2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

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2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by lordtoffee » Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:57 pm

It's the most exciting round of the BBA playoffs. The reason for that is that the two divisional winners in each league come out to protect their home field advantage. In this playoff preview, we will be looking at the Doubleday series between the Calgary Pioneers and the Rockville Pikemen.

The Records:
Calgary (103-60, 2nd in the Frontier)
Rockville (99-63, Champions of the Atlantic)

How did they reach the Doubleday Series?
The Pioneers had to play in the Geoghegan round against the New Orleans Crawdads. After dropping the first game at the Stockyard, the series turned in Game 2. As the game went into extras, the fear of the Pioneers was that they were going to go down 0-2 and have to win two games in New Orleans to even get another home game. With the score knotted at 7 in the bottom of the 12th, leadoff hitter and sparkplug Chip Puckett drove in the game winning run with an RBI double. The Stockyard was rocking, and the Crawdads never recovered. Puckett's double play partner Jose Rios took the baton from there, and hit a couple of home runs in NOLA as the Pioneers survived and advanced to Rockville. Rios was named MVP for hitting .556 and hitting 3 homers.

The Pikemen got a bye as Atlantic champions, and have been resting up fully for the series start at Owen's Ordinary. The Pikemen clinched fairly comfortably and have had time to set their rotation up. This has proven to be a key advantage for the Pikemen over the past few years, as an underrated part of their success has been securing a bye from the Geoghegan round, and getting the home advantage.

How did they do against each other?
The Pioneers went 6-2 against the Pikemen, and I think that gives them an advantage. We all know that Rockville have been the dynastic team in the JL, and their core is experienced. Aaron Weiner is the Brian Cashman of the BBA. That is, he consistently makes the smart moves and knows how to add that extra bat or arm at the end of the bench, and uses his resources as well as any GM in the history of this league. On the other hand, Kevin Dickson has done a very good job this year, and is a GM that has had a lot of good drafts recently. What the advantage that Dickson has is that he built this team, and some of the players have had success in another league. Fort Lauderdale in the FPL has been a great team, consistently getting to the playoffs in that league. I'm not comparing the Landis playoffs to the FPL Showdown of Four, because there is no way to prepare for the Landis in the minors. But winning is a habit, and the Pioneers have enough steel from the FPL to give them a chance.

What will be the key game?
Game 2. I know that you are looking at me like I have plain lost my mind. The reason is that both Rockville and Calgary have been dominant at home all year, and it appears based on that that the Pikemen have the advantage since they get the extra home game. However, Calgary went on the road and won twice in New Orleans, and can draw on that experience. In my view, the first team to win on the road should take the series, and Game 2 is a must for the Pioneers if they want to give themselves some margin for error at the Stockade. The projected starters for Game 2 are Pierre Legrand for Calgary and Dan Cannon for Rockville.

Legrand came over in a midseason trade from the Long Beach Surfers. Legrand is no stranger to the postseason, having pitched for the Surfers in plenty of Landis games. He's a good choice to start a Game 2 on the road because he will not be overawed in the environment. Also, Legrand pitched well and will slot in nicely as he still has a few years left on his contract.

Moving onto Cannon, he would likely be the ace for most teams. Heck, I'd love to have him in the Hammers organization as a pitching coach. The guy has a very nasty curve and his Nebraska award means that he is someone who projects as a guy you want on the mound. Cannon is going to be well-rested, and he will pitch in Game 5 if needed due to Rockville looking like going with a 3 man rotation.

Who wins? Who is the series MVP?
I have the Pioneers in 6, with two of those wins coming in Rockville. It's nothing personal against the Pikemen, and this core for them will go down in history as one of the best that the BBA and UMEBA have ever seen. But the thing is that the Pikemen have played in so many games over the past half decade or so, and the Frontier has been such a meat grinder all year. The MVP will be Luis Palacios, and the reason is he will have the series of his life, and will leave his mark on the series.

Why are you writing this preview when you run the Hebrew Hammers and should be worrying about a Game 6 against the Impalers when you pulled a playoff run out of a hat?
Because I can, and I like to sing the praises of the fantastic jobs that Kevin and Aaron have done. Both these guys deserve your votes for GM of the Year.
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Re: 2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by shoeless.db » Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:12 pm

Great stuff.
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Re: 2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by jleddy » Mon Mar 02, 2020 10:22 pm

UMEBA GM or not, you can keep writing previews like this any time you want...loved it.
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Re: 2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by usnspecialist » Mon Mar 02, 2020 11:09 pm

jleddy wrote:
Mon Mar 02, 2020 10:22 pm
UMEBA GM or not, you can keep writing previews like this any time you want...loved it.
what joe said.
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Re: 2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by CTBrewCrew » Tue Mar 03, 2020 5:51 am

Looking forward to your article in the 2042 media guide 😄
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Re: 2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by aaronweiner » Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:15 am

You better believe I have not underrated this aspect of my run.

I agree this one's pretty much a coin flip despite my having home field, but if I make it back home I'd have to think I'm the favorite to win in 7.

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Re: 2041 Doubleday Preview: Calgary Pioneers vs. Rockville Pikemen

Post by crobillard » Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:33 pm

Really well done. This is an interesting series. I really want to go with Calgary, but Rockville in a three or four man rotation is difficult for anyone to beat. It'll be another good series.

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