Suck It
(Two words six months in the making)
Well, Robin fans... we did it! It took 6 months, all 162 games, 90 victories, 16 starting pitchers, 7 bad trades, one head scratching free agent overpay, a 10 point fan interest penalty, and a poll that proved there was zero confidence in this Robins team. But we did it!
The date was September 29th. Brooklyn was wraping up a three game set with the Charm City Jimmies. The Robins had won 9 of thier last 11 games but still were in dire need of one more win to lock up the final playoff spot. The Montreal Blazers and Las Vegas Hustlers were charging hard. It was actual and symbolc. Those two teams could perhaps be defined as evil empires who have ruled the Johnson league over the better part of the last decade. It's even rumored that after John Callahan resigned from Montreal, that it may actaully be the same guy running both Vegas and Montreal.
Ryosei Akiyama took the hill for Brooklyn. Up untill two days ago, the lefty closer had never started a game. This would be his third stright start. Just another ploy in the always unusual arsenal of tactics of the Brooklyn Robins. With Francisco Ruiz out for the year, Brooklyn didn't know who to pitch in a "must win" game. The staff is about depth over elite players. So rather then relying on one guy, they would use an all hands on deck approach. Akiyama is probably the most talented of the bunch. More importantly though, Carlton Winson is Charm Cities #3 hitter. He is one of the most feared hitters in the game, but has some very heavy splits. Starting Akiyama ensured that 25% of Winsons at bats were against the pitcher cherry picked as the guy with the best chance of having success against the slugger(and only true threat in the CCJ lineup).
That aspect of the plan worked to success. Winson grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the first. But one small piece of strategy doesn't win a game. Leading off the first would be the guy who started that double play, William Belcham. Belcham was starting at 2B for only the second time this season. Having him start and bat leadoff seemed like a mistake. Certainly the Robins meant for Chris Workman to occupy that spot rather then a guy with a .267 OBP. But no, Jimmies starter Luis Manual Torres has pretty good control, but not very good stuff. The Robins played a hunch that Belcham, a better contact and avoid K guy woud be locked in on the soft tossing righty. Belcham went 3-4 on the day, scoring two runs.
All these awesome strategy choices almost went for naught. Heading into the bottom of the 7th, Brooklyn was still down 6-5. But a two out rally capped off by a Mario Balderas three run bomb gave Brooklyn the lead for good. with that, the celebration began.
It took no time at all to tarp off the players lockers in anticipation of the celebration. Assisting the Robins clubhouse staff were the 7 pitchers and 5 position players who had already played, been subbed out, and showered. Those 12 players got to pregame while the "b team" of defensive subs finished out the clincher.
As Oginga Coujoe struck out Paul Backstrom to end the game, the players rushed the field and the rare capacity crowd at Red Robin Park went crazy. The players then head into the clubhouse and were given t-shirts, hats and goggles. The t-shirts read..."2035 Johnson Wild Card Brooklyn Robins... suck it".
It was a crass t-shirt designed by GM Alan Ehlers with just an ever so slight touch of New York angst in it. The suck it creto is derived from an April Poll that asked which Johnson League team would still be leading the division in September. By definition, all 13 voters were correct. Mexico City ended up winning the Sunbelt and Brooklyn lost the Atlantic fair and square to the Rockville Pikeman. But to the Robins, this poll had nothing to do with either of those well deserved teams. They saw it as a statement that there was zero confidence that the Robins could hang with the big boys. Surely someone would have at least gave them a sympathy "hang with'em" vote. Nope, not one single poller thought the Robins had a chance.
The motto became a rallying cry for the team. It lit a fire under a bunch of underachievers and castoffs. Pulling them all together to work for a common goal. So as the t-shirt says.. you can all suck it! The 2035 Brooklyn Robins have made the playoffs.
