Alamogordo, 38-31, finished one game ahead of the Lynchburg Whiskeyjacks to win the Cowboy Division, then topped the 44-24 Ogden Thunder Ducks in round one, then the Anchorage Polar Bears (44-24) in round two, and finally Charlottesville Marching Ants, who were 40-28, in a thrilling seven game series. In each playoff series, the Road Runners knocked off a team who had a better record, making them underdogs for the entire playoffs.
"No one thought we could do this with the talent we had," said first year manager Jesus Rodriguez, a long-time member of the Yellow Springs Nine, who won BBA Championships with the Nashville Bluebirds. "They saw Angel leave, saw a lot of the best players move up with him, and figured we'd be lucky to maintain a winning record. Hell, the biggest guy [Bo Jordan, the Nine's owner] probably didn't even want me here. But I told GM Rob McMonigal I'd win for him, if I was given the chance. And here we go! The Road Runners are back to back champs, baby! And we're just getting started. Give me the players and I will make them winners. I guarantee it!"
"J-Rod [Rodriguez] told me that if I gave him a shot, he'd show me he could be an excellent manager," said McMonigal. "And while it was touch and go there for awhile at the start of the season, once he found his footing, with the help of Dave [O'Reilly, pitching coach, first year] and Mal [Fountain, hitting coach, first year], he not only one, he won big. The players in this past year's draft were much more challenging to bring the best out of, but they did it. I can't wait to see how they develop our next group of prospects.
Stars for the Road Runners included:
SP Thuy Bui, 8-2 in 14 starts, 75K, 2.40 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 79 FIP-, 2.5 WAR
SP Fadi bin Nadeem, 6-4 in 14 starts, 94K, 10.8 k/9, 82 FIP-, 1.8 WAR
SP Juan Diaz, 6-3 in 14 starts, 82K, 1.29 WHIP, 87 FIP-, 1.8 WAR
RP Ion Micu, 3-1 in 24 games, 14 holds, 3.33 ERA, 49 FIP-, 1.1 WAR
RP Cisco Sanchez, 27 games, 18 saves (+7 playoff saves), 98 FIP-
OF Tung-chi Lei, .325 ave, 11 HR, 1.091 OPS, 161 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
3B Manny Cambranes, .345 ave, 12 HR, 1.021 OPS, 149 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
C Jim Benz, .282 ave, 9 HR, .850 OPS, 107 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
IF Hanbal bin Khaldun, .324 Ave, 9 HR, .980 OPS, 131 wRC+, .9 WAR
All members of the 2063 Road Runners will be honored at the Yellow Springs Nine's Memorial Day game on May 26th, 2064, against the Vancouver Mounties. All fans in attendance will receive a free set of Road Runners 2063 Champions baseball cards, courtesy of Topps.
