[SirFozzie]

Just a crazy finish to my fictional 1950 season in Out of the Park 24:

Game 7 of the US Series (read: World Series), and I'm throwing my star player out there on the mound for Game 7:

Jeff Baird went 25-7 with a 2.86 ERA, averaging 8 and two thirds inning a start (remember, 1950, it was go until your arm falls off). That means 293 IP, 238 Hits allowed, and a jaw dropping 365 strikeouts for the season.


He goes out and pitches a great one in the most important game of the year. A little wild (6 walks), but he was throwing a no-no through 5, and ended up with 16k. Now, my modern manager sensibilities was like "pull him! pull him!" late in the game, as he was getting way up there in pitches (but again, 1950), as we were up 2-0 entering the ninth, but when a pitcher is pitching like THAT in game 7 of the world series-equivalent, the romance of the thing stopped me. With two outs, he gives up a double, and I half-panic, realizing that there's no one up in the bullpen. I quickly put someone to throwing..

*CRACK!*

yep, you guessed it, 2 run homer in the top of the ninth to lose the shutout AND the lead. The reliever is still not ready, but Baird bears down and gets the final out, to send it to the bottom of the ninth..

where we get a leadoff double, an infield single and a baltimore chop over the drawn in infield to win the game, the series, and the championship. Baird is the winning pitcher

I'd like to think that there was a dramatic moment in the dugout where Baird is head down in the dugout after giving up the lead, and the team rallies around him and says "Don't worry, we'll get you over the line"