Geoghegan Series Preview: Brooklyn vs Jacksonville
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2018 10:17 am
It's that time of the year once again. The marathon is over and it's a sprint to the finish. First team to 15 wins claims the Landis title. Unless you're one of the bye teams, then you only need 12. But that's for another preview. Here, we are handicapping the early rounds, the Geoghegan Series. Let's first take a look at the matchup between the Brooklyn Robins and the Jacksonville Hurricanes.
Brooklyn Robins
After a 7 year layoff, the Brooklyn Robins return to the post-season. Since 2027, their last time in the post-season, the Robins have fluttered around the .500 mark nearly every season before last season's dropoff of just 68 wins. So a nice turn around by by Alan's bunch to go from 68 wins to the post-season. The Robins franchise is looking for its 3rd Landis title (1 was when the franchise was in Baltimore) and its first title since 2026.
Jacksonville Hurricanes
Tyler's Jacksonville squad enters the Geoghegan round as the lone division winner stuck playing in the opening round. Mexico City edged the Hurricanes out for the bye in the final sim of the season, forcing the Hurricanes to play their way through round 1. Jacksonville is making its 7th consecutive trip to the post-season and is looking to capture its 3rd Landis Title in a 5 year stretch.
The Offenses
The Robins offense relied heavily on base hits, getting on base, and then swiping some bases to score runs. Despite ranking 10th or worse in several categories, the 4th most hits and the 3rd most SB in the Johnson League led them to rank 7th overall in runs scored. Cisco Guerrero (.333/.393/.555, 34 HR, 109 RBI) and Mario Balderas (.286/.340/.492, 33 HR, 111 RBI) will have to have a huge series to help the Robins offense in the series. Chris Workman (.267/.387/.417, 12 HR, 38 RBI) and Tony Gustafsen (.258/.287/.345, 4 HR, 42 RBI) need to get on base and set the table for the offense and let their legs do the work. The two combined for 91 stolen bases this season.
The Hurricanes are a modern day offense. A lot of homeruns. A lot of strikeouts. The Hurricanes ranked 4th in the JL in total homeruns but struckout the most in the league. Tyler didn't mind the latter obviously as his Jacksonville squad scored the 2nd most runs in the league in 2035. They were led by the typical cast of characters, but no one says Hurricanes offense like David Noboru (.314/.350/.605, 49 HR, 133 RBI). The slugging 3B hit 40 homeruns and drove in 100 RBI for the 4th consecutive season. And at the young age of just 25, he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Norris Rutledge (.287/.355/.515, 28 HR, 89 RBI) had a down season by his own comparison but look at his post-season past! He'll look to add to his 13 post-season homeruns in 2035 by helping the Hurricanes go deep into the post-season.
Advantage: Jacksonvnille
The Pitching
Pitching will be Brooklyn's strong point. Despite having a starting staff that ranked 8th in ERA, the staff as a whole ranked pretty well everywhere else and actually ranked 4th in runs allowed this season. Walks really plagued the Robins as a whole as they allowed the 13th most in the Johnson League this season. Juan Hernandez (14 - 6, 3.69 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 115 K) will likely get the ball in games 1, unless Brooklyn tries something out of the box to try and take down the Hurricanes. They'll need a a starter to come up big early in the series with Francisco Ruiz (11 - 9, 3.57 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 187 K) missing the post-season after shoulder inflamation late in the season will sideline him until 2036.
The Hurricanes pitching is average at best. Other than Starters ERA and walks Allowed, they ranked in the bottom half of all other pitching stats. These two teams may be mirror opposites of one another. The Hurricanes had 3 double digit win starters and could probably go with any one of them to start game 1. Like Brooklyn, the Hurricanes likely number 1 starter Jose Cavazos (16 - 6, 3.61 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 116 K) will miss the whole post-season, sidelined with a torn flexor tendon. Jacksonville will likely favor either southpaw in their rotation, going with both Mario Gonzalez (12 - 12, 4.17 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 96 K) and Jose Carlos Soliz (14 - 9, 4.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 153 K) early in the series.
Advantage: Slight to Brooklyn
Head to Head
Brooklyn won the season series 5-4
Jacksvonille was very good at home this season while Brooklyn is another team that has shown they can win outside of New York on the road. I think it could be very important for the Robins to steal a game early if they want a shot at winning this series
Advantage: Slight to Brooklyn
The Prediction
If teams were at full strength for this series I think it's an easy pick. But neither team is coming into this one at 100%. I menionted the pitching problems both teams have, but not mentioned is how Reece Wareham (.301/.387/.577, 32 HR, 66 RBI) and his 5.0 WAR will also miss the entire post-season for the Hurricanes. Tim McKee (.275/.326/.525, 2 HR, 4 RBI) is a solid backup but not a guy you'd like to count on going into the post-season. Wareham missed all of September and the Hurricanes went 10-14 for the month, their worst stretch all season. Perhaps they felt good about their chances and let up. Or perhaps the injuries mean more than they'd like. Meanwhile Brooklyn is rolling in hot and ready. They won out in a dogfight with several other JL teams for that final spot.
With all of that said, I'm going Hurricanes in 4. I know Brooklyn has the advantages in some things above but I just see Jacksonville taking teh series. If the Robins steal game 1 they might be able to pull off the upset. But I think the Hurricanes are the better team and that'll prevail in the end. If everyone was healthy, I'd give Jax the series in a sweep.
Brooklyn Robins
After a 7 year layoff, the Brooklyn Robins return to the post-season. Since 2027, their last time in the post-season, the Robins have fluttered around the .500 mark nearly every season before last season's dropoff of just 68 wins. So a nice turn around by by Alan's bunch to go from 68 wins to the post-season. The Robins franchise is looking for its 3rd Landis title (1 was when the franchise was in Baltimore) and its first title since 2026.
Jacksonville Hurricanes
Tyler's Jacksonville squad enters the Geoghegan round as the lone division winner stuck playing in the opening round. Mexico City edged the Hurricanes out for the bye in the final sim of the season, forcing the Hurricanes to play their way through round 1. Jacksonville is making its 7th consecutive trip to the post-season and is looking to capture its 3rd Landis Title in a 5 year stretch.
The Offenses
The Robins offense relied heavily on base hits, getting on base, and then swiping some bases to score runs. Despite ranking 10th or worse in several categories, the 4th most hits and the 3rd most SB in the Johnson League led them to rank 7th overall in runs scored. Cisco Guerrero (.333/.393/.555, 34 HR, 109 RBI) and Mario Balderas (.286/.340/.492, 33 HR, 111 RBI) will have to have a huge series to help the Robins offense in the series. Chris Workman (.267/.387/.417, 12 HR, 38 RBI) and Tony Gustafsen (.258/.287/.345, 4 HR, 42 RBI) need to get on base and set the table for the offense and let their legs do the work. The two combined for 91 stolen bases this season.
The Hurricanes are a modern day offense. A lot of homeruns. A lot of strikeouts. The Hurricanes ranked 4th in the JL in total homeruns but struckout the most in the league. Tyler didn't mind the latter obviously as his Jacksonville squad scored the 2nd most runs in the league in 2035. They were led by the typical cast of characters, but no one says Hurricanes offense like David Noboru (.314/.350/.605, 49 HR, 133 RBI). The slugging 3B hit 40 homeruns and drove in 100 RBI for the 4th consecutive season. And at the young age of just 25, he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Norris Rutledge (.287/.355/.515, 28 HR, 89 RBI) had a down season by his own comparison but look at his post-season past! He'll look to add to his 13 post-season homeruns in 2035 by helping the Hurricanes go deep into the post-season.
Advantage: Jacksonvnille
The Pitching
Pitching will be Brooklyn's strong point. Despite having a starting staff that ranked 8th in ERA, the staff as a whole ranked pretty well everywhere else and actually ranked 4th in runs allowed this season. Walks really plagued the Robins as a whole as they allowed the 13th most in the Johnson League this season. Juan Hernandez (14 - 6, 3.69 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 115 K) will likely get the ball in games 1, unless Brooklyn tries something out of the box to try and take down the Hurricanes. They'll need a a starter to come up big early in the series with Francisco Ruiz (11 - 9, 3.57 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 187 K) missing the post-season after shoulder inflamation late in the season will sideline him until 2036.
The Hurricanes pitching is average at best. Other than Starters ERA and walks Allowed, they ranked in the bottom half of all other pitching stats. These two teams may be mirror opposites of one another. The Hurricanes had 3 double digit win starters and could probably go with any one of them to start game 1. Like Brooklyn, the Hurricanes likely number 1 starter Jose Cavazos (16 - 6, 3.61 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 116 K) will miss the whole post-season, sidelined with a torn flexor tendon. Jacksonville will likely favor either southpaw in their rotation, going with both Mario Gonzalez (12 - 12, 4.17 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 96 K) and Jose Carlos Soliz (14 - 9, 4.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 153 K) early in the series.
Advantage: Slight to Brooklyn
Head to Head
Brooklyn won the season series 5-4
Jacksvonille was very good at home this season while Brooklyn is another team that has shown they can win outside of New York on the road. I think it could be very important for the Robins to steal a game early if they want a shot at winning this series
Advantage: Slight to Brooklyn
The Prediction
If teams were at full strength for this series I think it's an easy pick. But neither team is coming into this one at 100%. I menionted the pitching problems both teams have, but not mentioned is how Reece Wareham (.301/.387/.577, 32 HR, 66 RBI) and his 5.0 WAR will also miss the entire post-season for the Hurricanes. Tim McKee (.275/.326/.525, 2 HR, 4 RBI) is a solid backup but not a guy you'd like to count on going into the post-season. Wareham missed all of September and the Hurricanes went 10-14 for the month, their worst stretch all season. Perhaps they felt good about their chances and let up. Or perhaps the injuries mean more than they'd like. Meanwhile Brooklyn is rolling in hot and ready. They won out in a dogfight with several other JL teams for that final spot.
With all of that said, I'm going Hurricanes in 4. I know Brooklyn has the advantages in some things above but I just see Jacksonville taking teh series. If the Robins steal game 1 they might be able to pull off the upset. But I think the Hurricanes are the better team and that'll prevail in the end. If everyone was healthy, I'd give Jax the series in a sweep.