Ass-First 2053 Doubleday Preview: Bluebirds vs Cyclones (Best of 7)

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Ass-First 2053 Doubleday Preview: Bluebirds vs Cyclones (Best of 7)

Post by neugey » Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:15 pm

Bustin' Their Ass: It took 4 games for the Bluebirds to dispatch Valencia. Helmet Grun showed some of the hitting that made him a GBC phenom, contributing a 2-run homer to help Nashville advance. SP Manuel Garcia was the only starter with a quality outing, getting the win in game 4 after surrending just 3 runs in 7.2 innings of work. The pitching not being on point will be a bigger concern against Omaha.

Nashville seemed to do a lot of platooning in this first round, and we will see if that continues versus the Cyclones. Closer Quirke Roddis provided 3.1 innings of scoreless work with 2 saves. If the Bluebirds are to have a chance against Omaha, the games will be close and Roddis will have to come through even more.

Sittin' on Their Ass: The Cyclones spun to dizzying heights in 2053, reaching the 105 win mark for the first time since 2025. Omaha dominated the regular season with a BBA-best +231 run differential, so there was nothing fluky about this team. The Cyclones are a well-constructed team, built around the terrifying power of slugging LF Du Wu (43 homers, 101 RBI). CF Orlando Ordonez had a great all-around season, contributing 38 homers, 91 RBI and 6.2 WAR due to stellar defense. Catcher Sloth Fratelli had his best major league season, hitting an unexpected .293 and 22 homers. And that is how Omaha did it - virtually all the position players stepped up their game and turned their lineup into one with no weak links.

25-year old pitcher Takashi Nakamura led the team with a stunning 19-5 record. The rest of the starters filled in capably behind him, even if they weren't as dominant. But it was the bullpen of Omaha that proved to be an absolute juggernaut. Dave Ferrell recorded 44 saves with a 2.16 ERA. Juan Santana contributed 10 wins and 6 saves of his own with a 3.51 ERA. Bill O'Connor sported nasty stuff with a 2.63 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.

Again, the Cyclones success was a story of team effort. They lack the usual proliferation of all-stars and superstars that other BBA teams may have. And yet, they walked away with the best regular-season record in 2053. Will those positive vibes continue in the postseason?

Kickin' Ass: The Bluebirds proved in the previous round that they should never be taken lightly and have a knack for playing their best ball in the playoffs. That makes this a difficult series to call. But I have a feeling that the overachieving Cyclones will continue to produce after a little time off. I'll predict the Cyclones in 6, but the Bluebirds could easily find a way to prove me wrong again.
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Re: Ass-First 2053 Doubleday Preview: Bluebirds vs Cyclones (Best of 7)

Post by Dington » Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:40 pm

It’s gonna be a doozy!
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