power a freight train. The Canadian righty led the league with 35 starts, often pitching on short rest during the middle of the year while the Johannesburg rotation was in flux. As postseason matchups go, he’s not just dependable, he’s essential.
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The Sydney Rematch: It’s On
And now, it begins. A best-of-seven. Gold vs Sharks. Johannesburg (93–69) vs Sydney (87–75). The series opens at Golden Palace with Games 1 and 2 on October 1 and 2. Then it’s off to Blacktown International Sportspark for Games 3 and 4. If needed, the final three games return to Johannesburg.
These two teams met 33 times in the regular season. The Gold edged the series, 18–15, but nearly every game felt like a coin flip. Power, speed, guts, and late-inning chaos are all on the menu. It's going to be must-watch stuff.
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Mail Bag: Ask Jakob
What’s been the biggest difference between this Gold team and past years? -Mo in Durban
In a word: belief. They don’t flinch. Not down five. Not in the ninth. Not after a bad series. They trust each other, and that’s scarier than any ERA stat.
Who’s the unsung hero of the regular season? -Ali in Dubai
Tough call, but I’ll go with Emilio Cordero. Doesn’t always grab the headlines, but the guy is a menace in the box: timely homers, smart base running, and elite corner defense, all from a midseason call-up rookie. When the spotlight shines elsewhere, he keeps showing up in the box score.
Who’s the Game 1 playoff starter? -Tanya in Pretoria
The team hasn’t said yet, but smart money’s on Seki, followed by Dawe. Bridges could be the Game 3 option in Sydney. Bannon, Torres, bin Shareef, Marcha...everyone will have a role.
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Final Thoughts: This Isn’t the Same Old Gold
It bears repeating: this isn’t just about a postseason berth. This is about transformation. A team once known for fifth-place finishes and deadline selloffs now boasts a Pitcher of the Year candidate, a few dark horse MVP candidates, a reliable closer, and one of the best defenses in the GBC.
It’s not just the wins. It’s how they’re winning. Late. Loud. Clutch. Together.
This team doesn’t walk onto the playoff stage like happy-to-be-here tourists. They walk in like they belong. And starting October 1, we find out how far they can go.
-Jakob
