September 24, 2063 — Gold Clinch Playoffs…But Don’t Pour the Champagne Just Yet
History has been made.
The drought is over.
The Johannesburg Gold are going to the playoffs.
Let that sentence breathe for a moment. No “if the math works.” No “if this team loses and that one ties and there’s a thunderstorm over Cape Town.” Just fact: the Gold have clinched. After four seasons of false starts, thin rosters, and September sadness, the Gold are going dancing. It took 156 games, a new GM, a rebuilt infield, and a surge powered by castoffs, call-ups, and the occasional ninth-inning miracle, but it’s done.
And yet, nobody’s celebrating.
Because this team knows what’s still at stake.
* * * * *
First Taste of October, But Eyes on a Banner
Sure, Sunday’s loss to Sao Paulo stung a bit, especially with Juan Garza giving up a bomb to Katsunan Hashimoto that felt like it might dent the scoreboard. But the only number that mattered by the end of the night was Sydney’s: 12–5 losers in Cairo.
That result handed the Gold a guaranteed playoff spot, the first in franchise history, with six games still left to play. But clinching a wild card was never the goal. Not this year. Not with the way this team has played in September. Not after the sweep of Sydney that turned the standings -- and this city -- on its head.
At 88–68, Johannesburg leads the AfSAmOc by three games. If they take care of business this week, they’ll do more than qualify...they’ll host. They’ll fly the division flag. They’ll play postseason baseball at the Golden Palace.
Now that would be worth celebrating.
* * * * *
The Sharks Showdown and the Sudden Spotlight
Last week’s Sydney series will be remembered for a long time, and not just because Johannesburg took two of three. It was how they did it.
There was the 12–10 chaos of Game Two, where Emilio Cordero hit two homers and Callum Montgomerie sent fans into a frenzy with a walk-off blast. There was the poise of Dima Rozinov, the glove (and bat) of Adam MacDonald, who, for the record, played a slick first base in Sunday’s finale, and the steady hand of manager Alberto Sanchez, who seems to have this team peaking at just the right time.
And Juan Anaya? Still hitting. Still running. Still proving that second chances can lead to playoff baseball.
This team isn’t flashy. They’re not perfect. But they are stubborn, opportunistic, and riding just enough magic to make you believe.
* * * * *
The Week Ahead: Finish the Job
Six games to go. Three more against the pesky Pilots. Three against the Sao Paulo who would love to create some season-ending chaos.
The Gold need just four wins to clinch the division outright. They could do it sooner, of course, depending on what Sydney does in their final series. But don’t count on help. The Gold have come too far to scoreboard-watch now.
This is their moment. Their city. Their postseason.
Let’s see if they close the loop.
-JVW
