2039: The Path to Glory

[RonCo]

Or, the Way it All Ends?


So, here we are, three or so games to go after what has been nearly an entire season and we still have a lot left to decide. Oh, sure, there’s the divisions that have been settled. Rockville’s in, and New Orleans in the Johnson. San Fernando, and California are fighting for the top spot in the Pacific, but both are pretty comfortably in the post season, the same for Hawaii—though weirdness could still ensure for the Tropics, in which case their fans might just go jump into a volcano at this point. Yellow Springs and Calgary have locked down the top spots in their groups.

Like the Pacific, the Sunbelt isn’t done yet—though mostly their jostling for position rather than inclusion.

No, the interesting races as we move into the last three games of the season (or four) are for those last wild card slots. And in that way, the path is set for what could well be the perfect BBA ending to a season that has been perfectly whacky.

Follow along, all right.


GAME 163 COMING UP

I mean, this is actually possible and is not actually completely out of the realm of practical possibility.

In the Johnson, the path is clear: Nashville at 80 wins, is clearly motivated to prove The PLAN is real, and sweeps four games from the Sluggers in front of an emotional home crowd who gives their GM a standing ovation as he leaves the city (we’re not sure if that wasn’t because he’s leaving the city, but we’ll just leave that speculation sit). This will happen because Louisville is Louisville and pretty much deserves these kinds of ill turns. There also exists some rumors of tampering so Shaw can pick lower in the order, but no one can prove it, and if it actually happened everyone will say it’s just another of the foibles we have to accept by having a team in that kind of place.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville feels the pressure, dropping three games to a surging Charm City club, and both finishing with 84 wins to head into a game 163.


THE MAKINGS OF A QUAGMIRE

In the Frick, it’s more magical.

Valencia, with 81 wins, starts the sim at Long Beach (79 wins), dropping three 1-run games by scores of 9-8, 7-6, 12-11. Fans in Long Beach go crazy, while Stars gazers hit the bars. The Valencia team heads to Madison for a last gasp shot at a tie, wondering if this run of theirs will burn out and leave a streak of meteor dust across the California desert.

In the meantime, Omaha hosts Pacific leader San Fernando, who is coasting into the playoffs in injury protection mode. The disparity allows an Omaha sweep, leaving them at 81 wins—unfortunately s single win away from the playoff chase. Fans retreat into counseling session to purge memories of every 1-run loss they took.

Edmonton starts the sim at 80 wins, and plays three games in Vancouver. They take the first two, then stumble in game three when Vancouver’s little-used shortstop Zi-jing Lou pinch-hits in the bottom of the ninth and hits a three-run, walk-off homer in front of 150 fans to leave the Jackrabbits at 82 wins, tied with Long Beach.

Seattle, also starting at 80 wins, hosts Boise for their last three games. The blow the Spuds out in game one, then drop game two when Godzilla attacks and clubs a pair of homers. Game three is determined when an umpire call goes horribly wrong and the replay booth botches it just as well, but Storm fans are happy anyway as they win game #82, and, that’s right, wind up in a tie with Long Beach and Edmonton for that last wild card.

But, wait! There’s still Valencia playing that make-up game in Madison.

Which they arrive at too late to take batting practice but it doesn’t matter. One of the best offenses in the league bludgeons the Wolves into submission to join the 82- win club…sending the world into a spiraling vortex where the Johnson has a game 163, the Frick has the Surfers, Storm, Jackrabbits, and Stars in a 4-team playoff for the wild card.

OOTP proceeds to melt down.

The BBA shreds itself.

The world collapses into an apocalypse as bad as any old SF movie.

[usnspecialist]

I'm not resting any offensive guys, but pretty sure you won't see zeitler out there (if he is even scheduled to pitch).

[crobillard]

What’s insane is that this isn’t even that wacky and it might actually happen. Love it!

[sjshaw]

oh no I lost how terrible