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Today, 12:59 PM
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Dark Cloud
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Now the Cardinals are about to get into the act of the post-season after waiting through the first 4 rounds, but this Stags run is why OOTP is so rad, you can really feel the magic of a postseason this unexpected. I have doubted this team -- I'm just simulating the games out -- and save for Willingham's first start, I have tweaked nothing about the lineup or rotation for any of this, they're just getting through on vibes and magic.
I do think the Orioles will end the run, but I just wanted to reflect on this whole season and series, including the very Marlins-esque fire sale that will have to commence after this year, keeping with my storyline. That will be interesting and sad, I'll probably make a new GM that has to deal with that part so it doesn't wreck my current GMs decision history. Against All Odds: How the Wild Card Stags Crashed the ALCS Party In an October already filled with implausible storylines, the Portland Stags might have authored the most remarkable one yet. A wild card team that had to navigate the treacherous waters of the Ladder playoffs has now found itself in the American League Championship Series, leaving a trail of stunned opponents and broken projections in their wake. The numbers tell a story that statistics-minded baseball observers are still trying to process. The Stags entered their Division Series matchup against Sacramento as decisive underdogs – the Solons had won 12 more regular season games and boasted one of the league's most potent offenses. Yet in a series that exemplified Portland's resilient character, the underdogs prevailed in four games, culminating in Rocky Smith's masterpiece that will be remembered in Rose City lore for generations. "Sometimes the baseball gods have other plans," one AL scout texted Friday night. "Sacramento was the better team on paper, but Portland just refused to play according to the script." The turning point came in Game 3, when third baseman Marc McCoy's clutch two-run double broke a tight game open, leading to a 7-4 victory that shifted the series' momentum decisively in Portland's favor. Even a two-homer performance from Solons' center fielder Izan Rodríguez couldn't derail the Stags' destiny that afternoon. But it was Game 4 that crystallized everything special about this Portland run. Career minor leaguer Rocky Smith, thrust into the spotlight by circumstance and necessity, spun a complete game shutout that had even the most hardened baseball observers shaking their heads in disbelief. His four-hit masterpiece in the clincher felt like something out of "The Natural" – except this was real life, playing out in front of a delirious Civic Stadium crowd. The ironies abound. Portland's path to the ALCS has been paved by unlikely heroes like Smith and timely hitting from a lineup that industry experts considered middling at best. Left fielder Erik Monaghan's emergence as a clutch playoff performer (10 RBIs in the Division Series) and designated hitter Peter LaBay's consistent excellence (.375 in the ALDS) have given the Stags' offense an October identity that few saw coming. "What makes this team special is that everyone contributes," McCoy said after being named ALDS MVP. "One night it's Monaghan, the next it's Rocky throwing the game of his life. We just keep finding ways." As Portland awaits their ALCS opponent, the question becomes: how far can this magical run extend? History suggests that wild card teams who survive the Ladder gauntlet often have both momentum and destiny on their side. Whether that proves true for these Stags remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – they've already made believers out of everyone who counted them out. This October story isn't finished yet. And if the first chapters are any indication, the ending could be something special indeed. |
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