2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

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2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by neugey » Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:52 pm

As per the usual, we again celebrate the Halloween season with Monty Brewster Memorial championship baseball! For 2051, we are presented with a tasty matchup between the Johnson Champion New Orleans Crawdads and the Frick Champion Portland Lumberjacks. The newly dubbed POR-NO series will be family friendly and feature no nudity - unless a fleet-footed streaker is able to get on the field at either venue.

The last time the French Quarter experienced a championship parade for baseball was way back in 2019. The lone Hall of Fame inductee from that championship team (if my research is correct) is starting pitcher Manuel "Eyechart" Ramirez. The Crawdads brass says Ramirez will be in attendance at the home games of this series. New Orleans Saints and LSU legend Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu will throw out the ceremonial first pitch of game one.

Their counterpart, the Lumberjacks, are very happy to make the championship series in only their 12th year of operations. The BBA expanded in 2040, and Portland was one of the lucky cities awarded with a BBA franchise. The series will shift to The Trail in Multnomah Ballpark for Game 3, and NBA Blazers legend Damian Lillard will throw out the first pitch for the Lumberjacks.

How did these two teams survive the BBA grind and make it all the way to championship? Let's take a quick look.

The New Orleans Crawdads won 108 games and took the Johnson Atlantic Division by a comfortable 10 game margin. The 'Dads strength during the regular season was their pitching, which was the best statistically by many measures in the BBA. They have a fearsome foursome of playoff starters in Billy Kelly, Zak Johnson, Arthur Rogalski and Cristian Garcia. If that were not enough, dominant closer Renato Lacerda is only a phone call to the bullpen away. He saved 39 games during the regular season with a 1.13 WHIP and 145 ERA+. Lacerda even has championship experience, collecting a ring with Omaha in 2049.

In their last series against an impressive Mexico City squad, it wasn't really their pitching that ruled the day though. It was a very timely and potent offense, which actually managed to outhit the formidable Aztecs lineup 56-49. Series MVP Luis Estrada has been white hot with a .348 average and 1.099 OPS in the playoffs. That's quite an uptick from his .228 average and .746 OPS during the regular season. 3B Mal Fountain has also helped pace the 'Dads with 6 homers and 15 RBI's in this postseason run. New Orleans is 5-2 at home this postseason and will enjoy homefield advantage in this series with a 2-3-2 format.

The Portland Lumberjacks have been a dark horse, only winning 97 games in the regular season. They led the Frick in runs scored so offense has never been a problem. Their starting pitching was solid, good for 5th in the Frick, but their bullpen and defensive metrics ranked toward the bottom and likely cost the Lumberjacks numerous games. The Lumberjacks also love the homefield advantage, going 54-28 at home while barely managing to be above .500 on the road. They survived closely fought series against the Louisville Sluggers and Nashville Bluebirds in the playoffs, but had a more comfortable gentlemen's sweep versus the Yellow Springs Nine in the last round.

The Lumberjacks have leaned hard on starter Steve Warren, who has posted a 3.56 ERA and a 4-0 record in these playoffs. OF Jeffrey Smith won the MVP in the last series, and has 4 HR's and a .917 OPS in these playoffs. But the real offensive anchor has been 1B/DH Ernest McBride, who has driven in 24 RBI's with a 1.213 OPS in the post-season. The Lumberjacks are an incredible 8-1 at home in this post-season.

This is a very tough series to pick. The Crawdads starters look like the real deal. But the Lumberjacks' McBride has been a one-man wrecking crew. He put up 56 homers and 155 RBI's during the regular season, and has continued all that goodness and then some in the playoffs. Big offense has seemed to rule the day in this 2051 playoffs. Both teams have it. And I think this series will go the full 7 games. I'll pick New Orleans to come out on top, mainly because I trust their bullpen significantly more. Either way ... I think this series will be darn close and we should all be in for a big BBA Halloween treat.

Good luck to NOLA and Portland!
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by Jwalk100 » Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:16 pm

New Orleans in 7.
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by Dington » Mon Aug 08, 2022 11:18 pm

Good work. Portland in 6
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by lordtoffee » Mon Aug 08, 2022 11:26 pm

Great preview.
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by 7teen » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:42 am

Great job.... but you picked the series to go 3 games too far. New Orleans in the sweep! :coffee:

Perhaps one day I'll educate some of the new guys on the :coffee: emoji.
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by CTBrewCrew » Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:52 am

i saw it goes 7 games....Portison Lumberwolves prevail! looking forward to the stream tonight
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by lordtoffee » Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:12 pm

This is going to be a pretty good sim tonight.
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Re: 2051 M.B. Memorial: Your POR-NO Preview (It's Safe for Work!)

Post by 7teen » Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:20 pm

CTBrewCrew wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:52 am
i saw it goes 7 games....Portison Lumberwolves prevail! looking forward to the stream tonight
I could use Shimizu, Allende, Subandrio, and Stone for the Lumberwolves!. You have some other pitchers but my manager won't use them so I won't go crazy. haha

Hell, I could use Puckett, Kengos, Vanderhugen, and Wright from the 2004 series when I met Jim last.
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LB Surfers 95-96
FL Pac Champs: 95

Madison Wolves 99-2039
JL MW: 99-2009, 17, 20, 21
JL WC: 12
JL: 01, 04, 09, 12
FL Heartland: 32
FL WC: 31, 33
BBA Champs: 04, 09

Portland Lumberjacks 2040-
FL Pacific: 50
FL WC: 49, 51
FL Champs: 49, 51

Vic Caleca TN of the Year 2046

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