FOOL 2031 Playoff Thread

[muns]

ohhhhh wow!!!! Well if that isnt a series changer.......

[Montreal_GM]

And for your reward Blatherwick you'll be cut at the end of the playoffs.

[Alan T]

RLCS Game 5:

Naofumi Ueda pitches for Colorado (0-0 1.29 ERA this postseason)
vs
Daniel Pado for Hartford (no appearance this postseason)

Hartford decides to give their ace Lemieux an extra day off between starts. We will see if that comes back to haunt them or help them!

Colorado jumps out to the early lead thanks to scoring 2 in the first, 1 in the third, 2 in the fourth and 1 in the 5th. Hartford responds however with 3 of their own in the 4th, and then 2 in each of the 5th and 6th innings and the Harpooners win despite being out hit 13 to 8!

O'Bryan goes 3 for 3 with a double, HR and 2 RBI plus 2 walks in the loss for Colorado. Ward hits 3 for 4 with a double and 3 RBI for Hartford in the win.

Hartford 7, Colorado 6

Hartford leads the RLCS 3 games to 2.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Montreal_GM

And for your reward Blatherwick you'll be cut at the end of the playoffs.

I was going to leave that as a surprise darn you!

[Alan T]

CLCS game 6:

Jorge Martinez pitches for Tokyo (0-1 3.00 ERA this postseason)
vs
Byron Blankenship for Baltimore (0-1 3.00 ERA this postseason)

The Cyclones are not ready to go down without a fight as Martinez once again pitches a good game, going 7 innings, allowing only 1 run to score on 5 hits. This time he gets more run support from his team and he pulls out the win.

Juteau and Hughes both hit their first home runs of the postseason in the win for Tokyo while Sherman goes 2 for 4 with a solo home run as the only run scored for Baltimore in the loss.

Tokyo has fought their way back from being down 3 games to 1 to force a game 7!

Tokyo 6, Baltimore 1

The CLCS is tied 3 games each.

[Montreal_GM]

Is it me or do all these series seem to be great year after year?

[muns]

Well If I loose it, Tokyo earned it. I put Sanchez in this spot for this reason, Game 7!!!!

[Tasan]

Well this isn't going to go well. Ueda didn't do what he was supposed to, and I now have no possible answer for Lemieux.

[Alan T]

RLCS Game 6:

Renaud Lemieux pitches for Hartford (0-0 1.13 ERA this postseason)
vs
Joe Durham for Colorado (0-1 7.50 ERA this postseason)

Colorado scores first on a Hernandez RBI double in the second to give the Rancheros a 1-0 lead. Both pitchers showed up with their best stuff it seems however as the score remains 1-0 into the 7th inning!

That is when things fall apart for Durham and the Rancheros.. Nunez leads off with a walk, Jones follows with a triple, Couarde with a pinch-hit intentional walk, Kui with a single, Munoz single, Hewson single, Prebble single... finally Colorado lifts Durham.. but the damage is done.. Hartford scores 6 runs on 5 hits and that is all Lemieux will need.

Lemieux pitches a complete game, striking out 9 and giving up only the 1 run on 8 hits and Hartford levels Colorado!

Ward goes 2 for 3 with a HR and 3 RBI in the win for the Harpooners.

Hartford 9, Colorado 1


The Hartford Harpooners are the 2031 Republic League Champions and they return to the FOOL Classic for the first time since 2001, thirty years ago!

[muns]

Good to See the Pooners back!!! Congrats!!!

[Tasan]

Well, that's it. I'm blowin' it up.

Ueda is up for grabs folks, place your bids. Anyone else you see that you like, let me know. EVERYONE is available.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by Alan T

See Republic League.. that is how you end a game.. not with a Balk.. not with a Wild Pitch...

You all could learn something from the CL!

Sure, if you like tired cliches!

[Alan T]

CLCS Game 7:

Edwin English pitches for Tokyo (0-2 7.20 ERA this postseason)
vs
Armando Sanchez for Baltimore (1-0 0.00 ERA this postseason)

Tokyo scores first, a RBI single from Munoz in the top of the first gives the Cyclones a 1-0 lead. Baltimore ties it up in the bottom of the third however thanks to a Matt Rogers Solo home run.

Tokyo gets two more the next inning on a Rush solo home run and Hughes RBI single, and they put the nail in the coffin in the top of the 5th when Munoz scores on an error by the right fielder, then Rush scores on a sacrifice fly, and Thompson hits an RBI single to put the Cyclones up 6-1.

That remains the score as English finally shows up when it matters, he pitches 7.2 innings, striking out 6, allowing only 1 run on 5 hits and Tokyo comes from behind to win the CLCS!

Tokyo 6, Baltimore 1


The Tokyo Cyclones are the 2031 Continental League Champions!

[Montreal_GM]

Congrats Hyde.

So sorry Tasan.

[muns]

Congrats Kevin, Good series!

[Montreal_GM]

Tough luck muns. Hate to see your boys go out this way. Great try though bringing in all that talent.

[Alan T]

The FOOL Classic is set!

Hartford Harpooners (90-75) vs Tokyo Cyclones (94-68)

First time Tokyo has been to the FOOL Classic since the move to Japan.

The last time these two franchises met up was back in 1981 when the Toronto Osprey beat the Hartford Harpooners, 50 years ago!

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic game 1:

Waddell pitches for Hartford (1-0 4.15 ERA this postseason)
vs
Ruiz for Tokyo (0-0 6.43 ERA this postseason)

[hyde4us11]

Originally Posted by Montreal_GM

Tough luck muns. Hate to see your boys go out this way. Great try though bringing in all that talent.

jinx

[TeachEnEspanol]

Hooray for my new trading buddy!

Sad face for my old trading buddy.

Congrats to Kevin!

[Montreal_GM]

Originally Posted by hyde4us11

jinx

I'm not sure what you're trying to say but if injuries were on I'd be wishing CEI's for your entire roster.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Oops, I forgot a sad face for my dear sarcastic CL-loving friend Tasan!

[Alan T]

Hartford gets their runs in 1's and 2's as they score in the second, third, fifth, 7th and 8th innings. Tokyo likes scoring all at once however with a big 6th inning where the Cyclones socre 5 times on 2 hits, 4 walks, 1 hit by pitch (with the bases loaded) and 1 Wild pitch (with the bases loaded)

In the end however, the two teams remain tied through the 9th inning and we head into extra innings!

No base runners get on for either team in the 10th, Hartford gets a single in the 11th but leave him stranded while Tokyo fails to have anyone reach base once again.

In the 12th, Munoz leads off with a walk, followed by an Elian Feliz two run home run to give Hartford an 8-6 lead!

Tokyo is once again unable to get anyone to even reach base in the bottom of the inning, and Hartford wins game 1 in extra frames!

Raul Polanco gets the win for Hartford, pitching 4 innings of relief, striking out 5 and not giving up a single base runner from the 9th inning on!

Fujimoto goes 3 for 3 with a double and 3 RBI for Hartford in the win.

Hartford 8, Tokyo 6 (12 innings)

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic Game 2:

Douggie Goff pitches for Hartford (0-0 15.43 ERA this postseason)
vs
Jorge Martinez for Tokyo (1-1 2.25 ERA this postseason)

[Alan T]

Hughes hits a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead. Tokyo adds another in the 4th on a sacrifice fly from Ackerman, but Hartford ties it up in the next inning on a Brennan Ward 2-run Home run!

The Harpooners then take the lead in the 6th on a RBI single from Kui, but this time it is the Cyclones turn to tie it in the bottom of the inning when Thompson hits an RBI double that knots the game up 3-3.

Hartford gets another in the 7th on another RBI from Ward, but Tokyo takes back two in the bottom of the inning on a RBI single from Thompson and another Ackerman sacrifice fly.

Tokyo goes up 5-4 and that is all of the scoring in this one as the Cyclones hold on to win.

Ward goes 2 for 5 with a double, HR and 3 RBi in the loss for Hartford while Hughes goes 3 for 4 with a solo HR in the win for Tokyo.

Tokyo 5, Hartford 4

The FOOL Classic is tied 1 game each!

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic game 3:

Edwin English pitches for Tokyo (1-2 4.59 ERA this postseason)
vs
Dan Richards for Hartford (0-1 8.53 ERA this postseason)

[Montreal_GM]

Oh c'mon Tokyo, Richards is in a tailspin, GET HIM!

[Alan T]

Hartford gets 2 in the first, 1 in the 5th and 4 more in the 6th to take a commanding lead.

Tokyo finally gets on the board in the 7th when they score 5 runs to get within 2, but another Hartford run in the bottom of the inning puts this one away.

Heredia goes 2 for 4 with 4 RBI for Hartford in the win.

Hartford 8, Tokyo 5

The Harpooners lead the FOOL Classic 2 games to 1.

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic game 4:

Roberto Ruiz pitches for Tokyo (0-0 5.40 ERA this postseason)
vs
Padno for Hartford (0-0 12.27 ERA this postseason)

[Alan T]

Padno has not had much success this postseason thus far, which is not too surprising as he had an ERA near 7 during the regular season. Despite that, Hartford gives him the ball to pitch in game 4 of the FOOL Classic instead of their ace Lemieux. The last time this happened, it ended up working out for Hartford.. will that happen twice in a row?

The Harpooners jump out to a 1-0 lead in the first, and then add to it with 3 more in the 4th and 1 each in the 5th and 6th.

That is all Padno needs as he pitches the game of his life in this one. Padno pitches a complete game 5 hitter, striking out 7 and not allowing a single run to score!

Fujimoto, Munoz and Hewson all chipped in with Home runs for the Harpooners as they take a commanding lead in the Classic! Tokyo has come back from a 3-1 deficit already this postseason however!

Hartford 6, Tokyo 0

Hartford leads the series 3 games to 1.

[Alan T]

Tuesday, October 14th, 2031: Padno Dominates Cyclones in Shutout
The Cyclones can take comfort in knowing that they will not have to face Daniel Padno again for a while. The 25-year-old hurler pitched a 5-hit shutout to help the Hartford Harpooners beat Tokyo 6-0. In the process, Padno struck out 7 and walked 1.

In 2031 Padno has compiled a 12-11 mark with a 6.75 ERA in 33 starts.

[Montreal_GM]

Oh crap. My boys did not just lose to both of those guys.

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic Game 5:

Jorge Martinez pitches for Tokyo (2-1 3.13 ERA this postseason)
vs
Lemieux pitches for Hartford (1-0 1.06 ERA this postseason)

[Montreal_GM]

Damn you for jinxing me.

[Alan T]

In a game that starts off appearing to be a pitcher's duel, does not necessarily live to its hype.

Tokyo scores on a RBI triple from Rush and a Munoz RBI single in the second to take the early 2-0 lead. Hartford gets one back in the third on a Jones Solo home run and then tie the game in the next inning with a solo shot from Prebble and we are tied at 2 after 4 innings.

Hartford gives Lemieux the lead in the bottom of the 6th on a RBI single from Jones and the Harpooners lead 3-2. Is that all Lemieux will need in this one?

Entering the top of the 9th inning, Hartford brings in Polanco to try to save the game out. He starts off by hitting Rush with a pitch, then giving up a pinch hit single to Canales, followed by a three run home to Ackerman! Tokyo takes a 5-3 lead in the 9th!

Lange comes in to try to close the game out for the Cyclones, but he fares just as poorly, giving up singles to Jones and Couarde, followed by a two-run RBi double to Kui! Lange gets the next three outs, but not before Hartford had tied up the game 5-5 to force extra innings!

In the top of the 10th, Rodriguez pitching for Hartford, he walks Juteau with one out, then walks Gathee as well before striking out Rush for the second out of the inning.

Canales hits a short fly to right field that drops in and is almost caught, to load the bases for Ackerman...

Ackerman fouls off two pitches, but then takes a 3-2 pitch and lines it... lines it really hard.. and it somehow goes on a rope over the left field wall, only 341 feet, but it is long enough for a GRAND SLAM Home run!

Hartford finally gets out of the inning, but Tokyo leads 9-5 now in the 10th!

Lange seems to be able to work better with the big lead as he puts down the Harpooners 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win!

David Ackerman was simply unconscious in this one. He went 3 for 5 with 2 HR and 7 RBI!!

Tex Jones goes 4 for 4 with a double, HR and 2 RBI in the loss for Hartford.

Tokyo 9, Hartford 5 (10 innings)

Hartford leads the series 3 games to 2.

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic game 6

Waddell pitches for Hartford (1-0 3.55 ERA this postseason)
vs
English for Tokyo (1-3 6.26 ERA this postseason)


I don't have this stat in front of me, but I wonder if English loses here, would it be the first time in FOOL history that a pitcher had 4 losses in the postseason?

[Alan T]

Evidently English does not want to find out what it feels like with 4 losses in the postseason, and he does his part, going 6.1 innings, striking out 5, walking none and giving up only 6 hits, allowing no one to score.

The Tokyo bullpen jump in where he left off, giving up only 2 other hits the remainder of the game. Tokyo gets good performances from Munoz who goes 2 for 5 with a RBi and run scored as well as Juteau who hit 3 for 5 with a run scored.

The Cyclones have once again come back from being down 3 games to 1 to tie up the series!

Tokyo 5, Hartford 0

The FOOL Classic is tied 3 games each!

[Montreal_GM]

That helps.

I think all but a few times Juteau's name has been mentioned it was because he was walked.

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic game 7:

Goff pitches for Hartford (0-1 9.72 ERA this postseason)
vs
Ruiz for Tokyo (0-1 6.89 ERa this postseason)

[Alan T]

Juteau wanted to show that he could do more than walk as he breaks a scoreless tie in the bottom of the 5th with a solo home run, only his second home run of the postseason. Tokyo scores a second run in the inning to go up 2-0.

Hartford gets 1 back in the 7th, but two more Cyclones runs in the 8th put this one away for Tokyo and they now find themselves just one win away from a FOOL Championship!

Ruiz pitched 7.2 innings, giving up only 1 run on 6 hits.

Tokyo wins despite being out hit 7 to 5.

Tokyo 4, Hartford 1

Tokyo leads the series 4 games to 3.

[Alan T]

FOOL Classic game 8:

Martinez pitches for Tokyo (2-1 3.34 ERA this postseason)
vs
Richards for Hartford (1-1 8.03 ERA this postseason)

[Alan T]

Hartford scores 2 in the first, on a RBI double from Hewson and RBI single from Heredia to take the early lead. Tokyo responds the very next inning with a 3-run HR from Munoz plus 2 more runs on only 4 hits and 2 walks and the Cyclones take a 5-2 lead!

Tokyo and Hartford swap a run each in the middle of the game, but the Cyclones put the game away with 3 more runs late!

Rush goes 3 for 5 with a triple, HR and 2 RBI, O'Leary goes 3 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI for TOkyo in the win.

Tokyo 9, Hartford 3

The Tokyo Cyclones are the 2031 FOOL Champions! The first FOOL title won by a team outside of North America!

[Montreal_GM]

My girlfriend just went to bed before the best part. I thought she was a diehard 'clones fan.

[Alan T]

Monday, October 20th, 2031

Tokyo Cyclones: Released RF M. Blatherwick.

Saturday, October 4th, 2031

Apex Assassins: Signed 2B C. Cruz to a minor league contract extension.

Hartford Harpooners: Signed MR K. Muttart to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $1,605,000.

Apex Assassins: Signed CF J. Sánchez to a minor league contract extension.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed SP J. Waddington to a minor league contract extension.

Apex Assassins: Signed LF R. Gabriel to a minor league contract extension.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed SP L. Bélisle to a minor league contract extension.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed 2B D. Cooper to a minor league contract extension.

Baltimore Charm: Signed 1B F. Le to a 6-year contract extension worth a total of $21,480,000.

Apex Assassins: Signed C K. Thomas to a minor league contract extension.

Apex Assassins: Signed RF E. Bennett to a minor league contract extension.

Apex Assassins: Signed 3B C. González to a minor league contract extension.

Apex Assassins: Signed CF B. Kim to a minor league contract extension.

Hartford Harpooners: Signed 3B J. Hart to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $2,722,500.

Edmonton Edge: Signed 1B O. Gutiérrez to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $11,002,500.

Apex Assassins: Signed 3B M. Hunt to a minor league contract extension.

Friday, October 3rd, 2031

Chico Rebels: Signed 3B D. Long to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $21,035,000.

Wednesday, October 1st, 2031

Hartford Harpooners: Signed SP K. Andersen to a minor league contract extension.

Apex Assassins: Signed 3B J. Martínez to a minor league contract extension.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed SS E. Jackson to a minor league contract extension.

Apex Assassins: Signed C K. Fujihara to a minor league contract extension.

Boston Settlers: Signed 3B Y. Yang to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $10,090,000.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed SS C. Gosse to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $3,950,000.

Apex Assassins: Signed LF R. Montejano to a minor league contract extension.

Tuesday, September 30th, 2031

Chico Rebels: Signed free agent MR M. Bowness to a 2-year contract worth a total of $1,175,000.

Apex Assassins: Signed RF M. Gagné to a minor league contract extension.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed C A. Coutreras to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $15,652,500.

[Montreal_GM]

Great series Hyde. Your back end starters really tried to help you out but it wasn't to be. Best of luck building on this success.

[Alan T]

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2031

Chico Rebels: CL M. Hensley has executed his last optional contract year.

Hammersmith Hooligans: MR J. Rivera voids his last optional contract year.

Colorado Rancheros: CL J. Hernández has executed his last optional contract year.

Edmonton Edge: 3B C. Fernández (A Vancouver) retires.

New York Heroes: 1B G. Durán retires.

[Montreal_GM]

Blatherwick will always be a hero in Tokyo for that crucial down to the final out grand slam.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Wow, congratulations to Tokyo!

[muns]

Originally Posted by Montreal_GM

Blatherwick will always be a hero in Tokyo for that crucial down to the final out grand slam.

and an ass in Baltimore and Hartford

congrats on the title

[Alan T]

In other news, I got my 20,000th post on FOFC during this playoff series!