The Worst to First Association

[motnahp]

Jose Offerman's single in the bottom of the 9th drove in Juan Samuel, as the Dodgers took the division series opener 3-2. Jim Gott was the winner in relief. Bruce Sutter did not retire a batter in the 9th and suffered the loss.

FRI OCT 7

ATL_____2___5___0
LA______3__10___1
LA leads series 1-0

Other games:

CIN_____1___9___0 (13 innings)
PHA_____0___6___0
Cincinnati leads series 1-0

CLE_____2___7___0
BAL_____0___4___0
Cleveland leads series 1-0

TEX_____4___11___0
MIN_____9___13___0
Minnesota leads series 1-0

[motnahp]

Following a break for some real-life baseball (son in state tournament):

Zane Smith scattered 4 singles, as the Braves shut out the Dodgers 1-0. Ron Gant provided the only offense with a lead-off homer in the top of the 6th off losing pitcher Pedro Martinez. Smith struck out 9 and walked only one.

SAT OCT 8

ATL_____1___9___1
LA______0___4___0
Series tied 1-1

In other action:

CLE_____7___16___0
BAL_____2____8___0
Cleveland leads series 2-0

TEX_____3___10___1
MIN_____1____6___0
Series tied 1-1

CIN_____2___7___0
PHA_____1___8___0
Cincinnati leads series 2-0

[motnahp]

Ramon Martinez (7 IP), Jim Gott (1 IP), and Jay Howell (1 IP) combined to shut out the Braves on 3 hits, 3-0. All LA runs came courtesy of solo homers, two by Darryl Strawberry and one by Eric Davis. Rick Mahler allowed only 2 runs in 8 innings, but took the loss.

MON OCT 10

LA_____3___6___0
ATL____0___3___0
Los Angeles leads series 2-1

Other action:

BAL_____4___12___1 (10 innings)
CLE_____5___11___0
Cleveland leads series 3-0

MIN_____4___8___1
TEX_____2__10___2
Minnesota leads series 2-1

PHA_____0___3___0
CIN_____4___4___0
Cincinnati leads series 3-0

[motnahp]

The Braves used a 16-hit attack to pound the Dodgers 10-3, evening the series at two games apiece. Ozzie Virgil was 3-4 with a homer and 4 RBI. Ron Gant went 4-5 with a double and RBI, Dale Murphy went 2-5 with 2 RBI, and both Ken Oberkfell and Andres Thomas were 2-4. Tom Glavine allowed only 1 run and 2 hits in 7 innings. Dodger starter Pedro Astacio was charged with 8 earned runs in only 3+ innings.

Injury note: Braves lead-off man Dion James suffered an arm injury in the first inning and was removed from the game. He is day-to-day.

TUE OCT 11

LA______3___6___0
ATL____10__16___1
Series tied 2-2

Other action:

BAL_____8___15___0 (10 innings)
CLE_____4____8___2
Cleveland leads series 3-1

MIN_____2___9___0
TEX_____1___4___0
Minnesota leads series 3-1

PHA_____7___13___0
CIN_____3___10___1
Cincinnati leads series 3-1

[motnahp]

Henry Rodriguez' RBI double in the top of the 8th broke a 2-2 tie and sent the Dodgers back to LA with a 3-2 win and a 3-2 lead in the series. Atlanta led 2-0 entering the top of the 8th, but Pete Smith and Paul Assenmacher could not keep LA's big bats down. Orel Hershirer picked up the win and Jay Howell collected the save. Ron Gant and Ozzie Virgil hit solo homers for the Braves.

WED OCT 12

LA______3___8___1
ATL_____2___8___0
Los Angeles leads series 3-2

Other action:

BAL_____0___7___0
CLE_____4__10___0
Cleveland wins series 4-1

MIN_____2___6___0
TEX_____4___6___1
Minnesota leads series 3-2

PHA_____1___9___0
CIN_____2___9___0
Cincinnati wins series 4-1

[motnahp]

The Braves used a 5-run 7th inning to beat LA 6-2 and force a game seven. Charlie Puleo pitched the final 5 innings in relief, allowing only one run and earning the win. Dale Murphy was 2-5 with a homer and 2 RBI, Ron Gant 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI, hot Ozzie Virgil 2-4, and Gerald Perry added an RBI double.

FRI OCT 14

ATL_____6___12___2
LA______2____7___0
Series tied 3-3

Other action:

TEX_____3___7___1
MIN_____5___8___0
Minnesota wins series 4-2

[motnahp]

The Atlanta Braves are unlikely representatives in the NLCS following a 3-1 game 7 win over the Dodgers. Rick Mahler went 6 1/3 innings to get the win. Atlanta's bullpen held the Dodgers at bay, with Jose Alvarez (1 2/3 IP) and Bruce Sutter (1 IP, SV) doing the trick. Sutter struck out Eric Karros and Darryl Strawberry with a man on base to end the game. Dale Murphy hit a 2-run homer in the 1st inning off Ramon Martinez and Lonnie Smith added an RBI double in the 3rd.

Bring on the Reds (but not tonight.....getting late).

SAT OCT 15

ATL_____3___5___1
LA______1___9___1
Atlanta wins series 4-3

[motnahp]

Mario Soto and Greg Harris combined to shut out the Braves, as Cincinnati opened the NLCS with a 6-0 blanking of Atlanta. Cesar Cedeno's 2-run homer in the second off Pete Smith was the only offense the Reds really needed. They added two more runs in each of the 7th and 8th innings to put the game away.

I Minnesota, Randy Bush broke a 4-4 tie with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 9th to give the Twins a 1-0 lead in the ALCS over the Indians.

NLCS THUR OCT 20

CIN_____6___10___0
ATL_____0____3___1
Cincinnati leads series 1-0

ALCS THUR OCT 20

CLE_____4___7___1
MIN_____7___9___0
Minnesota leads series 1-0

[motnahp]

BoB SHirley (7 1/3) and Tom Hume (1 2/3) combined to shut out the Braves, 5-0. Mike Vail opened the scoring in the 5th with a 2-run single off losing pitcher Zane Smith.

NLCS FRI OCT 21

CIN_____5___12___1
ATL_____0____7___0

Cincinnati leads series 2-0

ALCS FRI OCT 21

CLE_____1___5___1
MIN_____2___6___0

Minnesota leads series 2-0

[motnahp]

The Atlanta Braves beat the Reds in 7-6 in 10 innings to cut the Reds' lead to 2-1 in the NLCS. Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the 9th, Atlanta tied the score, then took a 5-2 lead on a 3-run pinch-hit homer by Jerry Royster off Cincy closer Joe Price. Bruce Sutter came on for the save, but allowed a game-tying 3-run homer to the Reds' Dan Driessen. The Braves scored twice in the 10th on a Ron Gant groundout and a Ted Simmons RBI single. Trying to tack on more runs, the Braves had the bases loaded with two out and Sutter due up. With only injured Dion James (due back tomorrow) available on the bench, manager motnahp called upon pitcher Charlie Puleo to hit for Sutter. Alas, Puleo grounded out. Joe Boever came on in the 10th with a 2-run lead, but allowed doubles to Larry Biitner and Dave Concepcion before retiring the side.

NLCS MON OCT 23

ATL_____7___11___2 (10 innings)
CIN_____6___15___0

Cincinnati leads series 2-1

ALCS MON OCT 23

MIN_____0___5___0
CLE_____1___5___0

Minnesota leads series 2-1

[motnahp]

Tom Glavine starred on the hill and at the plate, as the Braves evened the NLCS at 2-2 with a 5-2 win over the Reds. Glavine allowed only 3 hits in 8 innings. He also homered and doubled. Andres Thomas hit two homers for the Braves, driving in three. Bruce Sutter pitched a perfect 9th for the save.

NLCS MON OCT 24

ATL_____5___8___0
CIN_____2___3___0

Series tied 2-2

ALCS MON OCT 24

MIN_____9___9___0
CLE_____7___9___2

Minnesota leads series 3-1

[motnahp]

Eddie Milner's pinch-hit double in the 6th broke a 1-1 tie, as the Reds took a 3 games to 2 lead in the NLCS.

NLCS TUE OCT 25

ATL_____1___7___0
CIN_____2__13___0

Cincinnati leads series 3-2

ALCS TUE OCT 25

MIN_____2___9___0
CLE_____4___9___0

Minnesota leads series 3-2

[motnahp]

Alex Trevino's 3-run homer capped a 5-run 5th inning as the Reds broke open a 2-2 game and went on to double up the Braves 8-4 and win the NLCS 4 games to 2.

Atlanta starter Zane Smith threw 82 pitches through 4 innings and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 4th. In the division series against the Dodgers, Smith was also lifted after 4 innings due to high pitch count. Charlie Puleo shut the door on the Dodgers and the Braves won that game 6. Puleo was not as fortunate this time around. He walked the first two batters. Things looked safe after a 5-3 double play left a runner on second with two outs. Manager motnahp called for the intentional walk to Dan Driessen. Ron Oester doubled making the score 3-2. Mike Vail followed with a single and the Reds led 4-2. Light-hitting Alex Trevino then blasted his 3-run shot. Bob Shirley went the distance on the mound for the Reds. Cesar Cedeno suffered a serious leg injury making a diving catch in center field. He will not be available for the World Series.

NLCS THUR OCT 27

CIN_____8___13___1
ATL_____4____9___0

Cincinnati wins series 4-2

ALCS THUR OCT 27

CLE_____0___8___0
MIN_____6__13___1

Minnesota wins series 4-2

[motnahp]

Mario Soto struck out 10 in 8 innings of work, as the Reds took the World Series opener, 3-1 over the Twins.

TUE NOV 1

CIN_____3___10___0
MIN_____1____3___1

Cincinnati leads series 1-0

NOTE: The game's AI did NOT disable the injured Cesar Cedeno, although he was out for 6 1/2 weeks! After allowing the Reds to play with only a 24-man roster in game one, I assumed control, put Cedeno on the disabled list, and "promoted" pitcher Tom Seaver (there were no AAA outfielders), whom the AI had sent down just prior to the playoffs. I did an AutoGen on the lineup and rotation. Seaver ended up as the #4 starter, so he'll at least get a start. He was 14-10, 3.49 on the season. With my input, the Reds are sure to lose the series now.[;)]

[motnahp]

Brad Havens out-dueled Bob Shirley in a battle of lefties, and the Twins beat the Reds 3-1 to even the series at a game apiece.

WED NOV 2

CIN_____1___7___1
MIN_____3___8___0

Series tied 1-1

[motnahp]

The Reds used a 15-hit attack to subue the Twins, 5-3. Cincinnati takes a 2-1 lead in the series.

FRI NOV 4

MIN_____3___5___2
CIN_____5__15___1

Cincinnati leads series 2-1

[motnahp]

The Twins responded with a 14-hit outburst, tying the series 2-2 with a 5-1 win over the Reds.

SAT NOV 5

MIN_____5___14___0
CIN_____1____7___0

Series tied 2-2

[motnahp]

Mario Soto improved to 5-0 in the postseason, as the Reds beat the Twins 3-1 to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the World Series.

SUN NOV 6

MIN_____1___9___0
CIN_____3__10___0

Cincinnati leads series 3-2

[motnahp]

Brad Havens went the distance, as the Twins forced a game 7 with a 6-2 win over the Reds.

In Game 7, it will be Bruce Berenyi (16-8, 2.83) against Frank Viola (17-9, 1.95).

TUE NOV 8

CIN_____2___7___1
MIN_____6__10___0

Series tied 3-3

[motnahp]

The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series with a 7-3 win over the Twins. Dan Driessen's 3-run homer in the 7th gave the Reds a 7-2 lead, more than enough for Bruce Berenyi, who went the distance.

WED NOV 9

CIN_____7___13___0
MIN_____3____8___0

Cincinnati wins series 4-3.

In the American League, Baltimore's Cal Ripken, Jr. won the MVP. He batted .301 with 16 homers and 75 RBI. Cleveland's Charles Nagy won the Cy Young award, going 22-7 with a 2.43 ERA.

In the NL, the Reds' Cesar Cedeno was a clear MVP choice. He led the league in hitting, on-base percentage, stolen bases, hits and runs scored. He hit .323 with 10 homers and 83 RBI. Philly's Steve Carlton won the Cy Young. He led the NL in wins, complete games and innings pitched. He went 23-7 with a 2.21 ERA.


Next up will be an association featuring the teams with each franchise's best record. I will go with only a 26-team association, so there will be no Colorado, Florida, Arizona or Tampa Bay. I'll also use a schedule from 1977, so I can get some doubleheaders in there. The parameters will be the same: Injuries can occur, allow AI trades, modern closer ON, no finances, and DH in the AL only. I'm undecided who I will manage, but it will probably be Atlanta again. I have a feeling that the Atlanta team in this assn will have Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine in the rotation. That sounds great to me!