Great News Bears 2037-5: When the Result Exceeds the Hype

[usnspecialist]

Going into the 2037 Doubleday series, there was a simultaneous feeling of deja vu and excitement surrounding the series between the San Fernando Bears and the California Crusaders. These two teams have clearly been the class of the Frick League ever since San Fernando joined in 2035 and they have engaged in epic 7 game battles in this exact same round the previous two years. In 2035 San Fernando came in wearing the Landis belt and promptly took a 3-1 series lead before California used their homefield advantage and superior pitching staff to rip the heart out of the Bears and their fans. The following year San Fernando upped the ante by taking a 3-0 series lead (again with California having home field), and the entire city had a collective sense of dread when the Crusaders roared back and forced a game 7 before Feliciano Rafael cemented his legacy as a big game ace by shutting them down in game 7.

All of this history set a backdrop for this year that was amped by San Fernando having arguably the greatest offense in the history of the BBA and the Crusaders having the greatest pitching staff. Throw in the fact that the two GMs are frequent media collaborators in addition to on-field rivals and there was a perfect storm that led to one of the most hotly contested series in recent memory. There would be no big comeback this year, as the teams never held more than a 1 game lead and each of the 7 games was hotly contested right to the bitter end. All told there were 3 extra inning games, 5 games decided by 1 run with another by 2 runs (and the 7th was tied going into the 9th before a San Fernando bullpen implosion), all culminating in California taking a lead in the 10th inning of game 7, but San Fernando had one more haymaker left in them and it came from the most unlikely source as backup 2B (and starting DH vs LHP) Tony Loftis sent the entire region into a state of delirium with a 2 run walkoff shot. It remains to be seen how much this series took out of the team and how it will impact them with the Edmonton Jackrabbits waiting in the wings, but whatever happens, nothing can diminish the mindblowing excitement that is the Bears/Crusaders rivalry.

[RonCo]

Two mega-teams in the same division is certainly fun to watch.